Using the nano text editor

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Overview

Both nano and vim are pre-installed on the Linux operating system. They are built-in text editors that are frequently used, since Linux servers typically do not have a GUI.

The nano text editor is easier to learn, so this article is going to cover how to use nano.

Vim has a bit of a learning curve, but it can do some amazing things in the hands of an experienced user.

Practicing with nano on a test file

First, change directory to a safe location, such as your home directory:

cd

(Changing directory with no parameters will take you to your home directory)

Create a blank text file:

touch test.txt

You can verify that the file exists:

ll

(this stands for "long listing", and is a shortcut for ls -la)

Next, edit the test.txt file using nano:

nano test.txt

You should see a large blank area where you can type and edit freely:

To save and quit, use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl-X.

The bottom helper text will change to this:

Choose Yes by typing the uppercase letter Y.

You should see this screen:

Nano is now prompting you to save your changes to the file test.txt. To accept this value and continue, hit <Enter>.

You are now at the command prompt again. To verify that your changes took effect, type:

cat test.txt

And you will see the output:

hi this is a test file