Introduction to Nano

What is Nano?

Nano is a text editor for Unix-like computing systems or operating environments using a command line interface. It is simple and user-friendly, making it great for people who are beginners to using command line interfaces.

Installing Nano

Nano text editor is pre-installed on macOS and most Linux distros. To check if it is installed on your system, type:

nano --version

If you don’t have nano installed on your system, you can install it using your distribution’s package manager.

Install Nano on Ubuntu and Debian

sudo apt install nano

Install Nano on CentOS and Fedora

sudo yum install nano

Opening and Creating Files

To open an existing file or to create a new file, type nano followed by the file name: nano filename

This will open a new editor window, and you can start editing the file. It should look something like this. Screenshot 2024-03-17 at 8 02 28 PM

At the bottom of the window, there is a list of the most basic command shortcuts to use with the nano editor. All commands are prefixed with either ^ or M. ^ represents the Ctrl key. For example, the ^J commands mean to press the Ctrl and J keys at the same time. M represents the Alt key. To get a list of all commands, type Ctrl+g.

To open a file, you must have read permissions to the file.

If you want to open a file with the cursor on a specific line and character, use the following syntax:

nano +line_number,character_number filename

If you do not include the character_number the cursor will be positioned on the first character.