Choosing Your Editor

nano vs vim isn't a religious war. They're tools. Use the right one.

When to Use nano

Quick config edits:

Terminal

$sudo nano /etc/hosts

(add a line, save, done)

You need to edit something NOW:

You're on a server you've never used
The server might not have vim
You forgot vim commands

You're new to Linux:

nano has visible shortcuts
No modes to confuse you
Just works

When to Use vim

Extended editing sessions:

Writing scripts
Coding
Editing multiple files

You're editing remotely often:

vim keybindings become muscle memory
Much faster once proficient

The file requires complex edits:

Multiple search/replace
Block editing
Macro automation

The Practical Approach

Most working developers use both:

Quick fix on server     → nano
Writing a script        → VS Code (local) or vim (remote)
Editing .bashrc         → nano or vim (both fine)
Complex log parsing     → vim
Emergency config fix    → nano (no thinking required)

Learn Both

Be comfortable in nano (5 minutes to learn). Get decent at vim (invest the time). Use whatever fits the situation.

vim Keybindings Everywhere

Even if you don't use vim directly, learn the keybindings:

VS Code: vim extension
JetBrains IDEs: IdeaVim plugin
Sublime Text: Vintage mode
Browser: Vimium extension

The skills transfer. Navigate with hjkl, search with /, delete with d.

Other Options

emacs

The other major terminal editor. Very powerful, steep learning curve.

Terminal

$emacs file.txt

(if you're into that)

Pro: Extremely customizable, built-in everything Con: Complex keybindings, Emacs pinky

Micro

Modern terminal editor. Familiar shortcuts (Ctrl+S to save).

Terminal

$micro file.txt

(if installed)

Like nano but with modern features.

Remote Editing

Edit remote files with local editor:

Terminal

$# VS Code Remote SSH

$code --remote ssh-remote+user@host /path/to/file

Best of both worlds - your fancy editor, remote files.

My Recommendation

Learn nano basics (10 minutes)
- Good enough for most quick edits
- Zero learning curve
Learn vim essentials (a few hours)
- :wq, i, dd, /search, :%s/old/new/g
- Practice with vimtutor
Use your preferred GUI editor for real work
- VS Code, Sublime, whatever
- Install vim keybindings if you want speed
Level up vim gradually
- Learn one new command per week
- Eventually you'll be fast

Terminal

$vimtutor

(built-in vim tutorial - 30 minutes well spent)

Knowledge Check

When would nano be a better choice than vim?

Editor Comparison

Feature	nano	vim
Learning curve	Minutes	Hours/Days
Visible shortcuts	Yes	No
Speed ceiling	Low	Very high
Available everywhere	Yes	Usually
Complex edits	Limited	Powerful
Scripting/Macros	No	Yes

Key Takeaways

nano for quick edits, vim for extended editing
Learn both - they serve different purposes
vim keybindings transfer to other editors
Run vimtutor if you want to improve
Don't let editor choice slow you down
The best editor is the one that gets the job done

Congratulations! You've completed Chapter 11: Text Editors.

Next chapter: Shell Scripting - automate everything.

Choosing Your Editor

nano vs vim isn't a religious war. They're tools. Use the right one.

When to Use nano

Quick config edits:

Terminal

$sudo nano /etc/hosts

(add a line, save, done)

You need to edit something NOW:

You're on a server you've never used
The server might not have vim
You forgot vim commands

You're new to Linux:

nano has visible shortcuts
No modes to confuse you
Just works

When to Use vim

Extended editing sessions:

Writing scripts
Coding
Editing multiple files

You're editing remotely often:

vim keybindings become muscle memory
Much faster once proficient

The file requires complex edits:

Multiple search/replace
Block editing
Macro automation

The Practical Approach

Most working developers use both:

Quick fix on server     → nano
Writing a script        → VS Code (local) or vim (remote)
Editing .bashrc         → nano or vim (both fine)
Complex log parsing     → vim
Emergency config fix    → nano (no thinking required)

Learn Both

Be comfortable in nano (5 minutes to learn). Get decent at vim (invest the time). Use whatever fits the situation.

vim Keybindings Everywhere

Even if you don't use vim directly, learn the keybindings:

VS Code: vim extension
JetBrains IDEs: IdeaVim plugin
Sublime Text: Vintage mode
Browser: Vimium extension

The skills transfer. Navigate with hjkl, search with /, delete with d.

Other Options

emacs

The other major terminal editor. Very powerful, steep learning curve.

Terminal

$emacs file.txt

(if you're into that)

Pro: Extremely customizable, built-in everything Con: Complex keybindings, Emacs pinky

Micro

Modern terminal editor. Familiar shortcuts (Ctrl+S to save).

Terminal

$micro file.txt

(if installed)

Like nano but with modern features.

Remote Editing

Edit remote files with local editor:

Terminal

$# VS Code Remote SSH

$code --remote ssh-remote+user@host /path/to/file

Best of both worlds - your fancy editor, remote files.

My Recommendation

Learn nano basics (10 minutes)
- Good enough for most quick edits
- Zero learning curve
Learn vim essentials (a few hours)
- :wq, i, dd, /search, :%s/old/new/g
- Practice with vimtutor
Use your preferred GUI editor for real work
- VS Code, Sublime, whatever
- Install vim keybindings if you want speed
Level up vim gradually
- Learn one new command per week
- Eventually you'll be fast

Terminal

$vimtutor

(built-in vim tutorial - 30 minutes well spent)

Knowledge Check

When would nano be a better choice than vim?

Editor Comparison

Feature	nano	vim
Learning curve	Minutes	Hours/Days
Visible shortcuts	Yes	No
Speed ceiling	Low	Very high
Available everywhere	Yes	Usually
Complex edits	Limited	Powerful
Scripting/Macros	No	Yes

Key Takeaways

nano for quick edits, vim for extended editing
Learn both - they serve different purposes
vim keybindings transfer to other editors
Run vimtutor if you want to improve
Don't let editor choice slow you down
The best editor is the one that gets the job done

Congratulations! You've completed Chapter 11: Text Editors.

Next chapter: Shell Scripting - automate everything.