Forrest logo
tool overview
On this page you find all important commands for the CLI tool nano. If the command you are looking for is missing please ask our AI.

nano

Nano is a command line text editor designed to be easy to use and navigate for both novice and experienced users. It is considered a beginner-friendly alternative to more complex text editors like Vim or Emacs. Nano is pre-installed on many Linux distributions and is available for different operating systems including macOS and Windows.

Nano features a simple and intuitive interface with on-screen menus and keyboard shortcuts displayed at the bottom. It supports syntax highlighting for various programming languages, making it convenient for developers. The tool also provides helpful features such as copy/paste functionality, search and replace, and go-to line.

It allows users to open and edit multiple files simultaneously, with the option to compare and merge different versions of a file. Nano supports undo and redo operations, ensuring that mistakes can be easily corrected. Another notable feature is the ability to customize the editor according to personal preferences, by modifying the configuration file.

In addition to its user-friendly interface, Nano has a small memory footprint, making it suitable for systems with limited resources. It consumes minimal system resources and responds quickly, making it efficient for editing large files. Nano also has a strong community support, with a variety of online resources available for users to seek help or learn more about its features.

Overall, Nano is a command line tool that provides an accessible and efficient text editing experience, making it a popular choice for both beginners and experienced users.

List of commands for nano:

  • nano:tldr:1cdd9 nano: Start the editor without using configuration files.
    $ nano --ignorercfiles
    try on your machine
    explain this command
  • nano:tldr:5f605 nano: Open a file and create a backup file (`path/to/file~`) on save.
    $ nano --backup ${filename}
    try on your machine
    explain this command
  • nano:tldr:715eb nano: Open specific files, moving to the next file when closing the previous one.
    $ nano ${filename1 filename2 ---}
    try on your machine
    explain this command
  • nano:tldr:902ba nano: Open a file and enable soft wrapping.
    $ nano --softwrap ${filename}
    try on your machine
    explain this command
  • nano:tldr:a3aee nano: Open a file and position the cursor at a specific line and column.
    $ nano +${line},${column} ${filename}
    try on your machine
    explain this command
  • nano:tldr:d8e0e nano: Open a file and indent new lines to the previous line's indentation.
    $ nano --autoindent ${filename}
    try on your machine
    explain this command
tool overview