How to Edit Files in Linux Using Nano and Vim (Beginner Guide)

This beginner-friendly guide will teach you:

• What Nano and Vim are
• How to open, edit, save, and exit files
• Key commands and shortcuts
• Which editor is best for you

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📄 What Are Nano and Vim?

Editor	Description	Skill Level
Nano	Simple, easy-to-use terminal editor	Beginner
Vim	Powerful, feature-rich editor with modes	Intermediate–Advanced

Both are pre-installed on most Linux systems and run entirely from the terminal.

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🧸 Editing Files with linux Nano (Beginner-Friendly)

✅ Opening a File with Nano

nano filename.txt

• If the file exists, it opens it.
• If not, it creates a new one.

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✏️ Editing in Nano

Just start typing — Nano works like a basic text editor.

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💾 Saving Your Changes

1. Press Ctrl + O to write out (save).
2. Press Enter to confirm the file name.

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❌ Exiting Nano

• Press Ctrl + X to exit.
• If you made changes, Nano will ask if you want to save.

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🧠 Nano Shortcut Cheatsheet

Shortcut	Function
Ctrl + O	Save (Write Out)
Ctrl + X	Exit
Ctrl + K	Cut line
Ctrl + U	Paste line
Ctrl + W	Search text
Ctrl + G	Show help

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⚙️ Editing Files with Vim (The Power Tool)

Vim has a learning curve because it works in modes:

• Normal Mode – Navigate and run commands
• Insert Mode – Type and edit text
• Command Mode – Save, quit, etc.

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✅ Opening a File with Vim

vim filename.txt

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✏️ Start Editing in Vim

1. Press i to enter Insert Mode
2. Type your text as needed

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💾 Saving & Exiting Vim

1. Press Esc to return to Normal Mode
2. Type one of the following and press Enter:

Command	Action
:w	Save file (write)
:q	Quit Vim
:wq or ZZ	Save and quit
:q!	Quit without saving

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🧠 Vim Mode Cheatsheet

Action	Key
Enter insert mode	i, I, a, o
Save and exit	:wq
Search for text	/text + Enter
Navigate (Normal Mode)	h (left), l (right), j (down), k (up)
Delete a line	dd
Undo	u
Redo	Ctrl + r

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🆚 Nano vs Vim: Which Should You Use?

Feature	Nano	Vim
Learning Curve	Very easy	Steep
Editing Speed	Slower	Extremely fast (once learned)
Ideal For	Beginners, quick edits	Power users, developers
Installed By Default	Yes (most distros)	Yes (or Vim minimal)

💡 Tip: Start with Nano. When you’re comfortable with the terminal, level up to Vim — it’s worth it.

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👨‍💻 Examples of When to Use These Editors

• Nano:
  • Editing config files: nano /etc/hostname
  • Writing a quick script: nano hello.sh
• Vim:
  • Power editing on remote servers
  • Editing large files with advanced navigation

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🧠 Pro Tips

• Use sudo if editing system files: sudo nano /etc/hosts sudo vim /etc/fstab
• Try vimtutor in the terminal to learn Vim interactively.
• If Vim feels too hard, try Neovim or Micro editor for modern alternatives.

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🔚 Conclusion

Knowing how to edit files in the terminal is a must-have Linux skill. Whether you choose the simplicity of Nano or the powerful features of Vim, mastering a command-line editor will make you faster, more efficient, and more capable — especially when working on remote servers or system administration tasks.

Start small, practice often, and soon the terminal will feel like second nature.