micro - Modern and intuitive terminal-based text editor

Sep 10, 2022 · 2 min read · editor tui  ·
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micro is a terminal-based text editor that aims to be easy to use and intuitive, while also taking advantage of the capabilities of modern terminals. It comes as a single, batteries-included, static binary with no dependencies; it can be download and used as is.

Main features

The key feature of micro is its easy installation and usage. Being programmed in Go, it comes as a single binary that can be simply downloaded and run in almost all the platforms.

The interface is clean and complete. The integrated help allows to discover the features of the program while using it.

Two important features that make micro different from other popular editors for the terminal, is the support for mouse operations and the use of "traditional" keybindings, such as Ctrl-C, Ctrl-X and Ctrl-V for copy, cut and paste, respectively.

It supports the syntax highlighting for a plethora of programming languages and file formats. Moreover, when used for programming (tested with C language programs), it reports the compiler messages for errors and warnings directly in the editor, after every saving of the source file.

Summary

According to the experience made using micro, its main advantages include:

  • compact and self-contained program
  • easy installation
  • use of "traditional" keybindings
  • support of the mouse (selection, movement, etc.)

References