Persistent Undo

Enable Nano’s persistent undo feature to undo changes even after saving and closing the file. Add set undo to your .nanorc configuration file.


Automatic Indentation

Nano can automatically indent lines based on the syntax of the file. Enable it with set autoindent in your .nanorc.


Syntax Highlighting Customization

Customize syntax highlighting colors and styles in Nano by modifying or creating a .nanorc file in your home directory.


Spell Checking Language

Change Nano’s spell checking language by setting the LANG environment variable before launching Nano.


Cursor Location Persistence

Nano remembers the last cursor position in a file. Disable this feature by adding set positionlog to your .nanorc.


Clipboard Integration

Copy and paste text between Nano and other applications using Ctrl + Shift + 6 to copy selected text and Ctrl + Shift + U to paste from the clipboard.


External Commands

Execute external commands directly from Nano with shortcuts like Ctrl + R to read in command output, Ctrl + T for spell check, and Ctrl + \ for regular expression search and replace.


Marking Text Blocks

Mark text blocks with Alt + A for copying or cutting. Use Alt + 6 to copy or
Alt + K to cut the marked text.


Line Wrapping

Toggle line wrapping with Ctrl + \_ (underscore) to fit long lines within the terminal window.


Backup Files

Automatically create backup files before saving changes by adding set backup to your .nanorc.


External Syntax Highlighting Files

Support additional languages with external syntax highlighting files placed in /usr/share/nano and included in your .nanorc.


Smart Home Key

Enable smart Home key behavior with set smarthome in your .nanorc to enhance cursor movement.


Conclusion

These tips and tricks will maximize Nano’s features, boosting your text editing efficiency. Experiment with them to streamline your workflow and become a Nano power user!

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Last updated 01 Sep 2024, 10:22 CEST . history