GNU nano Alternatives for Linux

There are many alternatives to GNU nano for Linux if you are looking for a replacement. The best Linux alternative is Sublime Text, which is free. If that doesn't suit you, our users have ranked more than 100 alternatives to GNU nano and loads of them are available for Linux so hopefully you can find a suitable replacement. Other interesting Linux alternatives to GNU nano are VSCodium, Vim, Zed Editor and Kate.

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Alternatives list

  1. Sublime Text icon

    Sublime Text

     2039 likes
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    Powerful editor blending code, markup, and prose editing with enhanced features like multi-tab selection, side-by-side definition viewing, and multiple selection tools for swift code navigation.

    190 Sublime Text alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium (Pay once)
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    Sublime Text screenshot 1
     
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    6
    Comments about Sublime Text as an Alternative to GNU nano
    Guest
    Negative
    0

    Sublime Text is not a command line text editor.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    GNU nano Icon
    Sublime Text icon

    • Some users think Sublime Text is a great GNU nano alternative, some don't.

    • Sublime Text is the most popular Mac & Linux alternative to GNU nano.

    • Sublime Text is Freemium and ProprietaryGNU nano is Free and Open Source
    • Sublime Text is CustomizableGNU nano is not according to our users
  2. VSCodium icon

    VSCodium

     391 likes
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    This repository contains a build file to generate FLOSS release binaries of Microsoft's Visual Studio Code - Open Source ("Code - OSS") project, the open source core of the proprietary Visual Studio Code.

    194 VSCodium alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Flathub
    • Electron
    • Snapcraft
    • Homebrew
    • Chocolatey
    VSCodium screenshot 1
     
  4. Vim icon

    Vim

     1340 likes
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    Vim ("Vi IMproved") is an advanced text editor that allows syntax highlighting, word completion and has a huge amount of contributed content. It also has a GUI version called GVim.

    212 Vim alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • Haiku
    • AmigaOS
    • OpenSolaris
    • MorphOS
    • Flathub
    • Flatpak
    • Snapcraft
    Vim screenshot 1
     
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    1
    9
    Comments about Vim as an Alternative to GNU nano
    Guest
    Positive
    1

    Even better editing/navigating experience, good memory footprint and minimal startup time.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    GNU nano Icon
    Vim icon

    • Most users think Vim is a great GNU nano alternative.

    • Vim is Free and Open SourceGNU nano is also Free and Open Source
    • Vim is CustomizableGNU nano is not according to our users
  5. Zed Editor icon

    Zed Editor

     102 likes
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    Blazing fast code editor offering real-time multi-user collaboration, language-aware syntax highlighting, integrated terminal, multi-buffers for tab-free editing, built-in Vim mode, searchable outline, AI coding assistance, advanced keyboard commands, and cross-platform support.

    86 Zed Editor alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium (Subscription)
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Flathub
    • Flatpak
    Zed Editor screenshot 1
     
  6. Kate icon

    Kate

     310 likes
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    The Kate project develops two main products: KatePart, the advanced editor component which is used in numerous KDE applications requiring a text editing component, and Kate, a MDI text editor application.

    142 Kate alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • KDE Plasma
    • Flathub
    • Flatpak
    • Snapcraft
    Kate screenshot 1
     
  7. Geany icon

    Geany

     575 likes
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    Geany is a powerful, stable and lightweight programmer's text editor that provides tons of useful features without bogging down your workflow.

    150 Geany alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • Snapcraft
    • Flathub
    • PortableApps.com
    • Flatpak
    • Haiku
    Geany screenshot 1
     
  9. Neovim icon

    Neovim

     186 likes
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    Refactored version of Vim, simplifying maintenance, improving developer contributions, and enabling new user interfaces. Features extensible plugin architecture, lightweight resource usage, syntax highlighting, no registration, ad-free, and distraction-free mode.

    104 Neovim alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Chocolatey
    • Flathub
    • Snapcraft
    Neovim screenshot 1
     
  10. gedit icon

    gedit

     693 likes
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    Official text editor of the GNOME desktop environment. Has syntax highlighting and is suitable for programming, with support for several languages. It is extensible with plugins.

    190 gedit alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Chrome OS
    • BSD
    • GNOME
    • OpenSolaris
    • Flathub
    The Default look under GNOME with Adwaita
     
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  11. GNU Emacs icon

    GNU Emacs

     387 likes
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    GNU Emacs is an extensible, customizable text editor—and more. At its core is an interpreter for Emacs Lisp, a dialect of the Lisp programming language with extensions to support text editing. The features of GNU Emacs include:

    178 GNU Emacs alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Android
    • BSD
    • Snapcraft
    • F-Droid
    • Haiku
    • Debian
    • MacPorts
    • Homebrew
    The GNU Emacs Manual calls Emacs the extensible, customizable, self-documenting real-time display editor
     

    • GNU Emacs is the most popular Android alternative to GNU nano.

    • GNU Emacs is Free and Open SourceGNU nano is also Free and Open Source
    • GNU Emacs is Customizable and Privacy focusedGNU nano is not according to our users
  12. Micro icon

    Micro

     85 likes
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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 full capabilities of modern terminals.

    43 Micro alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • FreeBSD
    • OpenBSD
    Micro screenshot 1
     
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    2
    15
    Comments about Micro as an Alternative to GNU nano
    surehand53
    Positive
    4
    • beginner friendly
    • uses very sane keymap defaults (Ctrl-x, Ctrl-c, Ctrl-v)
    • short cut cheat sheet
    • excellent help build in
    • very capable text editor
    helgeph
    Positive
    0

    As simple as nano but more modern with syntax highlighting, modifiable keybindings, integrated help, etc.

    GNU nano Icon
    Micro icon

    • Almost everyone thinks Micro is a great GNU nano alternative.

    • Micro is Free and Open SourceGNU nano is also Free and Open Source
    • Micro is Privacy focused and CustomizableGNU nano is not according to our users
  13. Pulsar Editor icon

    Pulsar Editor

     47 likes
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    A Community-led Hyper-Hackable Text Editor, built on Electron. and based on everything we love about our favorite editors.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Chrome OS
    • BSD
    • Electron
    Welcome tab
     
  14. Lite XL icon

    Lite XL

     52 likes
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    Lite XL is a lightweight text editor written mostly in Lua — it aims to provide something practical, pretty, small and fast, implemented as simply as possible; easy to modify and extend, or to use without doing either.

    58 Lite XL alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    Lite XL screenshot 1
     
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