Linux-Basics-Complete-Course-With-Notes-Slides

Vi Editor

In this section, we will take a look at console based text editors in linux.

• It is not feasible using cat when dealing with large amounts of text or for writing code. This is why we use text editors

Text Editor

There are several options available, we will be focusing on the VI Editor.

• Most popular text editor in linux is the VI Editor.
• The VI EDITOR is available in all most all of the linux distribution out of the box.
• The command to open the vi editor is vi followed by the filename that you want to create or append.

  $ vi /home/michael/sample.txt
  

• The VI EDITOR has three operation modes.
  1. Command Mode
     • When the vi editor opens a file, it always goes to the COMMAND MODE first.
     • In this mode, the editor only understands the commands
  2. Insert Mode
     • To switch from command mode to INSERT MODE type lower case i
     • This mode allows you to write text into the file.
     • Once you are done with editing the file, to go back to command mode hit the ESC button.
     • While going into insert mode from command mode you may use other options such as I, o, O, a, or A
  3. Last Line Mode
     • Pressing the : key will take you to the LAST LINE MODE
     • In this mode you can choose to save changes to the file, discard changes, or save and edit.
     • From the last line mode hit the ESC key to go back to the command mode.

     

## Command Mode

## Insert Mode

## Last Line Mode

#### There is another popular editor called VIM which is an improved version of VI with added features but very similar in appereance to VI.

• In the most distros today, the VI is the symblic to the VIM editor