Setting the default text editor in Linux

Setting the default text editor in Linux
Learn how to set the default text editor in the Linux command-line environment with this step-by-step guide.

This article explains how to configure the default text editor for command-line usage.

Setting the default text editor
You can change the default command-line text editor used by programs such as crontab. Many accounts are set to use nano by default, but if you prefer vi or another editor, you can make it the default.

To set the default text editor:

1. Log in to your account using SSH.
2. Open the ~/.bashrc file in your preferred text editor.
3. Add the following lines to the file, replacing program with the editor you want as default:

export EDITOR='program'
export VISUAL='program'

Note

• To set vi as the default editor, replace program with vi.
• To set nano as the default editor, replace program with nano.

4. Save the changes and exit the text editor.
5. To apply the new settings, log out and log back in, or run:

source ~/.bashrc