Introduction to Edit on Windows
Microsoft is unveiling a new command line text editor on Windows, called Edit on Windows. This editor will be accessible by using the "edit" command in a command prompt, allowing developers to edit files within the command line. The introduction of Edit on Windows is part of a number of improvements to Windows developer tools at Microsoft’s Build conference, aimed at enhancing the Windows experience for developers.
Features of Edit on Windows
Edit on Windows is an open-source project by Microsoft, enabling developers to edit files directly in the command line, similar to vim, without having to switch to another app or window. This editor is small and lightweight, with a size of less than 250KB. All menu options on Edit have key bindings, and users can open multiple files and switch between them using the ctrl + P shortcut. Additionally, Microsoft has included features such as find and replace, match case, regular expression support, and word wrapping in Edit.
Motivation Behind Edit on Windows
According to Christopher Nguyen, product manager of Windows Terminal, the motivation behind building Edit was the need for a default CLI text editor in 64-bit versions of Windows. Unlike 32-bit versions of Windows, which ship with the MS-DOS Edit, 64-bit versions do not have a CLI editor installed by default. Microsoft also wanted to avoid the complexity associated with other text editors, such as vim, and the resulting "how do I exit vim?" meme. Instead, they opted to build a modeless editor, where new users do not have to remember different modes of operation and how to switch between them.
Availability and Additional Features
Edit on Windows will be available in the Windows Insider program in the coming months. More information about Edit on Windows can be found on Microsoft’s GitHub repo. Furthermore, Microsoft is rebranding its Windows Dev Home to Advanced Windows Settings, which will allow developers to easily control and personalize their Windows experience. Advanced Windows Settings will expose additional toggles in the main Windows 11 settings interface, including the ability to enable File Explorer with GitHub version control details.
Conclusion
The introduction of Edit on Windows and the rebranding of Windows Dev Home to Advanced Windows Settings demonstrate Microsoft’s efforts to improve the Windows experience for developers. With Edit on Windows, developers will have a simple, lightweight, and intuitive text editor at their disposal, making it easier to edit files directly in the command line. As Microsoft continues to enhance its developer tools, we can expect to see even more innovative features and improvements in the future.
