Insight: Unleash Your Inner Text Jedi with the jed Command on Ubuntu

Insight: Unleash Your Inner Text Jedi with the jed Command on Ubuntu

Welcome, fellow Ubuntu explorers! As you delve deeper into the world of Linux, you'll quickly discover the power and flexibility of the command line. Today, we're going to introduce you to a handy little text editor called jed. Don't let the name intimidate you – it's not about lightsabers (though that would be cool!), but about efficiently editing text files right from your terminal.

Why Another Text Editor?

Ubuntu comes with its own default text editors, like nano, which is excellent for beginners. So, why bother learning jed? Well, jed offers a slightly different flavor, blending simplicity with some surprisingly powerful features. Think of it as another tool in your Linux utility belt – sometimes it'll be the perfect fit for the job.

Getting jed on Your Ubuntu System

First things first, let's make sure you have jed installed. Open your terminal (you can usually do this by pressing Ctrl+Alt+T) and type the following command:

Bash

sudo apt update   

This command refreshes the list of available software. 

Now enter this command:

Bash

sudo apt install jed   

This next command downloads and installs the jed editor. You'll likely be asked for your password – just type it in and press Enter.

Launching jed and Creating Your First File

Once installed, using jed is a breeze. To open a new file (let's call it my_first_text_file.txt), simply type:

Bash

jed my_first_text_file.txt   

If the file doesn't exist, jed will create it for you. You'll be greeted with a clean and straightforward interface, which will look something like this:

Bash

F10 key ==> File   Edit   Search   Buffers   Windows   System   Help














-------+-(Jed pre0.99.20-178U) Emacs: my_first_text_file.txt    (Text)
loading /usr/share/jed/lib/modeinfo.slc

You might notice the "(Emacs: ...)" in the initial screen. While jed shares some conceptual similarities with the powerful Emacs editor and can even be configured to use Emacs keybindings, it is a separate, more lightweight text editor in its own right.

Basic Navigation and Editing

Moving around in jed is intuitive:

• Arrow Keys: Use the up, down, left, and right arrow keys to navigate through your text.
• Typing: Just start typing to add text to your file.
• Deleting: Use the Backspace key to delete characters to the left of the cursor and the Delete key (often labeled Del) to delete characters to the right.

Here's a quick reference for some essential jed commands:

Command	Action
jed filename	Open or create filename
Ctrl+X, Ctrl+S	Save the current file
Ctrl+X, Ctrl+C	Exit jed
Ctrl+Space	Mark the beginning of text for selection
Esc W	Copy selected text
Ctrl+W	Cut selected text
Ctrl+Y	Paste copied or cut text
Ctrl+S	Search forward
Ctrl+R	Search backward
Arrow Keys	Move the cursor
Backspace	Delete character to the left
Delete	Delete character to the right

Saving Your Work

To save your changes, press Ctrl+X, then Ctrl+S. This will save the current state of your file.

Exiting jed

When you're done editing, press Ctrl+X, then Ctrl+C. If you have unsaved changes, jed will politely ask if you want to save them before exiting.

A Few Handy jed Features to Explore

While jed is easy to pick up, it has some neat features under the hood:

Syntax Highlighting 

For various programming languages and file types, jed can color-code your text, making it easier to read and understand. It usually detects the file type automatically based on the extension.

Cut, Copy, Paste, and Search
Refer to the table above to cut, copy, paste, and search for text in your file.


Try It Yourself!

Let's put your newfound jed skills to the test with a quick exercise:

1. Create a new file: Open your terminal and type:

Bash

jed my_practice_file.txt.   

2. Add some text: Type in the following lines (or anything else you'd like!):

Bash

This is my first time using the jed editor.
It seems pretty straightforward.
I'm going to try saving this file.  

3. Save the file: Press Ctrl+X, then Ctrl+S.

4. Now add more text.  Add another line: 

Bash

Success! I saved the file.  

5. Save again: Press Ctrl+X, then Ctrl+S.

6. Exit jed: Press Ctrl+X, then Ctrl+C.

Now, you've successfully created, edited, and saved text using the jed editor! You're one step closer to becoming a command-line wizard!

jed: A Friendly Companion on Your Linux Journey

While you might encounter more advanced text editors as you become more comfortable with Linux, jed provides a solid and easy-to-learn foundation. It's a testament to the idea that command-line tools don't have to be intimidating. So, give jed a try – you might just find a new favorite way to work with text files on your Ubuntu system!

Need Ubuntu Expertise?

We'd love to help you with your Ubuntu projects.  Feel free to reach out to us at info@pacificw.com.

Written by Aaron Rose, software engineer and technology writer at Tech-Reader.blog.