Keyboard shortcuts at a glance

Keyboard shortcuts at a glance

Listed here are some commonly used keyboard shortcuts for various popular text editors. Note, the commands given for pico should work equally well in nano.

Check spelling?

 * emacs: Alt + $
 * joe: Ctrl + [, n

Close the window in which cursor is positioned?

 * emacs: Ctrl + x
 * joe: Ctrl + k, i
 * vi: :(colon), w, q - Press colon, release it and then press w and q. This command save the file and then quits.
 * vi: :(colon), q, ! - Press colon, release it and then press q and !. This command quits without saving the file.
 * pico: Ctrl + X

Create a new file?

 * emacs: Ctrl + f
 * joe: Ctrl + k, e
 * vi: :(colon), x

Delete a line?

 * emacs: Ctrl + k
 * joe: Ctrl + j
 * vi: dd
 * pico: Ctrl + A, ctrl + K

Mark a block of text?

 * emacs: Ctrl + spacebar
 * joe: Ctrl + k, b
 * pico: Ctrl + 6 (or ctrl + ^)

Move to the beginning of a file?

 * emacs: Home
 * vi: Home
 * pico: Ctrl + W, Ctrl + Y

Open a file?

 * emacs: Ctrl + v
 * joe: Ctrl + k, e
 * vi: :(colon), e

Reformat the text after an editing change?

 * emacs: Alt + q
 * joe: Ctrl + r

Save a file?

 * emacs: Ctrl + s
 * joe: Ctrl + k, d
 * vi: :(colon), w
 * pico: Ctrl + O

Scroll down?

 * emacs: PgDn
 * joe: PgDn
 * vi: j or down arrow (move down one line), PgDn or Ctrl + f (move down one page)
 * pico: Ctrl + N (move one line), Ctrl + V (move one page)

Scroll up?

 * emacs: PgUp
 * joe: PgUp
 * vi: k or up arrow (move up one line), PgUp or Ctrl + b (move up one page)
 * pico: Ctrl + P (move one line), Ctrl + Y (move one page)

Search for text?

 * emacs: Ctrl + s
 * joe: Ctrl + k, f
 * vi: / (forward slash), followed by text to search for
 * pico: Ctrl + W

See the program's keyboard shotcuts on screen?

 * emacs: F1
 * joe: Ctrl + k, h
 * vi: F1
 * pico: Ctrl + G

Split the screen into two windows?

 * emacs: Ctrl + x, 2
 * joe: Ctrl + k, o
 * vi: :(colon), s, p

Undo an editing change?

 * emacs: Ctrl + _(Underscore)
 * joe: Ctrl + _(Underscore)
 * vi: :(colon), u