Nano vs VIM editor – What’s the difference between nano and vim editors?

In this article, we will understand the difference between nano and vim editors in Unix/Linux. Before diving into this topic, we will first understand what exactly nano and vim editor is. 

Nano Editor in the Linux System. 

Nano is a simple, user-friendly text editor that improves user experience. Its GUI (Graphical User Interface) makes it easy to use and allows users to interact directly with the text without switching between the modes. It is generally default installed in Linux operating system, unlike CentOs and Fedora. 

Note: To get more details about Nano editor follow this link Nano Text Editor in Linux. 

To create a new file in nano simply run the below command following with filename and a new file will be created and open. 

$ nano file-name

Vim Editor in the Linux System. 

Vim editor is also known as a programmer’s editor. It is a highly configurable and advanced text editor built to enable efficient text editing. It supports various file types, so we can say that vim is a programmer’s editor. We can use vim plugins based on our requirements. 

To install vim editor run the below command in the Linux system. 

sudo apt-get install vim

Note: To get more details follow this link Getting Started with Vim Editor in Linux

Table of Differences Between Nano and Vim Editor 

Nano Editor	Vim Editor
Nano is simple and easy to use.	Vim is powerful and challenging to use.
Nano is a modeless editor and works in a single mode.	Vim is a mode-based editor.
Nano is a WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) command-line editor.	Vim is not a WYSIWYG text editor.
Nano is an improved version of the Pico text editor.	Vim is an improved version of the VI text editor.
Nano is good for newcomers.	Vim is perfect for experienced Linux users.

The difference between the Nano editor shortcut and the Vim editor shortcut. 

Nano Editor	Vim Editor
CTRL + F is used to move the cursor forward.	h: used to move the cursor left by one position.
CTRL + B is used to move the cursor backward.	I: used to move the cursor right by one position.
CTRL + N is used to move the cursor next line.	j: used to move the cursor downward by one line.
CTRL + P is used to move the cursor previous line.	k: used to move the cursor upward by one line.
CTRL + X is used to save and exit.	the :wq command followed by entering is used to save and exit.