micro(1)
A modern, intuitive terminal-based text editor with mouse support and built-in plugins.
Synopsis
micro [OPTION]... [FILE]...Description
Micro is a lightweight text editor designed as a successor to nano, featuring a familiar keybinding scheme similar to modern editors like Sublime Text and VS Code. It runs entirely in the terminal and includes built-in features like syntax highlighting, multiple cursors, and plugin support without requiring complex configuration.
By default, micro opens files in an intuitive interface with status bar showing line/column numbers, file type detection, and UTF-8 support. It supports mouse interaction for selecting text and positioning the cursor, making it accessible for users transitioning from GUI editors.
Common options
| Flag | What it does |
|---|---|
-version | Display the version number and exit |
-config | Specify a custom configuration directory instead of the default ~/.config/micro |
-plugin | Specify a custom plugin directory to load plugins from |
-nofuzzy | Disable fuzzy file opening in the file browser |
-readonly | Open the file in read-only mode; prevents accidental modifications |
+LINE:COL | Open file at a specific line and column number, e.g., micro +10:5 file.txt |
Examples
Open micro with a blank buffer, ready to start editing
microOpen and edit an existing file or create a new one
micro myfile.txtOpen script.py and jump directly to line 42, column 10
micro +42:10 script.pyOpen multiple files in separate buffers; switch between them with Ctrl+N/P
micro file1.txt file2.txt file3.txtOpen a file in read-only mode to view without risk of accidental changes
micro -readonly config.confOpen all Go source files in the current directory as separate buffers
micro *.goPipe dynamic content into micro for viewing (opens in read-only mode)
tail -f logfile.log | micro