Modern Nano Keybindings

Features

• Common mainstream keybindings.
  • Ctrl+C: copy
  • Ctrl+Z: suspend
  • Ctrl+Q: quit
• Vim-like support.
  • Ctrl+F: page-down
  • Ctrl+G: head-of-file
  • Alt+G: end-of-file
• ...and at the same time preserve all functionalities!
  • (many rcfiles overrode keys and didn't assign new ones for them)

Install

1. Make sure you are running the latest nano.
   • If you are using a legacy version, please take a look at the other branches!
2. Copy the following contents into ~/.nanorc:

# Modern Nano Keybindings
# For: nano 7.2
# Syntax highlights (path might be different)
include "/usr/share/nano/*.nanorc"
include "/usr/share/nano/extra/*.nanorc"

# Options
set tabsize 4
set tabstospaces
set linenumbers
set numbercolor yellow,normal
set scrollercolor grey,normal
set indicator       # side bar for indicating cur position
set smarthome       # `Home` jumps to line start first
set afterends       # `Ctrl+Right` move to word ends instead of word starts
set wordchars "_"   # recognize '_' as part of a word
set zap             # delete selected text as a whole
set atblanks        # soft wrap at blank chars
set historylog      # remember search history
set nonewlines      # newline at end of file
set multibuffer     # read files into multibuffer instead of insert
set mouse           # enable mouse support
#set locking         # vim-like file locks
#set nohelp          # disable help when you are familiar enough


#####  Keybindings Cheatsheet  #####
## ^-Q   quit (^=ctrl, M=alt)
## M-U   undo
## M-R   redo
## ^-C   copy
## ^-V   paste
## ^-X   cut
## ^-K   delete line
## ^-Bsp delete until word start (or M-Bsp)
## ^-Del delete until next word
## ^-S   save file
## M-/   comment/uncomment
## M-:   record macro
## M-;   play macro
## ^-Space autocomplete word
## ^-T     terminal (eg. "|xxd")

## M-C   show cursor position
## ^-L   refresh and center at cursor
## ^-W   search forwards (= M-W with prompt)
## ^-E   search backwards (= M-E with prompt)
## ^-R   replace
## ^_    goto line number
## ^-Up  goto previous block
## ^-Dwn goto next block
## M-]   goto matching bracket
## ^-G   goto head of file (vim-like)
## M-G   goto end of file
## M-Up  scroll screen up
## M-Dwn scroll screen down
## M-Left  switch to previous file
## M-Rght  switch to next file
## M-Ins   insert anchor
## M-PgDwn goto next anchor

bind ^Q   exit          all
bind ^Z   suspend       main
bind M-R  redo          main
bind ^C   copy          main
bind ^V   paste         main
bind ^X   cut           main
bind ^K   zap           main
bind ^H   chopwordleft  all
bind M-/  comment       main
bind ^Space complete    main

bind M-C  location      main
bind ^E   wherewas      all
bind M-E  findprevious  all
bind ^R   replace       main
bind ^_   gotoline      main
bind ^G   firstline     all
bind M-G  lastline      all
bind ^B   pageup        all  # vim-like support
bind ^F   pagedown      all  # vim-like support

## for macOS
#bind M-F  nextword      all  # will be M-right if enabled iTerm natural editing
#bind M-B  prevword      all  # will be M-left if enabled iTerm natural editing
#bind M-2  anchor        main # because M-Ins is hard to emit
#bind F2   nextanchor    main
#bind F3   prevanchor    main

bind M-1    help         all   # fix ^G been used
bind Sh-M-C constantshow main  # fix M-C been used
bind Sh-M-F formatter    main  # fix M-F and M-B might be used
bind Sh-M-B linter       main
#unbind ^J               main  # for those who rarely use justify
#unbind M-J              main  # for those who rarely use justify

3. For macOS users using the default terminal, please enable use option as meta key. For iTerm2 users, please configure option to send escape codes.

• If the path to syntax highlighting files are different on your system, please modify those includes around line 3.
• For more colorful syntax highlightings, see: galenguyer/nano-syntax-highlighting :-)

Screenshot