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microsoft/edit

A simple terminal text editor with a VS Code-like interface, inspired by the classic MS-DOS Editor.

Open-source alternative to:Notepad

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Last commit
4 days ago

What is it?

Edit is a terminal text editor aimed at users who need to make quick changes without learning a complex modal editor. It pays homage to the MS-DOS Editor but uses a modern interface and input controls similar to VS Code, so it is approachable even for people who are not comfortable with terminals.

The project is written in Rust and is distributed as a single executable named msedit (also available as edit). Binaries are available for Windows via WinGet, for macOS via Homebrew, and for Linux through a build-from-source install script. Search and Replace depends on the ICU library, and the build can be configured for different ICU library names and versions.

The package naming notes suggest distributions prefer msedit to avoid conflicts with existing edit commands, and the build can be limited to a chosen set of interface languages.

Key features

  • 01Keyboard and mouse controls similar to VS Code
  • 02Search and Replace, powered by the ICU library
  • 03Installable via WinGet, Homebrew, or a Linux install script
  • 04Build-time options for ICU library names and interface languages

Use cases

  • Making quick edits to config files on a server over SSH
  • Giving users who are new to terminals a simple editor
  • Editing text in a Windows or macOS terminal without installing a heavier tool

Quick start

  1. 1

    Install on Windows with WinGet

    winget install Microsoft.Edit
  2. 2

    Install on macOS with Homebrew

    brew install msedit
  3. 3

    Download binaries from the Releases page

Things to know

  • On Linux without a distribution package, you must build from source with Rust, a C compiler and ICU.
  • Search and Replace depends on the optional ICU library.

Topics

#terminal#text-editor#rust#editor#cli

FAQ

What is edit?
A simple terminal text editor with a VS Code-like interface, inspired by the classic MS-DOS Editor. Edit is a terminal text editor aimed at users who need to make quick changes without learning a complex modal editor. It pays homage to the MS-DOS Editor but uses a modern interface and input controls similar to VS Code, so it is approachable even for people who are not comfortable with terminals.
Is edit free to use? What license does it have?
edit is open source under the MIT license. Check the license terms before using it in commercial products.
Is edit still maintained?
Actively maintained. The last commit to edit was on Oct 18, 2026.
What can I use edit for?
Making quick edits to config files on a server over SSH Giving users who are new to terminals a simple editor Editing text in a Windows or macOS terminal without installing a heavier tool
How do I install edit?
Install on Windows with WinGet: winget install Microsoft.Edit Install on macOS with Homebrew: brew install msedit Download binaries from the Releases page
Where can I get edit?
The source code and installation instructions are on GitHub: https://github.com/microsoft/edit

Summary generated by AI from the project's README. GitHub stats refresh daily.

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