\input texinfo

@c %**start of header
@setfilename nano.info
@settitle The GNU nano text editor
@c %**end of header

@documentencoding UTF-8

@documentdescription
The complete manual for the GNU nano text editor.
@end documentdescription

@smallbook
@set EDITION 0.9
@set VERSION 9.0
@set UPDATED April 2026

@dircategory Editors
@direntry
* nano: (nano).                 Small and friendly text editor.
@end direntry

@comment Prevent the black square at the end of an overlong line.
@finalout


@titlepage

@title GNU @command{nano}
@subtitle a small and friendly text editor
@subtitle version 9.0

@author Chris Allegretta

@page

This manual documents the GNU @command{nano} text editor.
@sp 1
The contents of this manual are part of the GNU @command{nano} distribution.

@sp 5
Copyright @copyright{} 1999-2009, 2014-2026 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
@sp 1
This document is dual-licensed.  You may distribute and/or modify it
under the terms of either of the following licenses:
@sp 1
* The GNU General Public License, as published by the Free Software
  Foundation, version 3 or (at your option) any later version.  You
  should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along
  with this program.  If not, see @url{https://www.gnu.org/licenses/}.
@sp 1
* The GNU Free Documentation License, as published by the Free Software
  Foundation, version 1.2 or (at your option) any later version, with no
  Invariant Sections, no Front-Cover Texts, and no Back-Cover Texts.
  You should have received a copy of the GNU Free Documentation License
  along with this program.  If not, see @url{https://www.gnu.org/licenses/}.

@sp 5
You may contact the original author by e-mail: @email{chrisa@@asty.org}

Or contact the current maintainer: @email{bensberg@@coevern.nl}

@sp 1
For suggesting improvements: @email{nano-devel@@gnu.org}

@end titlepage


@macro blankline
@iftex
@sp 1
@end iftex
@end macro


@ifnottex

@node Top
@top

This manual documents GNU @command{nano}, version 9.0.

@menu
* Introduction::
* Invoking::
* Editor basics::
* The help viewer::
* The file browser::
* Command-line options::
* Feature toggles::
* Nanorc files::
* Pico compatibility::
* Building and its options::
@end menu

@end ifnottex


@node Introduction
@chapter Introduction

GNU @command{nano} is a small and friendly text editor.  Besides
basic text editing, @command{nano} offers features like undo/redo,
syntax coloring, interactive search-and-replace, auto-indentation,
line numbers, word completion, file locking, backup files, and
internationalization support.

The original goal for @command{nano} was to be a complete bug-for-bug
emulation of Pico.  But currently the goal is to be as compatible
as is reasonable while offering a superset of Pico's functionality.
@xref{Pico compatibility} for more details on how @command{nano} and
Pico differ.

@blankline
Since version 4.0, @command{nano} no longer hard-wraps overlong
lines by default.  It also by default uses linewise scrolling, and by
default includes the line below the title bar in the editing area.
In case you want the old, Pico behavior back, you can use the
following options: @option{--breaklonglines},
@option{--jumpyscrolling}, and @option{--emptyline}
(or @option{-bje}).

@blankline
Since version 8.0, @kbd{^F} starts a forward search, @kbd{^B} starts
a backward search, @kbd{M-F} searches the next occurrence forward,
and @kbd{M-B} searches the next occurrence backward.  If you want
those keystrokes to do what they did before version 8.0, see the
rebindings in the sample nanorc file.

@blankline
Since version 9.0, all lines are scrolled horizontally together
(when the cursor approaches the edge), by just the amount needed,
instead of scrolling only the current line by a large step.
If you prefer the old behavior, you can use @code{--solo} on the
command line or @code{set solosidescroll} in your nanorc.

@blankline
Also since version 9.0, keystrokes @kbd{M-<} and @kbd{M->} have been
reassigned to the @code{scrollleft} and @code{scrollright} functions.
If you want those keystrokes to do what they did before version 9.0,
see the rebindings in the sample nanorc file.

@blankline
Please report bugs via @url{https://savannah.gnu.org/bugs/?group=nano}.

@blankline
Questions about using nano you can ask at @email{help-nano@@gnu.org}.

@blankline
For background information see @url{https://nano-editor.org/}.


@node Invoking
@chapter Invoking

The usual way to invoke @command{nano} is:

@blankline
@example
@code{nano [FILE]}
@end example
@blankline

But it is also possible to specify one or more options (@pxref{Command-line options}),
and to edit several files in a row.

The cursor can be put on a specific line of a file by adding
the line number with a plus sign before the filename, and even
in a specific column by adding it with a comma.
Negative numbers count from the end of the file or line.

The cursor can be put on the first or last occurrence of a specific string
by specifying that string after @code{+/} or @code{+?} before the filename.
The string can be made case sensitive and/or caused to be interpreted as a
regular expression by inserting a @code{c} and/or @code{r} after the plus sign.
These search modes can be explicitly disabled by using the uppercase variant
of those letters: @code{C} and/or @code{R}.  When the string contains spaces,
it needs to be enclosed in quotes.
A more complete command synopsis thus is:

@blankline
@example
@code{nano [OPTION]@dots{} [[+LINE[,COLUMN]|+[crCR]@{/|?@}STRING] FILE]@dots{}}
@end example
@blankline

Normally, however, you set your preferred options in a @file{nanorc}
file (@pxref{Nanorc files}).  And when using @code{set positionlog}
(making @command{nano} remember the cursor position when you close a file),
you will rarely need to specify a line number.

As a special case: when instead of a filename a dash is given, @command{nano}
will read data from standard input.  This means you can pipe the output of
a command straight into a buffer, and then edit it.


@node Editor basics
@chapter Editor basics

@menu
* Screen layout::
* Entering text::
* Commands::
* The cutbuffer::
* The mark::
* Searching and replacing::
* Using the mouse::
* Anchors::
* Macros::
* Exit status::
@end menu

@node Screen layout
@section Screen layout

The default screen of @command{nano} consists of four areas.
From top to bottom these are: the title bar, the edit window,
the status bar, and two help lines.

The title bar consists of
three sections: left, center and right.  The section on the left
displays the version of @command{nano} being used.  The center section
displays the current filename, or "New Buffer" if the file has not yet
been named.  The section on the right displays "Modified" if the
file has been modified since it was last saved or opened.

The status bar is the third line from the bottom of the screen.  It
shows important and informational messages.  Any error messages that
occur from using the editor appear on the status bar.  Any questions
that are asked of the user are asked on the status bar, and any user
input (search strings, filenames, etc.) is input on the status bar.

The two help lines at the bottom of the screen show some of the most
essential functions of the editor.

@node Entering text
@section Entering text

@command{nano} is a "modeless" editor.  This means that all keystrokes,
with the exception of Control and Meta sequences, enter text into the
file being edited.

Characters not present on the keyboard can be entered in two ways:

@itemize @bullet
@item
For characters with a single-byte code,
pressing the Esc key twice and then typing a three-digit decimal number
(from @kbd{000} to @kbd{255}) makes @command{nano} behave as if you
typed the key with that value.

@item
For any possible character, pressing @kbd{M-V} (Alt+V) and then typing a
series of hexadecimal digits (at most six, or concluded with @kbd{Enter} or
@kbd{Space}) enters the corresponding Unicode character into the buffer.
@end itemize

For example, typing @kbd{Esc Esc 2 3 4} enters the character "ê" ---
useful when writing about a French party.  Typing @kbd{M-V 0 0 2 2 c 4}
enters the symbol "⋄", a little diamond.

Typing @kbd{M-V} followed by anything other than a hexadecimal digit
enters this keystroke verbatim into the buffer, allowing the user
to insert literal control codes (except @code{^J}) or escape sequences.

@node Commands
@section Commands

Commands are given by using the Control key (Ctrl, shown as @kbd{^})
or the Meta key (Alt or Cmd, shown as @kbd{M-}).

@itemize @bullet
@item
A control-key sequence is entered by holding down the Ctrl key and
pressing the desired key.

@item
A meta-key sequence is entered by holding down the Meta key (normally
the Alt key) and pressing the desired key.
@end itemize

If for some reason on your system the combinations with Ctrl or Alt do
not work, you can generate them by using the Esc key.  A control-key
sequence is generated by pressing the Esc key twice and then pressing
the desired key, and a meta-key sequence by pressing the Esc key once
and then pressing the desired key.

@node The cutbuffer
@section The cutbuffer

Text can be cut from a file a whole line at a time with @kbd{^K}.
The cut line is stored in the cutbuffer.  Consecutive strokes of @kbd{^K}
add each cut line to this buffer, but a @kbd{^K}
after any other keystroke overwrites the entire cutbuffer.

The contents of the cutbuffer can be pasted at the current cursor position
with @kbd{^U}.

A line of text can be copied into the cutbuffer (without cutting it)
with @kbd{M-6}.

@node The mark
@section The mark

Text can be selected by first 'setting the Mark' with @kbd{^6}
or @kbd{M-A} and then moving the cursor to the other end of the portion
to be selected.  The selected portion of text is highlighted.
This selection can now be cut or copied in its entirety with a single
@kbd{^K} or @kbd{M-6}.  Or the selection can be used to limit the scope of
a search-and-replace (@kbd{^\}) or spell-checking session (@kbd{^T^T}).

On some terminals, text can be selected also by holding down @kbd{Shift}
while using the cursor keys.  Holding down the @kbd{Ctrl} or @kbd{Alt}
key too increases the stride.  Such a selection is cancelled
upon any cursor movement where @kbd{Shift} isn't held.

Cutting or copying selected text toggles off the mark automatically.
If needed, it can be toggled off manually with another @kbd{^6} or @kbd{M-A}.

@node Searching and replacing
@section Searching and replacing

With the Search command (@kbd{^F} or @kbd{^W}) you can search the
current buffer for the occurrence of any string.  The default search
mode is forward, case-insensitive, and for literal strings.  But one
can search backwards by toggling @kbd{M-B}, search case sensitively
with @kbd{M-C}, and interpret regular expressions in the search string
with @kbd{M-R}.

With the Replace command (@kbd{M-R} or @kbd{^\}) you can replace
a given string (or regular expression) with another string.
When a regular expression contains fragments between parentheses,
the replacement string can refer back to these fragments via
@code{\1} to @code{\9}.

For each occurrence of the search string you are asked whether to
replace it.  You can choose Yes (replace it), or No (skip this one),
or All (replace all remaining occurrences without asking any more),
or Cancel (stop with replacing, but replacements that have already
been made will not be undone).

If before a replacing session starts a region is marked, then
only occurrences of the search string within the marked region
will be replaced.

A regular expression always covers just one line --- it cannot span
multiple lines.  And neither a search string nor a replacement string
can contain a newline (LF).

@node Using the mouse
@section Using the mouse

When mouse support has been configured and enabled, a single mouse click
places the cursor at the indicated position.  Clicking a second time in
the same position toggles the mark.  Clicking in the two help lines
executes the selected shortcut.  To be able to select text with the
left button, or paste text with the middle button, hold down the
Shift key during those actions.

The mouse works in the X Window System, and on the console when gpm
is running.

@node Anchors
@section Anchors

With @kbd{M-Ins} you can place an anchor (a kind of bookmark) at
the current line.  With @kbd{M-PgUp} and @kbd{M-PgDn} you can jump
to an anchor in the backward/forward direction.  This jumping wraps
around at the top and bottom.

When an operation removes a line with an anchor, the new line with the
cursor inherits the anchor.  But after performing an operation on the
entire buffer (like formatting it, piping it through a command, or
doing an external spell check on it), any anchors that were present
are gone.

When @option{--positionlog} or @code{set positionlog} is active, anchors
are saved when the file is closed, and restored when the file is reopened.

Anchors are visualized in the left margin if line numbers are active,
and are always visualized (on the right-hand side) in the mini bar.

@node Macros
@section Macros

To record a series of keystrokes that you need to perform many times,
start the recording with @kbd{M-:}, carefully type the series of keystrokes,
and then stop the recording by using @kbd{M-:} again.  The recorded result
is called a keyboard macro.  You can replay this macro with @kbd{M-;},
as many times as needed.

When you type @kbd{M-:} (recordmacro) by mistake, then type @kbd{M-:}
again right away, to cancel the recording.  An existing macro is then
not overwritten.

Note: the recording and playback of keyboard macros works correctly only
on a terminal emulator, not on a Linux console (VT), because the latter
does not by default distinguish modified from unmodified cursor keys.

@node Exit status
@section Exit status

The exit status is @code{0} when @command{nano} finished normally,
@code{1} when an invalid option or option argument was given,
and @code{2} when the last open buffer was discarded
(with @kbd{^O^Q} or @kbd{^X^Q}).


@node The help viewer
@chapter The help viewer

The built-in help in @command{nano} is available by pressing @kbd{^G}.
It is fairly self-explanatory.  It documents the various parts of the
editor and the available keystrokes.  Navigation is via the @kbd{^Y} (Page Up)
and @kbd{^V} (Page Down) keys.  @kbd{^X} exits from the help viewer.


@node The file browser
@chapter The file browser

When in the Read-File (@kbd{^R}) or Write-Out menu (@kbd{^O}),
pressing @kbd{^T} invokes the file browser.
Here, you can navigate directories in a graphical manner in order to
find the desired file.

Basic movement in the file browser is accomplished with the arrow and
other cursor-movement keys.  More targeted movement is accomplished by
searching, via @kbd{^W} or @kbd{w}, or by changing directory, via
@kbd{^_} or @kbd{g}.  The behavior of the @kbd{Enter} key (or @kbd{s})
varies by what is currently selected.
If the currently selected object is a directory, the file browser
enters and displays the contents of the directory.  If the object is a
file, this filename and path are copied to the status bar, and the file
browser exits.


@node Command-line options
@chapter Command-line options

@command{nano} accepts the following options from the command line:

@table @option

@item -A
@itemx --smarthome
Make the Home key smarter.  When Home is pressed anywhere but at the
very beginning of non-whitespace characters on a line, the cursor jumps
to that beginning (either forwards or backwards).  If the cursor is
already at that position, it jumps to the true beginning of the line.

@item -B
@itemx --backup
When saving a file, back up the previous version of it, using the current
filename suffixed with a tilde (@code{~}).

@item -C @var{directory}
@itemx --backupdir=@var{directory}
Make and keep not just one backup file, but make and keep a uniquely
numbered one every time a file is saved --- when backups are enabled.
The uniquely numbered files are stored in the specified directory.

@item -D
@itemx --boldtext
For the interface, use bold instead of reverse video.
This can be overridden for specific elements
by setting the options @code{titlecolor}, @code{statuscolor},
@code{promptcolor}, @code{minicolor}, @code{keycolor},
@code{numbercolor}, and/or @code{selectedcolor} in your
nanorc file.  @xref{@code{set keycolor}} for details.

@item -E
@itemx --tabstospaces
Convert each typed tab to spaces --- to the number of spaces
that a tab at that position would take up.
(Note: pasted tabs are not converted.)

@item -F
@itemx --multibuffer
Read a file into a new buffer by default.

@item -G
@itemx --locking
Enable vim-style file locking when editing files.

@item -H
@itemx --historylog
Save the last hundred search strings and replacement strings and
executed commands, so they can be easily reused in later sessions.

@item -I
@itemx --ignorercfiles
Don't look at the system's nanorc file nor at the user's nanorc.

@item -J
@itemx --guidestripe
Draw a vertical stripe at the given column, to help judge the width of the
text.  (The color of the stripe can be changed with @code{set stripecolor}
in your nanorc file.)

@item -K
@itemx --rawsequences
Interpret escape sequences directly, instead of asking @code{ncurses}
to translate them.  (If you need this option to get some keys to work
properly, it means that the terminfo terminal description that is used
does not fully match the actual behavior of your terminal.  This can
happen when you ssh into a BSD machine, for example.)
Using this option disables @command{nano}'s mouse support.

@item -L
@itemx --nonewlines
Don't automatically add a newline when a text does not end with one.
(This can cause you to save non-POSIX text files.)

@item -M
@itemx --trimblanks
Snip trailing whitespace from the wrapped line when automatic
hard-wrapping occurs or when text is justified.

@item -N
@itemx --noconvert
Disable automatic conversion of files from DOS/Mac format.

@item -O
@itemx --bookstyle
When justifying, treat any line that starts with whitespace as the
beginning of a paragraph (unless auto-indenting is on).

@item -P
@itemx --positionlog
For the 200 most recent files, log the last position of the cursor,
and place it at that position again upon reopening such a file.
Also save and restore the positions of any anchors.

@item -Q "@var{regex}"
@itemx --quotestr="@var{regex}"
Set the regular expression for matching the quoting part of a line.
The default value is "@t{^([@w{ }\t]*([!#%:;>|@}]|//))+}".
(Note that @code{\t} stands for a literal Tab character.)
This makes it possible to rejustify blocks of quoted text when composing
email, and to rewrap blocks of line comments when writing source code.

@item -R
@itemx --restricted
Restricted mode: don't read or write to any file not specified on the
command line.  This means: don't read or write history files; don't allow
suspending; don't allow spell checking; don't
allow a file to be appended to, prepended to, or saved under a different
name if it already has one; and don't make backup files.
Restricted mode can also be activated by invoking @command{nano} with
any name beginning with @code{r} (e.g.@: @command{rnano}).

@item -S
@itemx --softwrap
Display over multiple screen rows lines that exceed the screen's width.
(You can make this soft-wrapping occur at whitespace instead of rudely at
the screen's edge, by using also @code{--atblanks}.)

@item -T @var{number}
@itemx --tabsize=@var{number}
Set the displayed tab length to @var{number} columns.  The value of
@var{number} must be greater than 0.  The default value is @t{8}.

@item -U
@itemx --quickblank
Make status-bar messages disappear after 1 keystroke instead of after 20.
Note that option @option{-c} (@option{--constantshow}) overrides this.
When option @option{--minibar} or @option{--zero} is in effect,
@option{--quickblank} makes a message disappear after
0.8 seconds instead of after the default 1.5 seconds.

@item -V
@itemx --version
Show the current version number and exit.

@item -W
@itemx --wordbounds
Detect word boundaries differently by treating punctuation
characters as parts of words.

@item -X "@var{characters}"
@itemx --wordchars="@var{characters}"
Specify which other characters (besides the normal alphanumeric ones)
should be considered as parts of words.  When using this option, you
probably want to omit @option{-W} (@option{--wordbounds}).

@item -Y @var{name}
@itemx --syntax=@var{name}
Specify the syntax to be used for highlighting.
@xref{Syntax highlighting} for more info.

@item -Z
@itemx --zap
Let an unmodified @kbd{Backspace} or @kbd{Delete} erase the marked region
(instead of a single character, and without affecting the cutbuffer).

@item -a
@itemx --atblanks
When doing soft line wrapping, wrap lines at whitespace
instead of always at the edge of the screen.

@item -b
@itemx --breaklonglines
Automatically hard-wrap the current line when it becomes overlong,
that is: when the line becomes wider than the value given with @option{-r}
(@option{--fill}).  The default value for @option{-r} is the terminal's
width minus eight.
(This option is the opposite of @option{-w} (@option{--nowrap}) ---
the last one given takes effect.)

@item -c
@itemx --constantshow
Constantly report the cursor position (line number, column number,
and character number) on the status bar.
Note that this overrides option @option{-U} (@option{--quickblank}).

@item -d
@itemx --rebinddelete
Interpret the @kbd{Delete} and @kbd{Backspace} keys differently so that
both work properly.  You should only use this option when on your system
either @kbd{Backspace} acts like Delete or @kbd{Delete} acts like Backspace.

@item -e
@itemx --emptyline
Do not use the line below the title bar, leaving it entirely blank.

@item -f @var{file}
@itemx --rcfile=@var{file}
Read only this @var{file} for setting nano's options, instead of reading
both the system-wide and the user's nanorc files.

@item -g
@itemx --showcursor
Make the cursor visible in the file browser (putting it on the
highlighted item) and in the help viewer.  Useful for braille users
and people with poor vision.

@item -h
@itemx --help
Show a summary of command-line options and exit.

@item -i
@itemx --autoindent
Automatically indent a newly created line to the same number of tabs
and/or spaces as the previous line (or as the next line if the previous
line is the beginning of a paragraph).

@item -j
@itemx --jumpyscrolling
Scroll the buffer contents per half-screen instead of per line.

@item -k
@itemx --cutfromcursor
Make the 'Cut Text' command (normally @kbd{^K}) cut from the current cursor
position to the end of the line, instead of cutting the entire line.

@item -l
@itemx --linenumbers
Display line numbers to the left of the text area.
(Any line with an anchor additionally gets a mark in the margin.)

@item -m
@itemx --mouse
Enable mouse support, if available for your system.  When enabled, mouse
clicks can be used to place the cursor, set the mark (with two clicks),
and execute shortcuts.  The mouse works in the X Window System, and on
the console when gpm is running.  Text can still be selected through
dragging by holding down the Shift key.

@item -n
@itemx --noread
Treat any name given on the command line as a new file.  This allows
@command{nano} to write to named pipes: it starts with a blank buffer,
and writes to the pipe when the user saves the "file".  This way
@command{nano} can be used as an editor in combination with for instance
@command{gpg} without having to write sensitive data to disk first.

@item -o @var{directory}
@itemx --operatingdir=@var{directory}
Change to the given @var{directory}, and allow reading and writing
files only in this directory and its subdirectories.

@item -p
@itemx --preserve
Preserve the @kbd{^S} (XOFF) and @kbd{^Q} (XON) sequences so that
data being sent to the terminal can be stopped and resumed.
Note that option @option{-/} (@option{--modernbindings}) overrides this.

@item -q
@itemx --indicator
Display a "scrollbar" on the righthand side of the edit window.
It shows the position of the viewport in the buffer
and how much of the buffer is covered by the viewport.

@item -r @var{number}
@itemx --fill=@var{number}
Set the target width for justifying and automatic hard-wrapping at this
@var{number} of columns.  If the value is 0 or less, wrapping occurs
at the width of the screen minus @var{number} columns, allowing the wrap
point to vary along with the width of the screen if the screen is resized.
The default value is @t{-8}.

@anchor{@option{--speller}}
@item -s "@var{program} [@var{argument} @dots{}]"
@itemx --speller="@var{program} [@var{argument} @dots{}]"
Use the given program to do spell checking and correcting.  By default,
@command{nano} uses the command specified in the @env{SPELL} environment
variable.  If @env{SPELL} is not set, and @option{--speller} is
not specified either, then @command{nano} uses its own interactive spell
corrector, which requires either @command{hunspell} or GNU @command{spell}
to be installed.

@item -t
@itemx --saveonexit
Save a changed buffer without prompting (when exiting with @kbd{^X}).
This can be handy when @command{nano} is used as the composer of an
email program.

@item -u
@item --unix
Save a file by default in Unix format.  This overrides nano's
default behavior of saving a file in the format that it had.
(This option has no effect when you also use @option{--noconvert}.)

@item -v
@itemx --view
Don't allow the contents of the file to be altered: read-only mode.
This mode allows the user to open also other files for viewing,
unless @option{--restricted} is given too.
(Note that this option should NOT be used in place of correct
file permissions to implement a read-only file.)

@item -w
@itemx --nowrap
Do not automatically hard-wrap the current line when it becomes overlong.
This is the default.  (This option is the opposite of @option{-b}
(@option{--breaklonglines}) --- the last one given takes effect.)


@item -x
@itemx --nohelp
Expert mode: don't show the two help lines at the bottom of the screen.
This affects the location of the status bar as well, as in Expert mode it
is located at the very bottom of the editor.

Note: When accessing the help system, Expert mode is temporarily
disabled to display the help-system navigation keys.

@item -y
@itemx --afterends
Make @kbd{Ctrl+Right} and @kbd{Ctrl+Delete} stop at word ends
instead of beginnings.

@item -z
@itemx --listsyntaxes
List the names of the available syntaxes and exit.

@item -!
@itemx --magic
When neither the file's name nor its first line give a clue,
try using libmagic to determine the applicable syntax.

@item -@@
@itemx --colonparsing
When a filename given on the command line ends in a colon plus digits
and this filename does not exist, then snip the colon plus digits and
understand the digits as a line number.  If the trimmed filename does
not exist either, then repeat the process and understand the obtained
two numbers as line and column number.  But if the doubly trimmed
filename does not exist either, then forget the trimming and accept
the original filename as is.  To disable this colon parsing for some
file, use @code{+1} or similar before the relevant filename.

@item -%
@itemx --stateflags
Use the top-right corner of the screen for showing some state flags:
@code{I} when auto-indenting, @code{M} when the mark is on, @code{L} when
hard-wrapping (breaking long lines), @code{R} when recording a macro,
and @code{S} when soft-wrapping.
When the buffer is modified, a star (@code{*}) is shown after the
filename in the center of the title bar.

@item -_
@itemx --minibar
Suppress the title bar and instead show information about
the current buffer at the bottom of the screen, in the space
for the status bar.  In this "mini bar" the filename is shown
on the left, followed by an asterisk if the buffer has been modified.
On the right are displayed the current line and column number, the
code of the character under the cursor (in Unicode format: U+xxxx),
the same flags as are shown by @code{--stateflags}, and a percentage
that expresses how far the cursor is into the file (linewise).
When a file is loaded or saved, and also when switching between buffers,
the number of lines in the buffer is displayed after the filename.
This number is cleared upon the next keystroke, or replaced with an
[i/n] counter when multiple buffers are open.
The line plus column numbers and the character code are displayed only when
@code{--constantshow} is used, and can be toggled on and off with @kbd{M-C}.
The state flags are displayed only when @code{--stateflags} is used.

@item -0
@itemx --zero
Hide all elements of the interface (title bar, status bar, and help lines)
and use all rows of the terminal for showing the contents of the buffer.
The status bar appears only when there is a significant message,
and disappears after 1.5 seconds or upon the next keystroke.
With @kbd{M-Z} the title bar plus status bar can be toggled.
With @kbd{M-X} the help lines.

@item -1
@itemx --solosidescroll
When the cursor approaches the right edge of the edit window, scroll only the
current line sideways by a large amount, instead of scrolling all visible lines
sideways by just the amount needed to keep the cursor in view.
This latter whole-window smooth sideways scrolling is the new default behavior.
The single-line jerky sideways scrolling enabled by this option was the old
behavior --- the only behavior that @command{nano} knew.

@item -/
@itemx --modernbindings
Use key bindings similar to the ones that most modern programs use:
@kbd{^X} cuts, @kbd{^C} copies, @kbd{^V} pastes,
@kbd{^Z} undoes, @kbd{^Y} redoes,
@kbd{^F} searches forward, @kbd{^G} searches next,
@kbd{^S} saves, @kbd{^O} opens a file, @kbd{^Q} quits,
and (when the terminal permits) @kbd{^H} shows help.
Furthermore, @kbd{^A} sets the mark, @kbd{^B} searches backward,
@kbd{^D} searches previous, @kbd{^R} makes replacements,
@kbd{^P} shows the position, @kbd{^T} goes to a line,
@kbd{^W} writes out a file, and @kbd{^E} executes a command.
Note that this option overrides option @option{-p} (@option{--preserve}).

@end table

@sp 1
Suspension is enabled by default, reachable via @kbd{^T^Z}.
(If you want a plain @kbd{^Z} to suspend nano, add
@code{bind ^Z suspend main} to your nanorc.)


@node Feature toggles
@chapter Feature toggles

Toggles allow you to change certain aspects of the editor while you are
editing, aspects that you would normally specify via command-line options
or nanorc options.  Each toggle can be flicked via a Meta-key combination
--- the @kbd{Meta} key is normally the @kbd{Alt} key (@pxref{Commands}
for more details).  The following global toggles are available:

@sp 1
@table @code

@item Constant Cursor Position Display
@kbd{M-C} toggles the @option{-c} (@option{--constantshow}) command-line option.

@item Smart Home Key
@kbd{M-H} toggles the @option{-A} (@option{--smarthome}) command-line option.

@item Auto Indent
@kbd{M-I} toggles the @option{-i} (@option{--autoindent}) command-line option.

@item Cut From Cursor To End-of-Line
@kbd{M-K} toggles the @option{-k} (@option{--cutfromcursor}) command-line option.

@item Long-Line Wrapping
@kbd{M-L} toggles the @option{-b} (@option{--breaklonglines}) command-line option.

@item Mouse Support
@kbd{M-M} toggles the @option{-m} (@option{--mouse}) command-line option.

@item Line Numbers
@kbd{M-N} toggles the @option{-l} (@option{--linenumbers}) command-line option.

@item Tabs To Spaces
@kbd{M-O} toggles the @option{-E} (@option{--tabstospaces}) command-line option.

@item Whitespace Display
@kbd{M-P} toggles the displaying of whitespace (@pxref{Whitespace}).

@item Soft Wrapping
@kbd{M-S} toggles the @option{-S} (@option{--softwrap}) command-line option.

@item Expert
@kbd{M-X} toggles the @option{-x} (@option{--nohelp}) command-line option.

@item Syntax Coloring
@kbd{M-Y} toggles syntax coloring, when your nanorc defines syntaxes
(@pxref{Syntax highlighting}).

@item Hidden Interface
@kbd{M-Z} toggles the @option{-0} (@option{--zero}) command-line option,
but without the @option{-x} (@option{--nohelp}) part.  That is: it toggles
just the title bar plus status bar (or the combined mini bar plus status bar),
not the help lines.  The latter are toggled with @kbd{M-X}.

@end table


@node Nanorc files
@chapter Nanorc files

Nanorc files can be used to configure @command{nano} to your liking
without using command-line options.  During startup @command{nano}
normally reads two files: first the system-wide file, @file{/etc/nanorc}
(the exact path may be different on your system), and then the user-specific
file, either @file{~/.nanorc} or @file{$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/nano/nanorc} or
@file{.config/nano/nanorc}, whichever exists first.
However, if @option{--rcfile} is given, @command{nano} skips the
above files and reads just the specified settings file.

A nanorc file can contain @command{set} and @command{unset} commands for
various options (@pxref{Settings}).  It can also contain commands that
define syntax highlighting (@pxref{Syntax highlighting}) and commands
that rebind keys (@ref{Rebinding keys}).  Each command should be on a
separate line, and all commands should be written in lowercase.

Options that do not take an argument are unset by default.  So using
the @code{unset} command is only needed when wanting to override a
setting from the system's nanorc file in your own nanorc.  Options that
take an argument cannot be unset, but can be assigned the empty string.

Any command-line option overrides its nanorc setting, of course.

Quotes inside the @var{characters} parameters below should not be escaped.
The last double quote on the line will be seen as the closing quote.

@menu
* Settings::
* Syntax highlighting::
* Rebinding keys::
@end menu

@node Settings
@section Settings

The supported settings in a nanorc file are:

@table @code

@item set afterends
Make @kbd{Ctrl+Right} and @kbd{Ctrl+Delete} stop at word ends
instead of beginnings.

@item set allow_insecure_backup
When backing up files, allow the backup to succeed even if its
permissions can't be (re)set due to special OS considerations.
You should NOT enable this option unless you are sure you need it.

@item set atblanks
When soft line wrapping is enabled, make it wrap lines at blank characters
(tabs and spaces) instead of always at the edge of the screen.

@item set autoindent
Automatically indent a newly created line to the same number of tabs
and/or spaces as the previous line (or as the next line if the previous
line is the beginning of a paragraph).

@item set backup
When saving a file, back up the previous version of it, using the current
filename suffixed with a tilde (@code{~}).

@item set backupdir "@var{directory}"
Make and keep not just one backup file, but make and keep a uniquely
numbered one every time a file is saved --- when backups are enabled
with @code{set backup} or @option{--backup} or @option{-B}.
The uniquely numbered files are stored in the specified directory.

@item set boldtext
Use bold instead of reverse video for the title bar, status bar,
prompt bar, mini bar, key combos, line numbers, and selected text.
This can be overridden by setting the options @code{titlecolor},
@code{statuscolor}, @code{promptcolor}, @code{minicolor},
@code{keycolor}, @code{numbercolor}, and/or @code{selectedcolor}.

@item set bookstyle
When justifying, treat any line that starts with whitespace as the
beginning of a paragraph (unless auto-indenting is on).

@item set brackets "@var{characters}"
Set the characters treated as closing brackets when justifying
paragraphs.  This may not include blank characters.  Only closing
punctuation (see @code{set punct}), optionally followed by the specified
closing brackets, can end sentences.  The default value is
"@t{"')>]@}}".

@item set breaklonglines
Automatically hard-wrap the current line when it becomes overlong --- that
is: when the line becomes wider than the value given with @code{set fill}
(which defaults to the width of the terminal minus eight).

@item set casesensitive
Do case-sensitive searches by default.

@item set colonparsing
When a filename given on the command line ends in a colon plus digits
and this filename does not exist, then snip the colon plus digits and
understand the digits as a line number.  If the trimmed filename does
not exist either, then repeat the process and understand the obtained
two numbers as line and column number.  But if the doubly trimmed
filename does not exist either, then forget the trimming and accept
the original filename as is.  To disable this colon parsing for some
file, use @code{+1} or similar before the relevant filename.

@item set constantshow
Constantly report the cursor position on the status bar.
Note that this overrides @option{quickblank}.

@item set cutfromcursor
Use cut-from-cursor-to-end-of-line by default, instead of cutting the whole line.

@item set emptyline
Do not use the line below the title bar, leaving it entirely blank.

@item set errorcolor [bold,][italic,]@var{fgcolor},@var{bgcolor}
Use this color combination for the status bar when an error message is displayed.
The default value is @t{bold,white,red}.
@xref{@code{set keycolor}} for valid color names.

@item set fill @var{number}
Set the target width for justifying and automatic hard-wrapping at this
@var{number} of columns.  If the value is 0 or less, wrapping occurs
at the width of the screen minus @var{number} columns, allowing the wrap
point to vary along with the width of the screen if the screen is resized.
The default value is @t{-8}.

@item set functioncolor [bold,][italic,]@var{fgcolor},@var{bgcolor}
Use this color combination for the concise function descriptions
in the two help lines at the bottom of the screen.
@xref{@code{set keycolor}} for valid color names.

@item set guidestripe @var{number}
Draw a vertical stripe at the given column, to help judge the width of the
text.  (The color of the stripe can be changed with @code{set stripecolor}.)

@item set historylog
Save the last hundred search strings and replacement strings and
executed commands, so they can be easily reused in later sessions.

@item set indicator
Display a "scrollbar" on the righthand side of the edit window.
It shows the position of the viewport in the buffer
and how much of the buffer is covered by the viewport.

@item set jumpyscrolling
Scroll the buffer contents per half-screen instead of per line.

@anchor{@code{set keycolor}}
@item set keycolor [bold,][italic,]@var{fgcolor},@var{bgcolor}
Use this color combination for the shortcut key combos
in the two help lines at the bottom of the screen.
Valid names for the foreground and background colors are:
@code{red}, @code{green}, @code{blue},
@code{magenta}, @code{yellow}, @code{cyan},
@code{white}, and @code{black}.
Each of these eight names may be prefixed with the word
@code{light} to get a brighter version of that color.
The word @code{grey} or @code{gray} may be used
as a synonym for @code{lightblack}.
On a Linux console, @code{light} does not have
any effect for a background color.

On terminal emulators that can do at least 256 colors,
other valid (but unprefixable) color names are:
@code{pink}, @code{purple}, @code{mauve},
@code{lagoon}, @code{mint}, @code{lime},
@code{peach}, @code{orange}, @code{latte},
@code{rosy}, @code{beet}, @code{plum}, @code{sea},
@code{sky}, @code{slate}, @code{teal}, @code{sage},
@code{brown}, @code{ocher}, @code{sand}, @code{tawny},
@code{brick}, @code{crimson}, and @code{normal}
--- where @code{normal} means the default foreground or background color.
On such emulators, the color may also be specified as a three-digit hexadecimal
number prefixed with @code{#}, with the digits representing the amounts of red,
green, and blue, respectively.  This tells @command{nano} to select from the
available palette the color that approximates the given values.

Either @var{fgcolor} or ,@var{bgcolor} may be left out,
and the pair may be preceded by @code{bold} and/or @code{italic}
(separated by commas) to get a bold and/or slanting typeface,
if your terminal can do those.

@item set linenumbers
Display line numbers to the left of the text area.
(Any line with an anchor additionally gets a mark in the margin.)

@item set locking
Enable vim-style lock-files for when editing files.

@item set magic
When neither the file's name nor its first line give a clue,
try using libmagic to determine the applicable syntax.
(Calling libmagic can be relatively time consuming.
It is therefore not done by default.)

@anchor{@code{set matchbrackets}}
@item set matchbrackets "@var{characters}"
Specify the opening and closing brackets that can be found by bracket
searches.  This may not include blank characters.  The opening set must
come before the closing set, and the two sets must be in the same order.
The default value is "@t{(<[@{)>]@}}".

@item set minibar
Suppress the title bar and instead show information about
the current buffer at the bottom of the screen, in the space
for the status bar.  In this "mini bar" the filename is shown
on the left, followed by an asterisk if the buffer has been modified.
On the right are displayed the current line and column number, the
code of the character under the cursor (in Unicode format: U+xxxx),
the same flags as are shown by @code{set stateflags}, and a percentage
that expresses how far the cursor is into the file (linewise).
When a file is loaded or saved, and also when switching between buffers,
the number of lines in the buffer is displayed after the filename.
This number is cleared upon the next keystroke, or replaced with an
[i/n] counter when multiple buffers are open.
The line plus column numbers and the character code are displayed only when
@code{set constantshow} is used, and can be toggled on and off with @kbd{M-C}.
The state flags are displayed only when @code{set stateflags} is used.

@item set minicolor [bold,][italic,]@var{fgcolor},@var{bgcolor}
Use this color combination for the mini bar.
(When this option is not specified, the colors of the title bar are used.)
@xref{@code{set keycolor}} for valid color names.

@item set mouse
Enable mouse support, so that mouse clicks can be used to place the
cursor, set the mark (with two clicks), or execute shortcuts.

@item set multibuffer
When reading in a file with @kbd{^R}, insert it into a new buffer by default.

@item set noconvert
Don't convert files from DOS/Mac format.

@item set nohelp
Don't display the help lists at the bottom of the screen.

@item set nonewlines
Don't automatically add a newline when a text does not end with one.
(This can cause you to save non-POSIX text files.)

@item set nowrap
Deprecated option since it has become the default setting.
When needed, use @code{unset breaklonglines} instead.

@item set numbercolor [bold,][italic,]@var{fgcolor},@var{bgcolor}
Use this color combination for line numbers.
@xref{@code{set keycolor}} for valid color names.

@item set operatingdir "@var{directory}"
At startup, make @command{nano} change to the given @var{directory}, and
allow reading and writing files only in this directory and its subdirectories.

@item set positionlog
Save the positions of cursor and anchors between editing sessions.
These positions are remembered for the 200 most-recently edited files.

@item set preserve
Preserve the XOFF and XON sequences (@kbd{^S} and @kbd{^Q}) so that
they are caught by the terminal (stopping and resuming the output).

@item set promptcolor [bold,][italic,]@var{fgcolor},@var{bgcolor}
Use this color combination for the prompt bar.
(When this option is not specified, the colors of the title bar are used.)
@xref{@code{set keycolor}} for valid color names.

@item set punct "@var{characters}"
Set the characters treated as closing punctuation when justifying
paragraphs.  This may not include blank characters.  Only the
specified closing punctuation, optionally followed by closing brackets
(see @code{set brackets}), can end sentences.
The default value is "@t{!.?}".

@item set quickblank
Make status-bar messages disappear after 1 keystroke instead of after 20.
Note that option @option{constantshow} overrides this.
When option @option{minibar} or @option{zero} is in effect,
@option{quickblank} makes a message disappear after
0.8 seconds instead of after the default 1.5 seconds.

@item set quotestr "@var{regex}"
Set the regular expression for matching the quoting part of a line.
The default value is "@t{^([@w{ }\t]*([!#%:;>|@}]|//))+}".
(Note that @code{\t} stands for a literal Tab character.)
This makes it possible to rejustify blocks of quoted text when composing
email, and to rewrap blocks of line comments when writing source code.

@item set rawsequences
Interpret escape sequences directly, instead of asking @code{ncurses}
to translate them.  (If you need this option to get some keys to work
properly, it means that the terminfo terminal description that is used
does not fully match the actual behavior of your terminal.  This can
happen when you ssh into a BSD machine, for example.)
Using this option disables @command{nano}'s mouse support.

@item set rebinddelete
Interpret the @kbd{Delete} and @kbd{Backspace} keys differently so that
both work properly.  You should only use this option when on your system
either @kbd{Backspace} acts like Delete or @kbd{Delete} acts like Backspace.

@item set regexp
Do regular-expression searches by default.
Regular expressions in @command{nano} are of the extended type (ERE).

@item set saveonexit
Save a changed buffer automatically on exit (@kbd{^X}); don't prompt.

@item set scrollercolor @var{fgcolor},@var{bgcolor}
Use this color combination for the indicator alias "scrollbar".
@xref{@code{set keycolor}} for valid color names.

@item set selectedcolor [bold,][italic,]@var{fgcolor},@var{bgcolor}
Use this color combination for selected text.
@xref{@code{set keycolor}} for valid color names.

@item set showcursor
Put the cursor on the highlighted item in the file browser, and show
the cursor in the help viewer, to aid braille users and people with
poor vision.

@item set smarthome
Make the Home key smarter.  When Home is pressed anywhere but at the
very beginning of non-whitespace characters on a line, the cursor jumps
to that beginning (either forwards or backwards).  If the cursor is
already at that position, it jumps to the true beginning of the line.

@item set softwrap
Display lines that exceed the screen's width over multiple screen lines.
(You can make this soft-wrapping occur at whitespace instead of rudely at
the screen's edge, by using also @code{set atblanks}.)

@item set solosidescroll
When the cursor approaches the right edge of the edit window, scroll only the
current line sideways by a large amount, instead of scrolling all visible lines
sideways by just the amount needed to keep the cursor in view.
This latter whole-window smooth sideways scrolling is the new default behavior.
The single-line jerky sideways scrolling enabled by this option was the old
behavior --- the only behavior that @command{nano} knew.

@item set speller "@var{program} [@var{argument} @dots{}]"
Use the given program to do spell checking and correcting.
@xref{@option{--speller}} for details.

@item set spotlightcolor [bold,][italic,]@var{fgcolor},@var{bgcolor}
Use this color combination for highlighting a search match.
The default value is @t{black,lightyellow}.
@xref{@code{set keycolor}} for valid color names.

@item set stateflags
Use the top-right corner of the screen for showing some state flags:
@code{I} when auto-indenting, @code{M} when the mark is on, @code{L} when
hard-wrapping (breaking long lines), @code{R} when recording a macro,
and @code{S} when soft-wrapping.
When the buffer is modified, a star (@code{*}) is shown after the
filename in the center of the title bar.

@item set statuscolor [bold,][italic,]@var{fgcolor},@var{bgcolor}
Use this color combination for the status bar.
@xref{@code{set keycolor}} for valid color names.

@item set stripecolor [bold,][italic,]@var{fgcolor},@var{bgcolor}
Use this color combination for the vertical guiding stripe.
@xref{@code{set keycolor}} for valid color names.

@item set tabsize @var{number}
Use a tab size of @var{number} columns.  The value of @var{number} must be
greater than 0.  The default value is @t{8}.

@item set tabstospaces
Convert each typed tab to spaces --- to the number of spaces
that a tab at that position would take up.
(Note: pasted tabs are not converted.)

@item set titlecolor [bold,][italic,]@var{fgcolor},@var{bgcolor}
Use this color combination for the title bar.
@xref{@code{set keycolor}} for valid color names.

@item set trimblanks
Remove trailing whitespace from wrapped lines when automatic
hard-wrapping occurs or when text is justified.

@item set unix
Save a file by default in Unix format.  This overrides nano's
default behavior of saving a file in the format that it had.
(This option has no effect when you also use @code{set noconvert}.)

@anchor{Whitespace}
@item set whitespace "@var{characters}"
Set the two characters used to indicate the presence of tabs and
spaces.  They must be single-column characters.  The default pair
for a UTF-8 locale is @t{"»·"}, and for other locales @t{">."}.

@item set wordbounds
Detect word boundaries differently by treating punctuation
characters as part of a word.

@item set wordchars "@var{characters}"
Specify which other characters (besides the normal alphanumeric ones)
should be considered as parts of words.  When using this option, you
probably want to unset @code{wordbounds}.

@item set zap
Let an unmodified @kbd{Backspace} or @kbd{Delete} erase the marked region
(instead of a single character, and without affecting the cutbuffer).

@item set zero
Hide all elements of the interface (title bar, status bar, and help lines)
and use all rows of the terminal for showing the contents of the buffer.
The status bar appears only when there is a significant message,
and disappears after 1.5 seconds or upon the next keystroke.
With @kbd{M-Z} the title bar plus status bar can be toggled.
With @kbd{M-X} the help lines.

@end table

@node Syntax highlighting
@section Syntax highlighting

Coloring the different syntactic elements of a file
is done via regular expressions (see the @code{color} command below).
This is inherently imperfect, because regular expressions are not
powerful enough to fully parse a file.  Nevertheless, regular
expressions can do a lot and are easy to make, so they are a
good fit for a small editor like @command{nano}.

See @file{/usr/share/nano/} and @file{/usr/share/nano/extra/}
for the syntax-coloring definitions that are available out of the box.

All regular expressions in @command{nano} are POSIX extended regular expressions
(ERE).  This means that @code{.}, @code{?}, @code{*}, @code{+}, @code{^},
@code{$}, and several other characters are special.
The period @code{.} matches any single character,
@code{?} means the preceding item is optional,
@code{*} means the preceding item may be matched zero or more times,
@code{+} means the preceding item must be matched one or more times,
@code{^} matches the beginning of a line, and @code{$} the end,
@code{\<} matches the start of a word, and @code{\>} the end,
and @code{\s} matches a blank.
It also means that lookahead and lookbehind are not possible.
A complete explanation can be found in the manual of GNU grep:
@code{info grep regular}.

Each regular expression in a @file{nanorc} file should be wrapped in
double quotes (@code{""}).  Multiple regular expressions can follow
each other on a line by separating them with blanks.  This means that
a regular expression cannot contain a double quote followed by a blank.
When you need this combination inside a regular expression,
then either the double quote or the blank should be put
between square brackets (@code{[]}).

A separate syntax can be defined for each kind of file
via the following commands in a nanorc file:

@table @code

@item syntax @var{name} ["@var{fileregex}" @dots{}]
Start the definition of a syntax with this @var{name}.
All subsequent @code{color} and other such commands
are added to this syntax, until a new @code{syntax}
command is encountered.

When @command{nano} is run, this syntax is automatically
activated (for the relevant buffer) if the absolute filename
matches the extended regular expression @var{fileregex}.
Or the syntax can be explicitly activated (for all buffers)
by using the @option{-Y} or @option{--syntax}
command-line option followed by the @var{name}.

The @code{default} syntax is special: it takes no @var{fileregex},
and applies to files that don't match any syntax's regexes.
The @code{none} syntax is reserved; specifying it on the
command line is the same as not having a syntax at all.

@item header "@var{regex}" @dots{}
If from all defined syntaxes no @var{fileregex} matched, then compare
this @var{regex} (or regexes) against the first line of the current file,
to determine whether this syntax should be used for it.

@item magic "@var{regex}" @dots{}
If no @var{fileregex} matched and no @code{header} regex matched
either, then compare this @var{regex} (or regexes) against the
result of querying the @code{magic} database about the current
file, to determine whether this syntax should be used for it.
(This querying is done only when @code{libmagic} is actually installed
on the system and @option{--magic} or @code{set magic} was given.)

@item formatter @var{program} [@var{argument} @dots{}]
Run the given @var{program} on the full contents of the current buffer.

@item linter @var{program} [@var{argument} @dots{}]
Use the given @var{program} to do a syntax check on the current buffer.

@item comment "@var{string}"
Use the given string for commenting and uncommenting lines.
If the string contains a vertical bar or pipe character (@t{|}),
this designates bracket-style comments; for example, @t{"/*|*/"} for
CSS files.  The characters before the pipe are prepended to the line and the
characters after the pipe are appended at the end of the line.  If no pipe
character is present, the full string is prepended; for example, @t{"#"} for
Python files.  If empty double quotes are specified, the comment/uncomment
functions are disabled; for example, @t{""} for JSON.
The default value is "@t{#}".

@item tabgives "@var{string}"
Make the <Tab> key produce the given @var{string}.  Useful for languages like
Python that want to see only spaces for indentation.
This overrides the setting of the @code{tabstospaces} option.

@item color [bold,][italic,]@var{fgcolor},@var{bgcolor} "@var{regex}" @dots{}
Paint all pieces of text that match the extended regular expression "regex"
with the given foreground and background colors, at least one of which must
be specified.  Valid color names are:
@code{red}, @code{green}, @code{blue},
@code{magenta}, @code{yellow}, @code{cyan},
@code{white}, and @code{black}.
Each of these eight names may be prefixed with the word
@code{light} to get a brighter version of that color.
The word @code{grey} or @code{gray} may be used
as a synonym for @code{lightblack}.
On a Linux console, @code{light} does not have
any effect for a background color.

On terminal emulators that can do at least 256 colors,
other valid (but unprefixable) color names are:
@code{pink}, @code{purple}, @code{mauve},
@code{lagoon}, @code{mint}, @code{lime},
@code{peach}, @code{orange}, @code{latte},
@code{rosy}, @code{beet}, @code{plum}, @code{sea},
@code{sky}, @code{slate}, @code{teal}, @code{sage},
@code{brown}, @code{ocher}, @code{sand}, @code{tawny},
@code{brick}, @code{crimson}, and @code{normal}
--- where @code{normal} means the default foreground or background color.
On such emulators, the color may also be specified as a three-digit hexadecimal
number prefixed with @code{#}, with the digits representing the amounts of red,
green, and blue, respectively.  This tells @command{nano} to select from the
available palette the color that approximates the given values.

The color pair may be preceded by @code{bold} and/or @code{italic}
(separated by commas) to get a bold and/or slanting typeface,
if your terminal can do those.

All coloring commands are applied in the order in which they are specified,
which means that later commands can recolor stuff that was colored earlier.

@item icolor [bold,][italic,]@var{fgcolor},@var{bgcolor} "@var{regex}" @dots{}
Same as above, except that the matching is case insensitive.

@item color [bold,][italic,]@var{fgcolor},@var{bgcolor} start="@var{fromrx}" end="@var{torx}"
Paint all pieces of text whose start matches extended regular expression
@var{fromrx} and whose end matches extended regular expression @var{torx}
with the given foreground and background colors, at least one of
which must be specified.  This means that, after an initial instance of
@var{fromrx}, all text until the first instance of @var{torx} is colored.
This allows syntax highlighting to span multiple lines.

@item icolor [bold,][italic,]@var{fgcolor},@var{bgcolor} start="@var{fromrx}" end="@var{torx}"
Same as above, except that the matching is case insensitive.

@item include "@var{syntaxfile}"
Read in self-contained color syntaxes from @var{syntaxfile}.  Note that
such a syntax file may contain only the above commands, from @code{syntax}
to @code{icolor}.

@item extendsyntax @var{name} @var{command} @var{argument} @dots{}
Extend the syntax previously defined as "@var{name}" with another @var{command}.
This allows you to add a new @code{color}, @code{icolor}, @code{header},
@code{magic}, @code{formatter}, @code{linter}, @code{comment},
or @code{tabgives} command to an already
defined syntax --- useful when you want to slightly improve a syntax defined
in one of the system-installed files (which normally are not writable).

@end table

@node Rebinding keys
@section Rebinding keys

Key bindings can be changed via the following three commands in a
nanorc file:

@table @code

@item bind key function menu
Rebinds @code{key} to @code{function} in the context of @code{menu}
(or in all menus where the function exists when @code{all} is used).

@item bind key "string" menu
Makes @code{key} produce @code{string} in the context of @code{menu}
(or in all menus where the key exists when @code{all} is used).
Besides literal text and/or control codes, the  @code{string} may contain
function names between braces.  These functions are invoked when the
key is typed. To include a literal opening brace, use @code{@{@{@}}.

@item unbind key menu
Unbinds @code{key} from @code{menu}
(or from all menus where the key exists when @code{all} is used).

@end table

Note that @code{bind key "@{function@}" menu} is equivalent to
@code{bind key function menu}, except that for the latter form
@command{nano} checks the availability of the @code{function}
in the given @code{menu} at startup time (and reports an error if
it does not exist there), whereas for the first form @command{nano}
checks at execution time that the @code{function} exists but not
whether it makes any sense in the current menu. The user has to take
care that a function name between braces (or any sequence of them)
is appropriate.  Strange behavior or even a crash can result when
the braced name is unfitting.

@sp 1
The format of @code{key} should be one of:

@indentedblock
@table @asis

@item @code{^@var{X}}
where @var{X} is a Latin letter, or one of several
ASCII characters (@@, ], \, ^, _), or the word "Space".
Example: @code{^C}.

@item @code{M-@var{X}}
where @var{X} is any ASCII character (except [),
or the word "Space", "Left", "Right", "Up", or "Down".
Example: @code{M-8}.

@item @code{Sh-M-@var{X}}
where @var{X} is a Latin letter.
Example: @code{Sh-M-U}.
By default, each Meta+letter keystroke does the same as the corresponding
Shift+Meta+letter.  But when any Shift+Meta bind is made, that will
no longer be the case, for all letters.

@item @code{F@var{n}}
where @var{n} is a numeric value from 1 to 24.
Example: @code{F10}.
(Often, @code{F13} to @code{F24} can be typed as @code{F1} to @code{F12}
with Shift.)

@item @code{Ins} or @code{Del}

@end table
@end indentedblock

@sp 1
Rebinding @code{^M} (Enter) or @code{^I} (Tab) is probably not a good idea.
Rebinding @code{^[} (Esc) is not possible, because its keycode
is the starter byte of Meta keystrokes and escape sequences.
Rebinding any of the dedicated cursor-moving keys (Home, End,
PageUp, PageDown, and the arrows) is not possible.
On some terminals it's not possible to rebind @code{^H} (unless @code{--raw}
is used) because its keycode is identical to that of the Backspace key.

@sp 1
Valid names for the @code{function} to be bound are:

@table @code

@item help
Invokes the help viewer.

@item cancel
Cancels the current command.

@item exit
Exits from the program (or from the help viewer or file browser).

@item writeout
Writes the current buffer to disk, asking for a name.

@item savefile
Writes the current file to disk without prompting.

@item insert
Inserts a file into the current buffer (at the current cursor position),
or into a new buffer when option @code{multibuffer} is set.

@item whereis
Starts a forward search for text in the current buffer --- or for filenames
matching a string in the current list in the file browser.

@item wherewas
Starts a backward search for text in the current buffer --- or for filenames
matching a string in the current list in the file browser.

@item findprevious
Searches the next occurrence in the backward direction.

@item findnext
Searches the next occurrence in the forward direction.

@item replace
Interactively replaces text within the current buffer.

@item cut
Cuts and stores the current line (or the marked region).

@item copy
Copies the current line (or the marked region) without deleting it.

@item paste
Pastes the currently stored text into the current buffer at the
current cursor position.

@item zap
Throws away the current line (or the marked region).
(This function is bound by default to @kbd{Alt+Delete}.)

@item chopwordleft
Deletes from the cursor position to the beginning of the preceding word.
(This function is bound by default to @kbd{Shift+Ctrl+Delete}.  If your terminal
produces @code{^H} for @kbd{Ctrl+Backspace}, you can make @kbd{Ctrl+Backspace} delete
the word to the left of the cursor by rebinding @kbd{^H} to this function.)

@item chopwordright
Deletes from the cursor position to the beginning of the next word.
(This function is bound by default to @kbd{Ctrl+Delete}.)

@item cutrestoffile
Cuts all text from the cursor position till the end of the buffer.

@item mark
Sets the mark at the current position, to start selecting text.
Or, when it is set, unsets the mark.

@item location
Reports the current position of the cursor in the buffer:
the line, column, and character positions.

@item wordcount
Counts and reports on the status bar the number of lines, words,
and characters in the current buffer (or in the marked region).

@item execute
Prompts for a program to execute.  The program's output will be inserted
into the current buffer --- or into a new buffer when @kbd{M-F} is toggled.
When the program's name is preceded by a pipe symbol (@kbd{|}), then the
current buffer (or the marked region) is piped to the program, and the
output of the program replaces the buffer (or the marked region).

@item speller
Invokes a spell-checking program, either the default @command{hunspell}
or GNU @command{spell}, or the one defined by @option{--speller} or
@code{set speller}.

@item formatter
Invokes a full-buffer-processing program (if the active syntax defines one).
(The current buffer is written out to a temporary file, the program
is run on it, and then the temporary file is read back in, replacing
the contents of the buffer.)

@item linter
Invokes a syntax-checking program (if the active syntax defines one).
If this program produces lines of the form "filename:linenum:charnum:
some message", then the cursor is put at the indicated position
in the mentioned file while showing "some message" on the status bar.
You can move from message to message with @kbd{PgUp} and @kbd{PgDn},
and leave linting mode with @kbd{^C} or @kbd{Enter}.

@item justify
Justifies the current paragraph (or the marked region).
A paragraph is a group of contiguous lines that, apart from possibly
the first line, all have the same indentation.  The beginning of a
paragraph is detected by either this lone line with a differing
indentation or by a preceding blank line.

@item fulljustify
Justifies the entire current buffer (or the marked region).

@item indent
Indents (shifts to the right) the current line or the marked lines.

@item unindent
Unindents (shifts to the left) the current line or the marked lines.

@item comment
Comments or uncomments the current line or the marked lines,
using the comment style specified in the active syntax.

@item complete
Completes (when possible) the fragment before the cursor
to a full word found elsewhere in the current buffer.

@item left
Goes left one position (in the editor or browser).

@item right
Goes right one position (in the editor or browser).

@item up
Goes one line up (in the editor or browser).

@item down
Goes one line down (in the editor or browser).

@item scrollleft
Scrolls the viewport a tabsize to the left, when possible.
(This function is bound by default to @kbd{M-<}.)

@item scrollright
Scrolls the viewport a tabsize to the right.  When needed to keep
the cursor visible, it is moved to a longer line in the viewport.
If there is no sufficiently longer line, no scroll is made.
(This function is bound by default to @kbd{M->}.)

@item scrollup
Scrolls the viewport up one row (meaning that the text slides down)
while keeping the cursor in the same text position, if possible.
(This function is bound by default to @kbd{M-Up}.
If @kbd{Alt+Up} does nothing on your Linux console, see the FAQ:
@url{https://nano-editor.org/dist/latest/faq.html#4.1}.)

@item scrolldown
Scrolls the viewport down one row (meaning that the text slides up)
while keeping the cursor in the same text position, if possible.
(This function is bound by default to @kbd{M-Down}.)

@item center
Scrolls the line with the cursor to the middle of the viewport.

@item cycle
Scrolls the line with the cursor first to the middle of the viewport,
then to the top, then to the bottom.

@item prevword
Moves the cursor to the beginning of the previous word.

@item nextword
Moves the cursor to the beginning of the next word.

@item home
Moves the cursor to the beginning of the current line.

@item end
Moves the cursor to the end of the current line.

@item beginpara
Moves the cursor to the beginning of the current paragraph.

@item endpara
Moves the cursor to the end of the current paragraph.

@item prevblock
Moves the cursor to the beginning of the current or preceding block of text.
(Blocks are separated by one or more blank lines.)

@item nextblock
Moves the cursor to the beginning of the next block of text.

@item toprow
Moves the cursor to the first row in the viewport.

@item bottomrow
Moves the cursor to the last row in the viewport.

@item pageup
Goes up one screenful.

@item pagedown
Goes down one screenful.

@item firstline
Goes to the first line of the file.

@item lastline
Goes to the last line of the file.

@item gotoline
Goes to a specific line (and column if given).
A negative number counts from the end of the buffer (and end of the line).
Putting @code{++} or @code{--} before the first number will jump the given
number of lines forward or backward.

@item findbracket
Moves the cursor to the bracket (or brace or parenthesis, etc.) that matches
(pairs) with the one under the cursor.  @xref{@code{set matchbrackets}}.

@item anchor
Places an anchor at the current line, or removes it when already present.
(An anchor is visible when line numbers are activated.)

@item prevanchor
Goes to the first anchor before the current line.

@item nextanchor
Goes to the first anchor after the current line.

@item prevbuf
Switches to editing/viewing the previous buffer when multiple buffers are open.

@item nextbuf
Switches to editing/viewing the next buffer when multiple buffers are open.

@item verbatim
Inserts the next keystroke verbatim into the file, or begins Unicode input
when a hexadecimal digit is typed (@pxref{Entering text} for details).

@item tab
Inserts a tab at the current cursor location.

@item enter
Inserts a new line below the current one.

@item delete
Deletes the character under the cursor.

@item backspace
Deletes the character before the cursor.

@item recordmacro
Starts the recording of keystrokes --- the keystrokes are stored
as a macro.  When already recording, the recording is stopped.

@item runmacro
Replays the keystrokes of the last recorded macro.

@item undo
Undoes the last performed text action (add text, delete text, etc).

@item redo
Redoes the last undone action (i.e., it undoes an undo).

@item refresh
Refreshes the screen.

@item suspend
Suspends the editor and returns control to the shell
(until you tell the process to resume execution with @kbd{fg}).

@item casesens
Toggles whether searching/replacing ignores or respects the case of
the given characters.

@item regexp
Toggles whether searching/replacing uses literal strings or regular expressions.

@item backwards
Toggles whether searching/replacing goes forward or backward.

@item older
Retrieves the previous (earlier) entry at a prompt.

@item newer
Retrieves the next (later) entry at a prompt.

@item flipreplace
Toggles between searching for something and replacing something.

@item flipgoto
Toggles between searching for text and targeting a line number.

@item flipexecute
Switches from inserting a file to executing a command.

@item flippipe
When executing a command, toggles whether the current buffer (or marked
region) is piped to the command.

@item flipnewbuffer
Toggles between inserting into the current buffer and into a new
empty buffer.

@item flipconvert
When reading in a file, toggles between converting and not converting
it from DOS/Mac format.  Converting is the default.

@item dosformat
When writing a file, switches to writing a DOS format (CR/LF).

@item macformat
When writing a file, switches to writing a Mac format.

@item append
When writing a file, appends to the end instead of overwriting.

@item prepend
When writing a file, 'prepends' (writes at the beginning) instead of overwriting.

@item backup
When writing a file, creates a backup of the current file.

@item discardbuffer
Discards the current buffer without saving (when in the Write Out menu).
When it was the last buffer, then @command{nano} exits with error status 2.

@item browser
Starts the file browser (in the Read File and Write Out menus),
allowing to select a file from a list.

@item gotodir
Goes to a directory to be specified, allowing to browse anywhere
in the filesystem.

@item firstfile
Goes to the first file in the list when using the file browser.

@item lastfile
Goes to the last file in the list when using the file browser.

@item nohelp
Toggles the presence of the two-line list of key bindings at the bottom of the screen.
(This toggle is special: it is available in all menus except the help viewer
and the linter.  All further toggles are available in the main menu only.)

@item zero
Toggles the presence of title bar and status bar.

@item constantshow
Toggles the constant reporting (on the status bar)
of the current line, column, and character positions.

@item softwrap
Toggles the displaying of overlong lines on multiple screen lines.

@item linenumbers
Toggles the display of line numbers in front of the text.

@item whitespacedisplay
Toggles the showing of whitespace.

@item nosyntax
Toggles syntax highlighting.

@item smarthome
Toggles the smartness of the Home key.

@item autoindent
Toggles whether a newly created line will contain the same amount of leading
whitespace as the preceding line --- or as the next line if the preceding line
is the beginning of a paragraph.

@item cutfromcursor
Toggles whether cutting text cuts the whole line or just from the current cursor
position to the end of the line.

@item breaklonglines
Toggles whether the overlong part of a line is hard-wrapped to the next line.

@item tabstospaces
Toggles whether typed tabs are converted to spaces.

@item mouse
Toggles mouse support.

@end table

@sp 1
Valid names for @code{menu} are:

@table @code

@item main
The main editor window where text is entered and edited.

@item help
The help-viewer menu.

@item search
The search menu (AKA whereis).

@item replace
The 'search to replace' menu.

@item replacewith
The 'replace with' menu, which comes up after 'search to replace'.

@item yesno
The 'yesno' menu, where the Yes/No/All/Cancel question is asked.

@item gotoline
The 'goto line (and column)' menu.

@item writeout
The 'write file' menu.

@item insert
The 'insert file' menu.

@item browser
The 'file browser' menu, for selecting a file to be opened or
inserted or written to.

@item whereisfile
The 'search for a file' menu in the file browser.

@item gotodir
The 'go to directory' menu in the file browser.

@item execute
The menu for inserting the output from an external command,
or for filtering the buffer (or the marked region) through
an external command, or for executing one of several tools.

@item spell
The menu of the integrated spell checker where the user can edit a misspelled word.

@item linter
The linter menu, which allows jumping through the linting messages.

@item all
A special name that encompasses all menus.  For @code{bind} it means
all menus where the specified @code{function} exists; for @code{unbind}
it means all menus where the specified @code{key} exists.

@end table


@node Pico compatibility
@chapter Pico compatibility

@command{nano} emulates Pico quite closely, but there
are some differences between the two editors:

@table @code

@item Hard-Wrapping
Unlike Pico, @command{nano} does not automatically hard-wrap the current
line when it becomes overlong during typing.  This hard-wrapping can be
switched on with the @option{--breaklonglines} option.  With that option,
@command{nano} by default breaks lines at screen width minus eight columns,
whereas Pico does it at screen width minus six columns. You can make
@command{nano} do as Pico by using @option{--fill=-6}.

@item Scrolling
By default, @command{nano} scrolls just one line (instead of half
a screen) when the cursor is moved to a line that is just out of view.
And when paging up or down, @command{nano} keeps the cursor in the same
screen position as much as possible, instead of always placing it on the
first line of the viewport.  The Pico-like behavior can be obtained
with the @option{--jumpyscrolling} option.

@item Edit Area
Pico never uses the line directly below the title bar, leaving it always
blank.  @command{nano} includes this line in the editing area, in order
to not waste space, and because in this way it is slightly clearer where
the text starts.  If you are accustomed to this line being empty, you can
get it back with the @option{--emptyline} option.

@item Interactive Replace
Instead of allowing you to replace either just one occurrence of a search
string or all of them, @command{nano}'s replace function is interactive:
it pauses at each found search string and asks whether to replace this
instance.  You can then choose Yes, or No (skip this one), or All (don't
ask any more), or Cancel (stop with replacing).

@item Search and Replace History
When the option @option{-H} or @option{--historylog} is given (or set in
a nanorc file), text entered as search or replace strings is stored.
These strings can be accessed with the up/down arrow keys at their
respective prompts, or you can
type the first few characters and then use @kbd{Tab} to cycle through the
matching strings.  A retrieved string can subsequently be edited.

@item Position History
When the option @option{-P} or @option{--positionlog} is given (or set in
a nanorc file), @command{nano} will store the position of the cursor
when you close a file, and will place the cursor in that position
again when you later reopen the file.

@item Current Cursor Position
The output of the "Display Cursor Position" command (@kbd{^C}) displays
not only the current line and character position of the cursor,
but also (between the two) the current column position.

@item Spell Checking
In the internal spell checker misspelled words are sorted alphabetically
and trimmed for uniqueness, such that the strings 'Aplpe' and 'aplpe'
will be offered for correction separately.

@item Writing Selected Text to Files
When using the Write-Out key (@kbd{^O}), text that has been selected using the
marking key (@kbd{^^}) can not just be written out to a new (or existing) file,
it can also be appended or prepended to an existing file.

@item Reading Text from a Command
When using the Read-File key (@kbd{^R}), @command{nano} can not just read a file,
it can also read the output of a command to be run (@kbd{^X}).

@item Reading from Working Directory
By default, Pico reads files from the user's home directory (when
using @kbd{^R}), but it writes files to the current working directory
(when using @kbd{^O}).  @command{nano} makes this symmetrical: always reading
from and writing to the current working directory --- the directory
that @command{nano} was started in.

@item File Browser
In the file browser, @command{nano} does not implement the Add, Copy,
Rename, and Delete commands that Pico provides.  In @command{nano} the
browser is just a file browser, not a file manager.

@item Toggles
Many options which alter the functionality of the program can be
"toggled" on or off using Meta key sequences, meaning the program does
not have to be restarted to turn a particular feature on or off.
@xref{Feature toggles} for a list of options that can be toggled.
Or see the list at the end of the main internal help text (@kbd{^G}) instead.

@end table


@node Building and its options
@chapter Building and its options

Building @command{nano} from source is straightforward if you are
familiar with compiling programs with autoconf support:

@blankline
@example
  tar -xf nano-x.y.tar.gz
  cd nano-x.y
  ./configure
  make
  make install
@end example
@blankline

The possible options to @code{./configure} are:

@table @code

@item --disable-browser
Exclude the file browser that can be called with @kbd{^T} when
wanting to read or write a file.

@item --disable-color
Exclude support for syntax coloring.  This also eliminates the @option{-Y}
command-line option, which allows choosing a specific syntax.

@item --disable-comment
Exclude the single-keystroke comment/uncomment function (@w{@kbd{M-3}}).

@item --disable-extra
Exclude the Easter egg: a crawl of major contributors.

@item --disable-formatter
Exclude the code for calling a formatting tool.

@item --disable-help
Exclude the help texts (@kbd{^G}).  This makes the binary much smaller,
but also makes it difficult for new users to learn more than very basic
things about using the editor.

@item --disable-histories
Exclude the code for handling the history files: the search and
replace strings that were used, the commands that were executed,
and the cursor position at which each file was closed.
This also eliminates the @option{-H} and @option{-P} command-line
options, which switch on the storing of search/replace strings,
executed commands, and cursor positions.

@item --disable-justify
Exclude the text-justification functions (@kbd{^J} and @kbd{M-J}).

@item --disable-libmagic
Exclude the code for using the library of magic-number tests (for
determining the file type and thus which syntax to use for coloring ---
in most cases the regexes for filename and header line will be enough).

@item --disable-linenumbers
Exclude the ability to show line numbers.  This also eliminates
the @option{-l} command-line option, which turns line numbering on.

@item --disable-linter
Exclude the code for calling a linting tool.

@item --disable-mouse
Exclude all mouse functionality.  This also eliminates the @option{-m}
command-line option, which enables the mouse functionality.

@item --disable-multibuffer
Exclude support for opening multiple files at a time and switching
between them.  This also eliminates the @option{-F} command-line option,
which causes a file to be read into a separate buffer by default.

@item --disable-nanorc
Exclude support for reading the nanorc files at startup.  With such
support, you can store custom settings in a system-wide and a per-user
nanorc file rather than having to pass command-line options to get
the desired behavior.  @xref{Nanorc files} for more info.
Disabling this also eliminates the @option{-I} command-line option,
which inhibits the reading of nanorc files.

@item --disable-operatingdir
Exclude the code for setting an operating directory.  This also eliminates
the @option{-o} command-line option, which sets the operating directory.

@item --disable-speller
Exclude the code for spell checking.  This also eliminates the @option{-s}
command-line option, which allows specifying an alternate spell checker.

@item --disable-tabcomp
Exclude tab completion (when nano asks for a filename or search string
or replace string or command to execute).

@item --disable-wordcomp
Exclude word completion (@kbd{^]}).

@item --disable-wrapping
Exclude all hard-wrapping of overlong lines.  This also eliminates the
@option{-b} and @option{-w} command-line options, which switch automatic
long-line wrapping on and off, respectively.

@item --enable-tiny
This option implies all of the above.  It also disables some other
internals of the editor, like the function toggles, the marking of text,
the undo/redo code, line anchors, the recording and playback of a macro,
softwrapping, and the cut-to-end-of-line code.  These things stay disabled
also when using the enabling counterpart of the above options together with
@option{--enable-tiny} to switch specific features back on.

@item --enable-debug
Include some code for runtime debugging output.  This can get messy, so
chances are you only want this feature when you're working on the nano source.

@item --disable-nls
Exclude Native Language support.  This disables the use of any
available GNU @command{nano} translations.

@item --enable-utf8
Include support for handling and displaying Unicode files.
This requires a "wide" version of the curses library.

@item --disable-utf8
Exclude support for handling and displaying Unicode files.  Normally the
configure script auto-detects whether to enable UTF-8 support or not.
You can use this or the previous option to override that detection.

@item --enable-altrcname=@var{name}
Use the file with the given @var{name} (in the user's home directory)
as nano's settings file, instead of the default @code{.nanorc}.

@end table

@html
<hr>
@end html

@iftex
@contents
@end iftex

@bye
