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Edit vs micro

Which should you use? A side-by-side look at what each one does, who it suits, what it costs, how hard it is to set up, and where each falls short.

Edit

Open source · MIT

A simple terminal text editor with VS Code-like controls, inspired by MS-DOS Edit.

Full review Website
micro

Open source · MIT

A simple, nano-like terminal text editor with mouse support and multiple cursors.

Full review Website

The short answer

Choose Edit if you need…

  • People who want a simple editor for quick text or code edits in a terminal
  • Users new to command-line tools who want an approachable editor
  • Developers who want a lightweight editor over SSH or in a terminal session

Choose micro if you need…

  • People who work mostly in a terminal and want an easy editor
  • Anyone editing files on remote machines over SSH
  • Users coming from nano who want a more modern editor
  • People who want mouse support and multiple cursors in a terminal editor

Side-by-side

Editmicro
TypeAppApp
PriceFree and open sourceFree and open source
LicenceMITMIT
GitHub stars14.7k29.8k
Setup difficultyBeginnerBeginner
How you get itInstall with a package managerInstall with a package manager
Main languageRustGo
Last code update6 days ago4 days ago

What each one is

Edit

Edit is a simple text editor that runs in a terminal window. It is modeled on the classic MS-DOS Editor but uses a modern interface and keyboard controls similar to VS Code. It aims to be easy for people who are not comfortable with terminals.

micro

micro is a text editor that runs inside a terminal window, meant to be easy to install and use while still taking advantage of modern terminal features. It ships as a single binary with no dependencies, so you can download and run it without extra setup. It is intended as a successor to nano and is aimed at people who edit files in a terminal or over SSH.

Best for

Edit

  • People who want a simple editor for quick text or code edits in a terminal
  • Users new to command-line tools who want an approachable editor
  • Developers who want a lightweight editor over SSH or in a terminal session

micro

  • People who work mostly in a terminal and want an easy editor
  • Anyone editing files on remote machines over SSH
  • Users coming from nano who want a more modern editor
  • People who want mouse support and multiple cursors in a terminal editor

Strengths

Edit

  • Familiar VS Code-style controls, so it is easy to pick up
  • Installable on Windows via WinGet, on macOS via Homebrew, and via binaries or an install script on Linux
  • Released under the MIT license and developed in Rust

micro

  • Installs as a single static binary with no dependencies, per the README
  • Familiar common keybindings such as Ctrl-s, Ctrl-c, and Ctrl-v, and rebindable
  • Available through many package managers across Linux, macOS, Windows, and BSD

Not ideal for

Edit

  • Users who need advanced editing features such as plugins or deep language tooling, since the README describes a simple editor for simple needs
  • Users on platforms without a listed binary or build path, since install options are documented only for Windows, Linux, and macOS

micro

  • People who want a full IDE with deep language tooling; the README describes only a basic 'simple autocompletion' and linting features
  • Users on Mingw/Cygwin, since the README says those environments are not supported on Windows

Trade-offs

Edit

  • The README describes it as intentionally simple, so it lacks many advanced editor features
  • Search and replace requires the ICU library, and Linux builds may need extra configuration

micro

  • Keybindings use Ctrl or Alt, and the README notes macOS terminals may need setup to forward Alt keys
  • Some package manager versions may not be up to date, according to the README
  • Linux clipboard integration needs xclip, xsel, or wl-clipboard installed

Getting started

Edit

Windows (WinGet)

winget install Microsoft.Edit

macOS (Homebrew)

brew install msedit
Step-by-step guide: how to use Edit

micro

Install with Homebrew on Mac

brew install micro

Install with Snap on Linux

snap install micro --classic
Step-by-step guide: how to use micro

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between Edit and micro?

Edit: A simple terminal text editor with VS Code-like controls, inspired by MS-DOS Edit. micro: A simple, nano-like terminal text editor with mouse support and multiple cursors. Edit suits people who want a simple editor for quick text or code edits in a terminal, while micro suits people who work mostly in a terminal and want an easy editor.

Are Edit and micro free?

Edit: Free and open source. micro: Free and open source.

Is Edit or micro more popular?

micro has more GitHub stars (29.8k) than Edit (14.7k). Popularity isn't the same as fit — check which one matches your use case above.

What are other alternatives to Edit and micro?

Other options people compare them with include VSCodeVim.

Keep comparing

Edit vs VSCodeVimmicro vs VSCodeVim

Built from our catalogue entries for both products: open-source details come from each project's README (AI-assisted, refreshed weekly) and GitHub data; AI-tool details are editorial. Spotted something wrong? Let us know from either product's page.