How does nano basics work internally in Linux?

Nano is a simple, easy-to-use text editor for Unix-like systems, particularly popular in the Linux environment. It allows users to create and edit text files directly from the command line interface. Nano operates in a terminal window, making it a lightweight alternative to more complex editors like Vim or Emacs.

Internally, Nano uses a straightforward model for handling files. When a file is opened, Nano reads its contents into memory and displays it on the screen. Users can navigate through the text using keyboard shortcuts, which are conveniently displayed at the bottom of the screen. Changes made to the file are held in memory until the user saves the file to disk.

The editor supports various features such as syntax highlighting, search and replace, and line numbering, which enhance the text editing experience. It saves files in plain text format, making it suitable for configuration files, scripts, and other text-based documents.

Here is a simple example of using Nano to create and edit a file: