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Change the system editor using `update-alternatives`

1 min read

update-alternatives editor vim

Source 

$ sudo update-alternatives --config editor
[sudo] password for user1:
There are 3 choices for the alternative editor (providing /usr/bin/editor).
 
  Selection    Path               Priority   Status
------------------------------------------------------------
* 0            /bin/nano           40        auto mode
  1            /bin/nano           40        manual mode
  2            /usr/bin/mcedit     25        manual mode
  3            /usr/bin/vim.tiny   15        manual mode
 
Press <enter> to keep the current choice[*], or type selection number: 3
  • note that if vim doesn’t show up in this menu, it probably means that it points to vim.tiny (or vim.basic)
$ ll $(which vim)
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 26 May  4  2023 /usr/bin/vim -> /etc/alternatives/vim.tiny*

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