Microsoft has introduced ‘Edit,’ a new command-line text editor that is set to become a built-in application on Windows. This tool draws inspiration from the MS-DOS Edit program that dates back to the 1990s, and it is currently available as open-source software.
### Recent Announcement
At the Build 2025 conference, Microsoft unveiled this new text editor through a blog post stating, “We are introducing a command-line text editor, Edit on Windows, which can be accessed by running ‘edit’ in the command line. This feature allows developers to edit files directly within the command line interface, enabling them to maintain their workflow and minimize context switching. The tool is open source and will be available for preview in the Windows Insider Program in the forthcoming months.”
### Editor Features
For users familiar with command-line text editors such as Vim or Nano, the interface of Edit will seem recognizable. It supports the opening of plain text files for basic editing and viewing, incorporating features like Find & Replace and optional word wrapping. The interface includes a menu bar at the top and a status bar at the bottom, showing file-related information, making it resemble Notepad or Nano more than the Vi/Vim editors.
### Technical Specifications
According to Microsoft, Edit is lightweight, weighing in at less than 250kB, and it is crafted entirely in the Rust programming language. The source code is publicly accessible on GitHub under the MIT License, which opens up possibilities for ports to different operating systems in the future, despite its current focus on Windows.
### Rationale Behind Development
Given that there are many command-line text editors available, one might wonder why Microsoft chose to develop yet another option. In their blog, they explained, “Many of you are probably familiar with the ‘How do I exit vim?’ meme. While the exit command is straightforward for many, it has become a common hurdle for both new and seasoned programmers. We aimed to create a built-in default editor that would sidestep this issue. This led to a limited selection of editors that either didn’t have first-party support for Windows or were too large to include in every OS version, and thus, Edit was conceived.”
### Historical Context
Edit finds its roots in the MS-DOS Editor, which served as the built-in text editor for MS-DOS starting in 1991. It was later transitioned into a standalone application in Windows 95 as an alternative to Notepad. The Editor remained a staple in all 32-bit versions of Windows, including Windows 10. However, due to compatibility issues with 64-bit operating systems—since these systems cannot natively execute 16-bit programs like the Editor—it was not included in Windows 11, which exclusively operates as a 64-bit platform.
### Availability
Currently, the Edit application is not available via winget or other package management systems. However, users can download it directly from the GitHub releases page. To use it, one must execute it within the extracted folder or move the Edit binary to a location included in the system PATH.
Microsoft has indicated that the Edit application will roll out to Windows Insider builds in the coming months, with a broader release expected for all Windows 11 devices thereafter.
This introduction of Edit marks a significant update for developers who utilize the command line, providing a streamlined tool for text editing needs without the complexities often associated with traditional editors.
For more information, users can refer to Microsoft’s official releases and documentation.
