# Skink vs nano

> Skink vs GNU nano: both are modeless and easy. Nano is preinstalled and tiny; Skink adds mouse, LSP, tree-sitter, tabs, git and a terminal.

Source: https://skink.cc/compare/nano/

GNU nano and Skink are both modeless: you open a file and type. Nano is preinstalled on many Linux distributions and is perfect for editing a config file.

Skink is a separate download, but it adds what you need for code: language servers, tree-sitter highlighting, tabs and splits, project search, git and a real terminal. Both keep the shortcuts on screen or one key away.

## Who should pick nano

- **Machines you do not own.** You edit `/etc` files where you cannot install anything.
- **The smallest tool.** You need nothing beyond editing, search and replace.
- **On-screen help.** You like nano's two-line shortcut help at the bottom.

## Who should pick Skink

- **You write code.** You want nano's ease plus completion, diagnostics, go to definition and rename.
- **Familiar shortcuts.** Ctrl+S save, Ctrl+C / Ctrl+V copy and paste, Ctrl+Z undo, as in desktop editors.
- **One window for everything.** Several files as tabs, a file tree and a terminal side by side.

## Feature comparison

| | Skink | nano |
|---|---|---|
| Editing model | Modeless | Modeless |
| Mouse | On, always | Off unless `-m` / `set mouse` |
| LSP | Built in | No; can run an external linter or formatter |
| Syntax highlighting | tree-sitter, 19 languages | Regex `.nanorc` files |
| Tabs / splits | Yes / yes | Multiple buffers, no splits |
| File tree, project search | Yes | No |
| Built-in terminal | Yes | No |
| Git | Gutter, hunks, blame, panel | No |
| AI agents | ACP client | No |
| Plugins | None yet | None |
| Works over plain SSH | Yes | Yes |
| Preinstalled | No | On many distributions |
| Footprint | Small | Very small |
| Maturity | Alpha | Decades |

## nano keys and their Skink equivalents

Nano's keys come from Pico. Skink's come from Micro and common desktop editors. The ones that differ most:

| Action | nano | Skink |
|---|---|---|
| Save | Ctrl+O | Ctrl+S |
| Quit | Ctrl+X | Ctrl+Q |
| Search | Ctrl+W | Ctrl+F |
| Cut line | Ctrl+K | Ctrl+K (same) |
| Paste | Ctrl+U | Ctrl+V |
| Go to line | Ctrl+_ | Ctrl+L |
| Undo / redo | Alt+U / Alt+E | Ctrl+Z / Ctrl+Y |
| Help | Ctrl+G | Ctrl+E, then type `help` |

### Two keys to watch

In Skink, Ctrl+O opens a file and Ctrl+U starts recording a macro. If your fingers insist on nano's keys, rebind them in `~/.config/skink/bindings.json`:

```json
{
  "Ctrl-o": "Save",
  "Ctrl-w": "Find"
}
```

## Mouse in nano vs Skink

Nano supports the mouse, but you have to ask for it: start it with `nano -m`, or add this line to `~/.nanorc`:

```sh
set mouse
```

Then a click places the cursor and the wheel scrolls.

Skink always has the mouse on, and it does more:

- drag to select
- Alt+click to add cursors
- click tabs and the file tree
- drag split dividers
- scroll long lines sideways with Shift+wheel or a trackpad swipe

See [mouse and trackpad](https://skink.cc/editing/mouse-and-trackpad/).

## When you need more than nano

The usual path is nano for configs, then a jump to Vim or VS Code when you start writing code. Skink is meant to remove that jump: it stays as easy as nano and grows into an IDE when you open a project.

More on that in [an editor as easy as nano, with LSP and syntax highlighting](https://skink.cc/articles/nano-but-with-more/).

## Try it

```sh
curl -fsSL https://skink.cc/install.sh | sh
skink notes.txt
```

No sudo; it goes to `~/.local/bin`. Nano stays installed, so `EDITOR` and `sudoedit` keep working as before until you change them.

Next: [quick start](https://skink.cc/start/quick-start/).