sled is a terminal text editor designed to be approachable for people who do not want to begin in vi’s command mode. It opens in an insert-first interface, allowing ordinary text entry immediately, while retaining a separate command mode for navigation and other editing actions.
Its author deliberately avoids turning it into a multi-file development environment. The program concentrates on editing one text file at a time. Additional instances can be used with a terminal multiplexer when several files need attention. This is part of its minimalist design, not an unimplemented multi-buffer feature.
The project follows a source-configuration philosophy. Users who want to change permanent settings are expected to adjust the supplied configuration header and rebuild; certain choices can also be made for an individual session. There is no conventional external configuration file or plugin framework.
This is free and open source software.
Key Features
- Insert mode starts by default for direct text entry.
- Command mode offers keyboard-driven navigation in the style of vi.
- Overwrite mode replaces existing characters as new text is entered.
- Selection mode extends a text selection during cursor movement.
- Additional help, text-input and numeric-input dialogs.
- Keyboard shortcuts for saving and exiting the editor.
- Source-level configuration and user-applied patches for custom behaviour.
- Single-file editing workflow with optional backup behaviour.
Website: strahinja.srht.site/sled
Support:
Developer: Strahinya Radich
License: GNU General Public License v3.0
sled is written in C. Learn C with our recommended free books and free tutorials.
Related Software
| Vim-like Text Editors | |
|---|---|
| Neovim | Vim-fork focused on extensibility and usability |
| Helix | Kakoune / Neovim inspired editor. |
| Lapce | Modern editor in Rust which uses native GUI and GPU rendering |
| NvChad | Neovim config aiming to provide a base configuration |
| LunarVim | IDE layer for Neovim |
| Kakoune | Implements Vi’s "keystrokes as a text editing language" model |
| Vis | Combining modal editing with structural regular expressions |
| vile | Text editor that combines aspects of the Emacs and vi editors |
| pyvim | Implementation of Vim in Python |
| gVim | Vim with a built-in GUI |
| amp | Vim-like editor written in Rust |
| Vy | Vim-like in Python made from scratch |
| moe | Command-line editor inspired by Vim |
| wig | Modal, Vim-like text editor |
| sled | Simple text editor with a terminal UI |
| red | Modern modal text editor written in Rust |
| ad | Adaptable text editor |
| hat | Hackable modal text editor |
| HAKO | Lightweight terminal-based modal text environment |
| xvi | Portable multi-file text editor |
| aretext | Minimalist text editor with vim-compatible key bindings |
| Levee | Also known as Captain Video |
Read our verdict in the software roundup.
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DOS *shudder*
You are so boring.
That’s what Linux needs, another text editor!!!!!
Q: Why?
A:
EDIT.COMis usually perceived as more familiar: type text straight away,C-Sto save, thenC-Q. (Sled still has vim‑like behavior, but it is “reverse” – default is insert mode, from which you can enter command mode.)suckless principles?
The suckless community is a group of like-minded people with the aim of creating software that is: