Hed is a highly efficient modal text editor which uses keyboard-only actions to edit text.
Why another text editor? Hed has much going for it:
- Lightweight: ~230KB on x64 linux
- Mark editing: operate on regions defined by a mark
- Modal editing: like Vim you know and love
- Intuitive & sane default keybinds: based on finger positions and not on "first-letter-of-word", etc.
- Just a single executable--no runtimes or external dependencies.
Why you shouldn't consider this editor: I made this editor to be as simple and lightweight as possible: if you need:
- An IDE-like editing experience,
- LSP-support,
- tree-sitter,
- Emacs-like customizability,
- GUI, etc
then this editor is not for you.
Keybindings (Normal mode)
| Key | Action | Key | Action |
|---|---|---|---|
i | switch to insert mode | , | open line below cursor |
w | delete char under cursor | d | set mark |
<backtick> | exit editor | f | cut marked region |
U | scroll page up | c | paste from clipboard |
M | scroll page down | b | repeat search forward |
a | goto beginning of line | B | repeat search backward |
; | goto end of line | <A-m> | switch to command mode |
h | left | <A-s> | save file |
j | down | / | switch to search mode |
k | up | gg | goto first line |
l | right | G | goto last line |
o | forward word | e | undo |
n | backward word | E | redo |
Keybindings (Insert mode)
| Key | Action | Key | Action |
|---|---|---|---|
<bksp> | delete char to left | <tab> | indent |
<left> | left | <right> | right |
<up> | up | <down> | down |
<esc> | switch to normal mode |