Back to the Future? Microsoft Revives a Classic with New 'Edit' Command-Line Editor Remember the good old days of MS-DOS? Before graphical interfaces took over everything, many of us cut our teeth on simple, text-based tools. One of the most memorable for quick file edits was the MS-DOS Editor, a straightforward command-line text editor you could fire up just by typing edit. Well, dust off those memories, because Microsoft is bringing that concept back. At their recent Build 2025 conference, they announced a brand-new command-line text editor, aptly named 'Edit', which is set to become a built-in part of Windows . This isn't just a nostalgic throwback, though. There's a real, practical reason for this. For years, developers and power users working in the Windows command line (whether it's Command Prompt, PowerShell, or Windows Terminal) have lacked a native, easy-to-use text editor right there in the console. Sure, you could always open Notepad or another GUI editor, but that means breaking your flow, minimizing windows, and generally context-switching. It's a hassle, frankly . And what about command-line options? Windows hasn't shipped with a built-in command-line editor in its 64-bit versions. Why? Because the original MS-DOS Editor was a 16-bit program, and 64-bit Windows just can't run those natively . So, if you needed to quickly tweak a config file or write a script snippet directly in the terminal, you were often left installing third-party tools like Nano or the infamous Vim . Ah, Vim. A powerful editor, no doubt, but let's be honest, it has a steep learning curve. The "how do I exit Vim?" meme exists for a reason! It's a modal editor, meaning you have different modes for inserting text, navigating, saving, etc., and you have to remember how to switch between them . For someone just needing to make a quick change, it's overkill and confusing. Microsoft specifically wanted to avoid this complexity for a default built-in editor . Enter the new 'Edit'. Inspired by its 90s namesake, this new tool is designed to be simple and accessible directly from the command line by just typing edit followed by a filename . The goal is clear: let developers and power users stay in their terminal environment, edit files quickly, and minimize that annoying context switching . It's a modeless editor, like Notepad, which means you don't have to worry about different modes of operation . You just type and edit. Simple. Elegant. It's also worth noting that Microsoft is launching this new 'Edit' as open-source software . This is a trend we've seen more of from Microsoft in recent years, and it's a smart move. Opening the source code allows the community to contribute, report bugs, and suggest features. It can also serve as a form of market research for Microsoft . Plus, it just feels right for a fundamental developer tool like this to be open. So, when can you get your hands on it? Microsoft announced that 'Edit' will be available for preview in the Windows Insider Program in the coming months . The plan is for it to be installed by default on Windows via the Insider Program starting this summer . This means it's coming soon to a Windows 11 machine near you. In my view, this is a small but significant quality-of-life improvement for anyone who spends time in the Windows command line. While hardcore Vim or Emacs users probably won't switch, having a reliable, simple, built-in option is fantastic. It fills a long-standing gap in the 64-bit Windows experience. It's not going to replace VS Code or Notepad++ for larger projects, obviously. But for those moments when you just need to quickly look at a log file or tweak a script without leaving the terminal? This new 'Edit' looks like it will hit the spot perfectly. It's a modern take on a classic idea, and I, for one, am looking forward to trying it out. Sometimes, going back to basics is exactly what you need.
