How To Install GNU Emacs

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When was the last time a piece of software really wowed you? Emacs is one of those special programs that gives its users a unique sense of control, getting things done, and peace of mind (when used correctly). From software developers to writers and CEOs, there’s something in Emacs for everyone. So you’ve decided to install Emacs, and that’s what we cover in this guide.

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We’ll cover all the ways in which you can install Emacs:

For command line users, you may consider using Emacs as an alternate to nano or Vim. You may have already learned how to use Emacs in your Desktop environment and want a remote instance to use for editing files on your server.

Or, if you would simply prefer to have a more powerful command line editor available on your server, this is a guide you should follow. The steps for installing emacs on Linux desktop and server will be the same in your VPS environment.

Which Emacs should I use? There are many different flavors and “ports” of Emacs available on the web. Some of the popular ones include Aquamacs and Spacemacs, which are best suited for a desktop operating system. In this article, I’m focusing on GNU Emacs because it is the classic Emacs version.

But if you’re interested in trying these various other flavors, you can find more information on their web pages:

• Aquamacs
• Spacemacs

These alternate ports of Emacs boast some impressive configurations for special purposes. Aquamacs is best suited for Mac OS users, with special configurations designed for that specific operating system. Meanwhile, Spacemacs was designed to help Vim users come over to Emacs. Thus, Spacemacs comes with default Vim commands installed. Another popular alternative, Doom Emacs, has proved popular in the Emacs community.