Crontab is a command on Linux that allows you to set up scheduled tasks to run automatically at specified times. While crontab is a powerful tool, the default editor used to edit it may not be the best option for everyone. In this article, we’ll discuss how to change the default crontab editor on Linux.

Step 1: Choose the Editor You Want to Use

Before we get started, we need to choose an editor to use instead of the default. Any text editor can be used to edit crontab. Some popular options include Vim, Nano, Emacs, and Joe. For the purposes of this article, we’ll use Nano.

Step 2: Edit Your Shell Config File

The first step in changing your default crontab editor is to edit your shell config file. This file is typically located at ~/bashrc or ~/.bash_profile. Open the file in your chosen editor.

Step 3: Add an Environmental Variable

Next, we need to add an environmental variable to the shell config file. This variable tells the system which editor to use when you invoke crontab. Add the following line to your shell config file: export VISUAL=nano , This line tells the system to use Nano as the default editor for crontab.

Step 4: Save Your Changes

Save your changes to the shell config file and close the editor. Then, source the file by running the following command in your terminal: source ~/.bashrc or source ~/.bash_profile, This command reloads your shell environment with the changes you just made.

Step 5: Test Your Changes

To test your changes, invoke crontab with the -e flag, which opens the crontab file in your new default editor. If everything worked correctly, your chosen editor should open in your terminal.

Conclusion

Changing the default crontab editor on Linux is easy and can help improve your productivity. By following the steps outlined in this article, you can set your preferred editor as the default for crontab and make scheduled task management more efficient.