What is Emacs? | Definition, History, Features, and Versions

The Emacs Editor stands as a pillar in text editing. It is very liked in the Linux group. At first, it began in the mid-1970s. Emacs has grown from a simple group of macros. Now, it works as a strong base for many people. This base helps both writers and coders.

Plus, it fits anyone wanting a changeable text space. Its fit-power and parts make it a top pick for users. In short, it gives special tools for coding and job planning.

In this article, I will look at its full past. We will also talk about its many parts and different kinds. This look will show why it still matters. It remains a key tool for many people all over. If you are a skilled maker or a new person, it can help. It gives a workflow made for your own wants and likes.

What is the Emacs Editor in Linux?

GNU Emacs is more than a text tool. Instead, it is a flexible and changeable base for many jobs. It sits on the strong Lisp reader. This reader is a type of Lisp coding talk.

It gives special add-ons for text work. Also, this strong reader lets people change their workspace. People can make their own workflows and tools that fit their needs.

With a whole world of add-ons and packs, people can shift Emacs without trouble. It can turn into an entire build place, a paper viewer, or a job planning tool. So, it is key for coders, writers, and lookers alike.

What are the Features of Emacs?

Emacs is a very flexible and changeable text tool. It gives a large number of parts made for many text jobs. Its well-known powers include:

1. Content-Based Text Editing Modes

It allows for many editing ways. These ways are made for different kinds of writing. They include color coding for many coding tongues and markup tongues.

People can quickly change between ways for different file kinds. This part makes reading easier and helps find mistakes.

2. Full Help Papers

It has completely built-in help papers. These papers are made to help people of all skill types. For new users, a complete learning guide is there. It shows basic ideas and orders. This makes it simpler to know the tool’s powers and move through its parts.

3. Many Tongue Help

This text editor is very good at tongue help. It works with a broad mix of letters and alphabets. This includes full help for all European tongues.

On top of that, it helps Russian, Greek, Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Thai, Vietnamese, and others. This part is suitable for people in multilingual places.

4. Changeable Powers

One key part of Emacs is how you can change it. People can make their workspace better with many add-ons and extras.

These include a job planning system, a built-in mail and news reader, and bug-finder links. Many extras come already with it. Others can be obtained from different storage places.

5. Past Story

Emacs was first made in 1976. It was a set of TECO macros inside the MIT AI Lab’s Incompatible Time-Sharing System (ITS).

Its name, taken from “Editor MACroS,” shows its first goal. The new form, primarily written in C and Lisp, has grown a lot since 1984. It keeps being worked on by a committed group.

In all, it remains a strong tool. It helps coders, writers, and all people who want a text space they can change. The tool uses new ideas while honoring its full past.

Emacs Versions

The Start of Emacs and Its Changes

The first Emacs was made by Richard Stallman in 1976. It started as a group of Editor Macros for the TECO tool.

Over the years, it changed into GNU Emacs. Now, this is the most used kind. You will mainly find GNU Emacs, but other types exist for special needs.

Main Kinds of Emacs

1. GNU Emacs

This is the most liked kind. It is given out everywhere. GNU Emacs is written in C and Lisp. It is known for its strong parts. For one, it has a big set of modes.

These modes help with coding tongues, text work, and even email. The newest good version is 28.1, released in June 2022. This version has many improvements. It now helps build in making and gives better user screen parts.

2. XEmacs

XEmacs began as a split from GNU in 1991. It became liked because of user screen enhancements. Also, it had parts like a choice bar and a toolbar.

This kind helps users who like picture screens. Even with early joy, it is less liked next to GNU now. The last good version, XEmacs 21.5, was released in 2003. While it is not being worked on now, it still keeps some faithful users. They like its special gifts.

3. Emacs

Emacs is a lighter kind, so it was based on the first idea. But it is made for small computer spaces. This kind of work is simple. It still keeps its main jobs. So, it fits users on weaker systems. It is also perfect for those needing only key parts.

4. Spacemacs

While not its own version, Spacemacs is special. It is a group-made setup that joins Emacs and Vim parts. Also, it brings in a layer system for sorting packs.

This system makes it easier for people to use. It is perfect for those moving from Vim. Spacemacs focuses on easy use and allows fast setup. On top of that, it gives a very changeable space.

5. Doom Emacs

Like Spacemacs, Doom gives a setup frame. This frame is made for speed and simplicity. Plus, it uses a building-block way. It also has pre-made packs to make the user’s time smooth.

Doom focuses on how fast it works. So, it is an excellent pick for users wanting a quick and good time.

Emacs Version Story: A Close Look at a Text Tool’s Growth

Emacs is one of the oldest and strongest text tools we have now. It has a full past that goes over forty years. At first, Richard Stallman made it and released it in 1976.

Over time, Emacs has kept changing. Now, it works as a flexible tool for coders, writers, and system keepers. In this writing, we will look at the significant points in its version story. This shows its growth path from a simple tool to a full Build Space (IDE).

1. The Start of Emacs (1976 – 1980)

The first text editor was a group of macros for the TECO tool. It was made to make text easier to work with. Richard Stallman brought in the idea of being changeable.

People could change the tool to fit their wants. This part has stayed a base piece of it. Early kinds were mainly used on the MIT Lisp computer. This made the way for significant improvements in later versions.

2. The GNU Project and Emacs (1984)

In 1984, Stallman started the GNU Project. The goal was to make a free Unix-like computer system. A central piece of this work was GNU.

This kind became the sign of free software ideas. It had a significant rewrite of the first Emacs. It also brought in Lisp. This coding tongue lets people make changes right inside the tool.

3. Emacs 19 and Later (1990 – 1997)

Version 19, released in 1991, was a key new version. It had help for letter sets past ASCII. Also, it made network powers better. There were fixes to the Lisp reader.

The adding of the `info` form for help papers made the user reach simpler. This system lets people reach guidebooks and helps right inside the tool.

By 1997, version 20 brought more improvements. It had better help for world use. This made it simpler for people everywhere to use it. This kind also got the `MULE` (Multi-Language Space) part. It allows the smooth use of many tongues in text work.

4. The Coming of XEmacs (1996)

As Emacs kept growing, so did its group. This growth led to the start of XEmacs in 1996. XEmacs tried to bring in new picture parts.

It gave a more polished user time while keeping old-time use. But, XEmacs at last fell behind GNU Emacs in new things and powers.

5. Emacs 22 (2006)

The release of version 22 in 2006 brought significant speed improvements. It had help for newer screen tech. Plus, it made pack care systems better through ELPA (Lisp Pack Store).

With version 24, help for not-at-the-same-time jobs was added. It also had a new UI, making outside jobs better.

6. From Alone to Together (2007-2016)

It changed a lot with types 22 through 25. It went from a mostly shut system to a more open one. Now, it can link easily with the growing web using ELPA.

On top of that, it allows make new workflows. This includes using not-at-once jobs and pack tools. These changes make its use and range better.

7. The Speed Change (2018)

From version 26 on, the main point has moved to speed. Also, new user time has gotten much better. The adding of built-in making has made workflows smooth.

Now, people can work at the same time with no trouble. Plus, Tree-sitter has fixed old problems well. Because of this, it is faster and works better than ever before.

8. Growing Past the Desktop (2025+)

The actual Android port in version 30 shows a significant change. Changing text now takes place everywhere. This betterment, plus parts like completion-preview-mode, makes it easier to use.

Also, it shows it fits new computer ways. Keyly, it keeps its main thought through all these changes.

Emacs Version Information Comparison Chart

The latest version of Emacs is 30.2. Therefore, if you want to check, you can visit the official GNU website.

What Platforms Does Emacs Support?

Emacs is a flexible text tool. It works on many computer systems. This open use helps many kinds. The main places include:

• Linux types: It works well with many Linux types. These include Ubuntu, Fedora, Debian, and Arch Linux. This helps people from different Linux spaces use Emacs’s strong powers.
• FreeBSD: Emacs runs simply on FreeBSD. People can use its complete parts.
• AIX (version 4.3.3 and up): IBM’s AIX systems also help it. This lets office people use it for coding and text jobs.
• Mac OS X: It is fully working on macOS. Mac people can use its broad powers next to other built-in apps.
• MS-DOS: It even runs on MS-DOS. This shows its flexibility across different computer times.
• MS Windows: This text editor is liked on Microsoft Windows. It gives a built-in install and picks through the Windows Subsystem (WSL) for Linux for a Unix-like feel.
• NetBSD / OpenBSD: These kinds help the Emacs editor. They attract people who like their special safety and speed parts.
• Solaris: Sun Microsystems’ Solaris computer system improves it. This lets employees take advantage of its broad spaces.
• SunOS: In the same way, SunOS people can reach it. They use their powers for software making and text work.
• Ultrix: This Unix-based computer system also runs it. It gives help for people with older computer systems.

Also, it supports several older systems. This includes different kinds of Berkeley Unix (BSD) from 4.1 to 4.4. It also allows Microport, SCO Unix, System V, Uniplus 5.2, and Xenix versions 0 to 4.0.4.

Essential Resources for Learning and Mastering Lisp Programming

Paper books for Lisp coding can be bought from many places. The Free Software Foundation (FSF) sells two main books: *Introduction to Manual* and *Lisp Programming*.

These books are invaluable for both new and skilled coders. But the third book, *Lisp Reference Guide*, is not printed now. This makes it harder for users who require detailed help books.

Besides paper books, *The Emacs Guide*, *Introduction to Lisp Programming*, and the *Lisp Reference Guide* are free to read on the web. This machine lets people get to these books with no trouble. So, they do not need to use paper books.

Also, several other books cover wide subjects. These also include bigger modes for different papers and extra parts online. Such help books meet many coding needs, giving support for many jobs.

All named books can be seen as info papers right from Emacs. It is a very customizable text tool, most liked by Lisp coders. The giving out of these books includes writing in many forms.

It also gives complete source code for the books and the Reference Letter in many languages. This makes sure more people can reach them.

For fast answers, a complete collection of frequently asked questions (FAQs) is accessible on the web. This set comes in both HTML and plain text forms. It gives easy-to-read news for common questions.

On top of that, the Savannah page works as a good help center. It holds more news about tools and rule books. It also has CVS reach to key making help for giving coders.

Plus, a special group Wiki works as a team-sharing place. Here, people can gather, share, and talk about Lisp code and coding ways.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) About Emacs

Conclusion

To end, the Emacs Tool is a very key helper for text work. It gives top-level bend-power and a complete set of parts. Its past goes back to the 1970s. This shows its change-power and pledge to grow with tech.

Different kinds meet different likes. There is the much-used GNU Emacs, easy-to-use Spacemacs, and speed-built Doom Emacs. Each type fits different workflows.

If you are a skilled maker or a light writer, it gives you the needed tools. It offers change-power that makes work speed and new ideas better.

As we see what comes next, it stays alive. It provides power to people in many jobs. It holds new thoughts and group teamwork.