GNU Emacs 31.1 Released: Mouse by Default and a Theme for Newcomers

The GNU Project has shipped another feature release of the popular text editor — GNU Emacs 31.1. The update brings several notable changes, some of which are clearly aimed at making the editor friendlier to those encountering it for the first time.

Mouse by Default

The headline addition is that mouse control in the terminal is now enabled by default. This refers to xterm-mouse-mode, which is activated automatically for all compatible terminals. It can be turned off if desired, so devotees of classic keyboard-driven control won't be affected.

A Theme for Newcomers

A new theme called newcomers-presets deserves special mention. It offers an alternative set of default settings designed to make a first encounter with Emacs less intimidating. Given the editor's reputation as a tool with a steep learning curve, it's a perfectly logical step.

Other Changes

Emacs 31.1 introduces a new user-lisp/ subdirectory for configuration files. Child frames are now supported on text frames as well. The *grep* and *xref* buffers have gained editing modes, allowing you to make changes directly in the search results. In addition, there's now a way to review changes in packages before installing or updating them.

You can download the new version and browse the full list of changes on GNU.org.

Source: Phoronix