GNU Emacs 31.1 has been released, emphasizing terminal usability and improvements in completion features. The update includes default mouse support in compatible TTYs, an editable grep buffer, a new flex completion algorithm for better result ranking, and a beginner-friendly theme to ease the learning curve. Additionally, it introduces a user-lisp/ directory for organizing configuration files and removes outdated features like the legacy unexec dumper and old ctags binary. Overall, this release focuses on practical enhancements without major visual changes, significantly improving the user experience
GNU Emacs 31.1 Released: Terminal Mouse Support, Editable Grep, and a Major Completion Overhaul
GNU Emacs 31.1 closing a six-month cycle with a sharp focus on terminal usability and completion polish. The update turns on mouse support by default for compatible TTYs, adds a dedicated user-lisp/ folder that auto-compiles your config files, and finally allows child frames to run outside graphical displays. You'll also get an editable grep buffer, a rewritten flex completion algorithm that ranks results far more accurately, and a new beginner-friendly theme meant to soften the historical learning curve. Behind the scenes, the legacy unexec dumper has been removed, the old ctags binary is gone in favor of Universal Ctags, and Org mode shipped at v9.8.
