@@ 4536,8 4536,9 @@ You can freely access a huge library of build logs!
@cindex package definition, editing
So many packages, so many source files! The @command{guix edit} command
-facilitates the life of packagers by pointing their editor at the source
-file containing the definition of the specified packages. For instance:
+facilitates the life of users and packagers by pointing their editor at
+the source file containing the definition of the specified packages.
+For instance:
@example
guix edit gcc@@4.9 vim
@@ 4545,9 4546,15 @@4.9 vim
@noindent
launches the program specified in the @code{VISUAL} or in the
-@code{EDITOR} environment variable to edit the recipe of GCC@tie{}4.9.3
+@code{EDITOR} environment variable to view the recipe of GCC@tie{}4.9.3
and that of Vim.
+If you are using a Guix Git checkout (@pxref{Building from Git}), or
+have created your own packages on @code{GUIX_PACKAGE_PATH}
+(@pxref{Defining Packages}), you will be able to edit the package
+recipes. Otherwise, you will be able to examine the read-only recipes
+for packages currently in the store.
+
If you are using Emacs, note that the Emacs user interface provides the
@kbd{M-x guix-edit} command and a similar functionality in the ``package
info'' and ``package list'' buffers created by the @kbd{M-x