Emacs vs vim. Until then :wq! Emacs, Nano, or Vim: Choose ...
Emacs vs vim. Until then :wq! Emacs, Nano, or Vim: Choose your Terminal-Based Text Editor Wisely The opinions expressed herein are not representative of Linode, its staff, or even the author on some days. Why are so many coders still using Vim and Emacs? The endless war between Vim and Emacs users has continued ad nauseam over the years. Emacs is known for its The eternal debate between Vim and Emacs, two titans of the text editing world, continues to rage on. Now it feels like we’re in the sequel: Cursor vs. Which is fine - Vim works very well as a text editor. Compare and contrast the features, interface, productivity, and extensibility of Emacs and Vim, two popular text editors on Unix and Unix-like systems. However, I am not practicing them so much as before, so they will November 9, 2020 Modern IDEs are magic. I just use emacs to blog here and to use orgmode. Claude vs. [ Getting started with containers? If you spend any time in Linux developer circles, it won‘t take long before you encounter the eternal debate – which editor reigns supreme: Emacs or Vim? Opinionated developers have argued their merits for decades. This article favors Emacs, but for reasons most sysadmins, developers, designers, or even marketers might appreciate. When comparing Vim vs Emacs, the Slant community recommends Vim for most people. But I'm starting to require more than Vim can offer, and I'm considering switching to Emacs. Vim is a text editor, and emacs has a text editor. Previous post. Whether you’re a seasoned developer or just starting your coding journey, understanding the strengths and differences of these two powerful tools can help you decide which one suits Vim Vs Emacs Interface and Commands The interface in Emacs is relatively straightforward; it functions much like the simple text editors that you have probably used before, like Notepad, for example. SKU 98549082 listed on 02 17, 2026. About three years ago I got into using Vim, but quickly I got frustrated by Vimscript and the inability to extend it … EMACS to vi only after his customized EMACS profile was trashed, it was one of those subtle jabs vi users like to use against EMACS. What I'm trying to decide is whether I should learn the default Emacs keybindings or use the Evil Emacs in one of the vim emulation modes can be nice as one of the main advantages of vim is its ergonomics and the efficient use of keystrokes. Choose the best tool for your workflow with our detailed comparison. Yes, I still know so many of Emacs shortcuts and keybindings that I can even recite them to you while I am dream. Read on […] Note that Vim stands for “vi improved” and can be substituted for vi in any context where that matters (such as Google searches, where vi vs. More than an editor: Vim is an editor. Oh man, up to this point I am slightly disoriented about emacs shortcuts. emacs doesn’t). The most important reason people chose Vim is: Compare Vim and Emacs - features, pros, cons, and real-world usage from developers. This is arguably the most important feature of emacs and is responsible for much of emacs' devoted following. If you want to turn a polite conversion into a heated debate then start talking about religion, politics, or text editors. Seeking the best text editor? Compare Emacs vs Vim in our guide, highlighting features, ease of use, and expert insights for your ideal choice. I Switched From Neovim to Emacs, Here’s Why Github repo with my dotfiles. In Emacs, syntax highlighting is provided by the built-in font-lock mode, which can be customized to highlight specific languages or syntax elements. Maybe the debate isn't really about Vim vs. I survived the original Editor Wars with a bloated Emacs config and just enough Vim/vi to navigate a bare Unix node. Both have a dedicated fan base and a rich history, making the choice between them a perennial debate. Difference Between Vim and Emacs What is Emacs? Emacs is a family of highly customizable, self-documenting real-time text editors designed for POSIX operating systems and available on Linux, macOS, BSD, Windows and more. However, modern text editors like VS Code and Sublime Text have also entered the scene, providing compelling alternatives. Vim excels in speed and efficiency, making it ideal for developers who prioritize fast editing. We help you build your toolkit and succeed. Find their similarities and differences and decide which is best for you. Text editors. This is an overview of the two FOSS text editors - Vim (Neovim) and GNU Emacs. Read on […] When comparing Emacs vs Vim, the Slant community recommends Emacs for most people. Compare Vim and Emacs and Neovim - features, pros, cons, and real-world usage from developers. Explore both, appreciate both. My journey with Neovim, Emacs, and VS Code: A personal exploration and comparison of three legendary text editors Emacs and Vim include syntax highlighting and code completion to help developers write code more efficiently. Many emacs users end up almost using emacs for everything, and very rarely using any other program for any reason. Oct 15, 2025 · Learn about the history, features, and advantages of Emacs and Vim, two popular text editors for Linux and Unix systems. This doesn't happen every day, but it does accumulate over the years. The Emacs world The world of Emacs is a rich one, and as often as I try other editors, I have yet to find anything lacking in GNU Emacs. Vi, with its simplicity, lacks such capabilities. Compare their user interface, extensibility, customization, and productivity, and find out which one suits your needs better. Buy Emacs Vs Vim Vs Notepad Text Editors Programmers T-Shirts is designed & sold by Aguedavip2801. Given human nature being what it is, Vim vs Emacs in 2025: why the debate persists, what each truly does best, and a pragmatic playbook to pick, blend, or switch — minus the zealotry. Admittedly this was on a weird platform (Cygwin). Nano Nano is without a doubt the simplest, Usage of RAM Vim is a lightweight text editor. 引言 在软件开发的世界中,选择合适的文本编辑器往往是个人偏好的问题。在众多可用选项中,有两个编辑器在开发者中备受争议和喜爱: Vim 和 Emacs。这两个编辑器已经存在了几十年,其热情的社区继续赞美它们独特的功能和能力。 Vim和Emacs都因其强大、效率和可定制性而赢得了程序员的青睐 Turning the tables, I have observed Vim taking noticeably longer to load than Emacs (vim -u /dev/null vs. So let’s try to break down the arguments from both sides and try to analyze which editor might be better for you. But if you are enjoying the emulation, then why not use the real thing? When comparing Vim vs GNU Emacs, the Slant community recommends Vim for most people. Ultimately, the choice of a text editor A mastery of a favorite text manipulation tool is hard to beat when it comes to a way to bolster productivity. While both Vim and Emacs support plugins that enhance their functionality, Emacs supports a lot more customization of the editor environment. Emacs is an extensible, customizable text editor with a Lisp interpreter, suited for a variety of programming tasks; Vim, characterized by its efficiency and command mode, focuses on speed and minimalism. It has been probably one month since I am using vim almost exclusively. Yes, you heard me right. In the question "What are the best text editors for UNIX-like systems?" Vim is ranked 1st while Emacs is ranked 4th Discover the key differences between Emacs vs Vim editors. Fast worldwide shipping. But was this a trend? Is Emacs sliding out of favor as new users pick an editor found on nearly every machine? Or is it still gaining converts as time goes on? Emacs is a highly customizable text editor with built-in functions and extensions, while Vim is a mode-based editor known for its efficiency and keyboard commands. On the other hand, emacs does more than vim does. I am a Vim person >, but I think I’m being mostly unbiased when I say that that Vim’s main strength is its intuitive command structure > that allows you to infinitely grow in capability by just learning the basics. Codex. However, Vim is an editor with a macro language; Emacs is an editor written in Lisp with some ad-hoc primitives. Dec 5, 2024 · Learn the key features, strengths, and weaknesses of Vim and Emacs, two popular and powerful text editors for programmers. Bitwise The Oldest Rivalry in Computing Forget Apple vs. What's the difference between Emacs and Vim? Emacs and Vim are both popular text editors with a long history and dedicated user bases. Emacs, and it's about using the technology that works best for the task at hand. In this comprehensive guide, I provide context, data, expert perspectives, and concrete examples to help you gain clarity. Comfort, Efficiency, Succinctness I think it's obvious that more is possible in Emacs than with Vim. Compare the two most popular text editors, Emacs vs Vim. The battle between these editors, and as a result, between the fans of the two, has become pervasive in the free software community - it was preceded by the Vim/Emacs battle. Vim and its variants recorded 37-38% usage in the same polls, over four times Emacs adoption. Emacs Vim and Emacs are both extremely powerful text editors, and each has its own rabid following. For example, cursor movement can be controlled through the H, J, K, and L keys in the normal mode. So, in terms of RAM usage, users often choose Vim over Emacs because Vim uses less memory and resources than Emacs. If you spend any time in Linux developer circles, it won‘t take long before you encounter the eternal debate – which editor reigns supreme: Emacs or Vim? Opinionated developers have argued their merits for decades. Vim is a highly configurable text editor for Linux, macOS, Windows, and other Unix-like operating systems. There's no denying that Vim and Emacs are quite different, and if you're thinking about switching, then here is an essay with a range of tips and good advice that will make your transition to Emacs easier. It is one of the most powerful and lightweight text editors that deals with a lot of work purposes, from basic file editing to software development by providing an Integrated Development Environment (IDE). Compare their modal vs modeless editing, scripting languages, learning curves, and extensibility features. EMACS stands in sharp contrast to vi’s pristine limitation of commands, with its almost infinite customizability. See a comparison chart, user ratings, and references for more information. See how they differ in modal editing, extensibility, customizability, and learning curve. While the rise of powerful IDEs (Integrated Development Environments) has undeniably changed It's the age old question: why should I, the Vim user, switch to Emacs? Well, the reason this question is difficult to answer is because the question hardly I still use Vim for quick notes or when I want to copy and paste something within or between files (as I can't remember the way to do it right in Emacs—but someday I will). The gap between these historically competing editors has widened over time. com/watch?v=hi9Rf0oLdHkPlease support this podcast by checking out our sponsors:- Eight Sleep: https:// The Google search engine also joined in on the joke by having searches for vim resulting in the question "Did you mean: emacs" prompted at the top of the page, and searches for emacs resulting in "Did you mean: vim". In the question "What are the best open-source programmable text editors?" Emacs is ranked 1st while Vim is ranked 2nd You can do a lot of computing stuff in emacs like checking emails and stuff, but is it practical / more efficient in emacs than doing it via GUI? How does Emacs Lisp compare to vimscript / lua? Are there any other features emacs has that neovim does not? Share Sort by: Best Open comment sort options Best Top New Controversial Old Q&A Add a There's always been heated competition in the Emacs vs Vim debate. The Emacs vs. When it comes to text editors, two names stand out in the world of programming and development: Vim and Emacs. Google. Sure, I enjoy Vim for quick edits and its simple navigation, and I have a legitimately reverent appreciation for Nano's intuitive interface, but Emacs is the place I call home. The big Lex Fridman Podcast full episode: https://www. Among the most well-known comparisons is Emacs vs. When we asked a couple of years ago, Vim was the clear winner. 很多 vim 中很熟悉的操作不知道在 emacs 中如何对应,比如说最常用的 「f/F」。 我是一个重度的 「f/F」 使用者,刚转到 emacs 时,感觉少了一个很重要的功能;另外还有 vim 中的 「/」 查找语法非常优秀,emacs 中的命令就显得有些不友好。 Learn about the Vim vs Emacs debate and find the line editor of your dreams. emacs turns up results vim vs. In the question “What are the best IDEs for C++ on UNIX-like systems?” Vim is ranked 6th while GNU Emacs is ranked 7th. When it comes to editing text, emacs and vim are about tied, but emacs will also administer your files, send email, play music, etc. Emacs wins spectacularly when you try to do something that the authors just didn't think of. Emacs is a Lisp machine disguised as an editor When it comes to text editors, the debate between Emacs and other popular editors has been ongoing for decades. Most users say Emacs is not actually an editor; in fact, it is a highly extensible LISP (List Processor) system that features text editing. Nov 27, 2025 · This blog dives deep into the practical differences, key features, and real-world use cases of Emacs and Vim to help you decide which (if either) is worth learning this year. Vim, two editors with devoted user bases and legendary rivalries. But, using gnuclient, a single persistent Emacs process can run simultaneously on several clients, speeding up startup time and reducing the RAM usage. Emacs and Vi have been battling for text-editor supremacy among programmers for 40 years. Explore the article Emacs vs Vim to learn the differences between the features, applications, extensibility, and productivity. Vim debate has no definitive winner—it all depends on personal preference and workflow needs. emacs -q). On the other hand, Emacs text editor offers unparalleled customization, functioning as a complete productivity environment. In contrast, many people feel uncomfortable with vi's notorious "modal" paradigm. Vim vs. File editing is usually faster with Vim than with Emacs because of Vim's purposely speed-driven interface. Without trying to rekindle the editor wars, let's look at when you might consider using nano, emacs, or vim. youtube. Save 5% with code SKUL25 A modern version of vim can support almost any of the features one would expect of emacs. (including a full programming language [python] available for use in vim, but it tends to be less integrated and feel less natural for programming editing than Elisp). Emacs is tailored for program . It's less a war at this point than a grumbling shuffle of ingrained habit and stubborn resistance to change. Sep 16, 2009 · What practical, objective differences are there between Emacs and Vim? For example, what can be done using one but not the other (or done more easily with one than the other)? What should I know in Nov 8, 2023 · Learn the history, design philosophy, and customization options of Vim and Emacs, two ancient editors that many Linux gurus still use. Fans of either editor go to great lengths to establish the supremacy of their editor of choice. Vim is the default text editor that is installed already in most Linux distributions. By David Auerbach May 09, 20149:57 AM The major differences between Vim, Emacs, Spacemacs, and other command line text editors are their user interfaces, configuration options, and plugins. dxjv6, ofzigs, fdgm, 36nd, mxrz, sohz, 74putn, 144n, uxr4z, i4v9,