Wonderful vi
3 days ago
- #programming
- #productivity
- #text-editors
- The speed of technological change is a defining characteristic of the industry, with AI advancements being a recent example.
- vi, a text editor created by Bill Joy in 1976, remains fundamentally unchanged in design, influencing successors like Vim and Neovim.
- vi's design maximizes programmer productivity by minimizing keystrokes, a principle that has persisted for nearly half a century.
- Modern vi users can manipulate text efficiently without a mouse, showcasing the editor's enduring utility.
- vi's command mode operates like a language, with a structure of [Action] [Scope] [Object], enabling powerful text manipulation combos.
- Examples of vi commands include 'ciq' (Change Inside Quotes), 'dab' (Delete Around Brackets), and 'yiw' (Copy Inside Word).
- Learning vi involves mastering basic navigation and the grammar of text manipulation, which can be highly rewarding.
- Neovim, a modern vi successor, can be enhanced with distributions like LazyVim for easier adoption.
- Neovim is compatible with various operating systems and works well with modern terminals like Alacritty or Kitty.
- Despite a learning curve, adopting Neovim can lead to a highly satisfying and efficient programming experience.