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Users of Vim and similars, what exactly makes it useful compared to other text editors? How much time do you suppose you save when working with it? (programming.dev)

submitted 3 months ago by ICastFist@programming.dev to c/ask_experienced_devs@programming.dev

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I'd like actual examples instead of "I work faster", something like "I can move straight to the middle of the file with 7mv" or "I can keep 4 different text snippets in memory and paste each with a number+pt, like 2pt", things that you actually use somewhat frequently instead of what you can do, but probably only did once.

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[–] ICastFist@programming.dev 6 points 3 months ago (2 children)

That doesn't explain a preference for vi(m) over nano, tho

[–] stembolts@programming.dev 4 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (1 children)

How could I live without dd, vap, 99j, 99k, 555gg, zt, zz, zb, [, ]?

If these were the only vim commands it would still be better than Nano.

[–] grrgyle@slrpnk.net 2 points 3 months ago (1 children)

For me it's plain ol' tT and fF. I get frightfully bored when a text field makes me use Home/End/arrows 😪

It's like, I know where I want the cursor, just let me GO there. And no manually moving my cursor into position is not it. It's so not it

[–] stembolts@programming.dev 2 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (1 children)

I don't know this command, about to test it out.

I always use 0 and $, then W and B to leapfrog words manually 💀

Thanks!

[–] grrgyle@slrpnk.net 2 points 3 months ago

Welcome! I also stumbled upon these after I'd been using vim for a while. You've probably seen them in guides but glossed over them like I did originally. But once you get used to using these keys, you'll wonder how you lived without them!

Used in combos like f(dib (delete function parameters), or 2t. (go back two periods, or sentences) they're so great for moving within a long row.

[–] zagaberoo@beehaw.org 1 points 3 months ago

Nano is extremely basic, it's not really the right comparison. Vi competes well with heavyweight GUI editors and IDEs, yet is available about as ubiquitously as nano.

By learning vi, I can have my no-compromises favorite editor equally available to me locally or remotely. The terse, low-chord (looking at you, nano) editing language in vi means I'm not even that hampered when I do remote editing from my phone.