• pmk@lemmy.sdf.org
      0·
      17 days ago

      It’s a text editor. It all began with the ed editor, which is very simple and does one thing, it edits files. Then someone extended it into the ex editor. Then someone added a new feature: being able to visually see the file you’re editing, which became vi, the visual editor. Then someone improved that, into vim. What began as an editor where you needed to be fluent in regular expressions but otherwise was simple, is now a very complex editor, moving the functionality of the old UNIX tools into the editor itself.

        • nickwitha_k (he/him)@lemmy.sdf.org
          0·
          16 days ago

          It’s also available on nearly every unix-like machine since the 70s. So, super useful to know how to use. I personally also like (neo)vim as an IDE and its optional regex functionality because that allows once to efficiently edit massive files with minimal effort.

    • grrgyle@slrpnk.net
      0·
      18 days ago

      How do you like it? I tried it a few years ago, but my vim muscular memory made it feel as uncomfortable as learning vim for the first time.

      • jbrains@sh.itjust.works
        0·
        18 days ago

        I’m very happy. I had the same early experience as you, but I kept with it. I’ve been using it several years now. When I’m forced back to vim, my fingers remember just enough, but I have to undo pretty often.

    • grrgyle@slrpnk.net
      0·
      18 days ago

      Just get used to

      • using movement (hjkl),
      • going between insert and normal modes (i and esc),
      • undoing (u from normal mode),
      • and saving (:w and :wq).

      Don’t try to do it all at first, just get comfortable with the essentials. You can even just stay in insert mode (the only mode in most editors) at first.

      Keep a vim basics cheat sheet handy for a couple weeks as you’re building in muscle memory, then slowly work in more advanced techniques and combinations.

      It doesn’t take long before you start having a lot of fun just manipulating text.

      PS here’s a decently basic cheat sheet I found: image describing basic vim keyboard bindings and commands

      • Passerby6497@lemmy.worldEnglish
        0·
        17 days ago

        I always forget about :wq, mainly because escing out of interactive mode and hitting ZZ is so much quicker.

    • zarkanian@sh.itjust.works
      0·
      17 days ago

      There are plenty of cheat sheets online. The main thing is understanding that there are different modes, knowing what they do, and how to switch between them and issue commands.

    • hakunawazo@lemmy.world
      0·
      17 days ago

      I became a fan after I got used to nice color schemes, buffers/tabs, horizontal/vertical splitting, file browsing with NERDTree and highlighting changes with GITGutter.

      You ask for tips? Add VIM commands you use regularly (like paste mode toggle for example) to a keyboard shortcut (like leader key + p) in your .vimrc settings file. It increases working speed.
      Also add some plugins, they are fun and add useful functions from other editors like Sublime (ctrl-p, vim-multiple-cursors).

    • TechieDamien@lemmy.ml
      0·
      18 days ago

      Go through the tutorial. It is quite good and teaches things incrementally with real world examples. Just run vimtutor to start.

        • TechieDamien@lemmy.ml
          0·
          17 days ago

          Depends how much time you spend in a text editor. If it is just for a few config edits and stuff, honestly there is little reason to learn. The real benefit is if you spend a lot of time editing text due to the time saved using more powerful commands. There is the additional benefit that vi/vim is installed on practically any Linux box, so you will almost always have a familiar editor to hand in an unfamiliar environment.

  • pinkystew@reddthat.comEnglish
    0·
    18 days ago

    The first time I used VI I typed a few characters, then hit backspace to delete some characters. Backspace doesn’t delete characters. I closed VI and never opened it again.