In Linux, a text editor is important for writing, inserting, pasting, deleting, and handling text efficiently. Among all the text editors, Emacs and Vim are two well-known text editors for their unique feature enrichment. In this article, I will discuss the key features and performance of the two text editors Emacs and Vim which will help you to choose the right text editor. Let’s dive into the article.
Summary of This Article
- Vim is lightweight and faster than Emacs.
- Emac is more customizable than Vim.
- Both of the editors support a graphical User Interface and command line interface.
- Different applications between embedded systems, system administration, quick and remote editing, and word processing.
- Both have some similarities such as interface and tabs, cross-platform compatibility, and language support.
What is Emacs?
Emacs is a keyboard-driven text editor that is versatile and highly customizable and used for more than just editing text. It is available for download in Linux, Windows, macOS, BSD, and OpenVMS. It has some built-in features such as integrated calendars, web browsers, client email, debuggers, IRC clients, etc. If you want a text editor with advanced features, then you may prefer it.
What is Vim?
Vim, the short form of Vi improved, is a free and open-source screen-based text editor. It is a very flexible and strong text editor. Moreover, Vim is only designed for the command line interface but packages like vim-gtk3 and vim-motif allow you to use Vim with a graphical window, providing features such as mouse support, and menus. It supports various operating systems like Windows, macOS, and Linux. Furthermore, It provides keyboard efficiency by customizing it according to the user’s preference.
What Are the Differences Between Emacs and Vim?
The main differences between Emacs and Vim include user interface, learning curve, extensibility, and productivity. Let’s see the differences in detail below:
1. User Interface
Emacs primarily uses a graphical user interface (GUI) with menus, toolbars, and dialog boxes. It focuses both on keyboard shortcuts and mouse support. However, it also has a powerful command-line interface version. On the other hand, Vim operates in different modes and each mode has different key bindings. It primarily operates in the terminal environment, but its’ packages like vim-gtk3 and vim-motif allow you to use Vim with a graphical window.
2. Ease of Learning
Though Emacs has a steep learning curve due to its extensive features and keyboard shortcuts, it may be easier for users who have used GUI-based text editors before. However, users can navigate and edit text efficiently once they get used to it. On the other hand, the learning curve of Vim is steep due to its multiple-modal editing system. The different modes such as normal, insert, and visual of the Vim text editor provide different functionalities. Once, the users are good at using Vim’s various modes, they can edit text quite quickly.
3. Extensibility
Emacs is highly extensible with Emacs Lisp which is a programming language for customization. On the other hand, Vim achieves extensive functionalities with the support of plugins. Also, Vim depends on its scripting language for customization. Moreover, it is considered that Vim may have more powerful and less complex customization than Emacs.
4. Productivity
Vim has a faster start-up time than Emacs. As Vim is lightweight, it uses less memory. On the other hand, Emacs takes longer to start time. Additionally, Emacs is highly productive due to its vast features and customization once one is used to it. Vim is also highly productive because of its efficient editing with efficient keystrokes.
Additional Distinctions Between Emacs and Vim
Take a look at the table of additional differences between the text editors below:
| Criteria | Vim | Emacs |
|---|---|---|
| Developer | Bram Moolenaar | Richard Stallman |
| Initial Release | 1991 | 1984 |
| Programming Language | C, Vim script | C, Emacs Lisp |
| License | Vim | GPL |
| Tools | More plugins than tools. | Wide range of integrated tools. |
| Window Splitting | Yes | Yes |
| Spell Checking | Supports natively from version 7. The older version needs a script. | Supports using plugin support via external programs such as ispell, aspell and Hunspell. |
| Larger File Support | For 64 64-bit system, it depends on available memory. | Supports larger files up to 2.3 exabytes on a 64-bit machine. |
| Character Encoding EBCDIC | Supports partially. | Fully supported. |
Differences of Applications: Emacs vs Vim
While choosing a specific text editor, you need to consider its unique applications. Check the following comparison between applications of two text editors:
| Applications | Vim | Emacs |
|---|---|---|
| Quick Editing | Supports quick editing due to its lightweight nature and modal editing. | Efficient editing with good keybinding. |
| Embedded System | Can be used on a limited resource system because it takes small space. | Not so popular for embedded systems but can be used with limited functionalities. |
| Word Processing | Not ideal for heavy word processing but some plugins enhance this functionality. Does not support the WordPerfect application. | Ideal for heavy word processing also supports extensible processing like spell-checking, integrations, etc. Supports the WordPerfect application. |
| System Administration | Limited features but is an excellent choice for simple edits and configuration of system files because of its quick fixes. | Powerful features for system administrations like multiple file editing and customization for complex tasks. |
What Are the Similarities Between Emacs and Vim?
Despite the differences above I mentioned, there are some similarities. Here are the similarities between Emacs and Vim:
- Free: Both Emacs and Vim are free and open-source text editors. That means, you can download and use them at no cost.
- Cross-Platform Support: Emacs and Vim both are available on multiple operating systems, including Microsoft Windows, macOS, Unix, BSD, and Linux. So users can use the text editors on any of the preferred platforms.
- Interfaces and Tabs: Both interfaces support buffer tabs for managing multiple files.
- Multiple Language Support: Multiple languages are available in both of the text editors such as English, Russian, French, Japanese, and even more languages.
- Remote Editing: Emacs and Vim both support remote editing via SSH which enables the users to edit files securely on remote servers.
Conclusion
I’ve discussed differences in interface, learning curves, productivity, extensibility, and applications between the two text editors-Emacs and Vim. I hope this will provide you with an overview of the differences between the text editors and make it easy to choose the best one.
People Also Ask
Is Emacs easier than Vim?
Yes, Emacs is easier than Vim. Users who prefer GUI-based editors find emacs easier than Vim. Additionally, because of Vim’s modal editing, users find it more difficult to learn. But once, one is a master of Vim, he will find it more efficient for quick and accurate editing than Emacs.
Can I use Vim on Emacs?
Yes, you can use Vim on Emacs through various packages or plugin supports. To use Vim on Emacs, you need to install and enable an Emacs package that provides Vim emulation.
Why is Vim more popular than Emacs?
Vim provides extensive features that can match with the emacs functions. Again, it provides simplicity in the configuration of files and also provides easy customization compared to Emacs. Vim also shows excellent results for remote editing.
Is Emacs a GUI editor?
Yes, Emacs is a GUI editor. But it also has a terminal-based version. The GUI version has menus, toolbars, and dialog boxes for common tasks and it runs in a separate window. On the other hand, the command line interface runs on the console window.
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