3½ Reasons Why You Should Be Using Vim

Photo by Shahadat Shemul on Unsplash

Whether or not to use Vim is a heated debate among software engineers. This is an argument similar to the audio industry’s analog-vs.-digital fight which predates some of you (and me).

In most engineers’ minds, Vim is an old, outdated text editor that lacks advanced functionality and the creature comforts of a modern IDE. In reality, Vim is so much more than just an old text editor.

Vim is like a manual transmission automobile.

You have to learn how to drive it. Gears must be shifted manually, but once you get used to it, the experience becomes exponentially more rewarding and enjoyable. You’re actively driving: cruising down winding roads, shifting gears with great finesse, fully focused. You are connected to the car, and it becomes an extension of yourself.

This is what Vim is like, and these are the reasons why it’s so rewarding to use.

1. Not Using Your Mouse

A mouse is useless when you’re using Vim. You are forced to do everything with the keyboard, and it will make you a stronger, more efficient developer.

The more you take your hands off the keyboard and touch the mouse, the less effective you are while working.

Each mouse movement is effectively a mini-context switch that slowly destroys your overall speed. Learn to use keyboard shortcuts.

A benefit of Vim is that it’s entirely keyboard shortcuts. You can’t use the mouse.

Get used to it.

2. Developing Natively

Vim or vi is available by default on most Unix systems. These editors function entirely on the command line without the need for a GUI, making them far more versatile and lightweight.

Being entirely command-line driven comes in handy when you are connected to a remote system via SSH and need to edit a file or even develop on the fly.

This is also important when using an operating system like Ubuntu Server, which does not include a GUI by default.

You no longer have to manage moving files back and forth between systems. You don’t have to use SSHFS to mount the remote system. All you have to do it open vim (maybe…