Why I Love Vim

I’ve started using Vim as a text editor. I never really invested time in an IDE, so the transition wasn’t that much of an investment. I still use JupyterLab, as it offers many benefits Vim can’t touch. As the title suggests, I’ve been really enjoying the experience.

Update

As of 2021, I no longer use JupyterLab in any capacity.

Since I’m in the newlywed phase, I’m feeling pretty evangelical about this tool.

A few sources of this enjoyment:

  • Fun

    • Vim feels like you’re playing an instrument

    • Makes monotonous coding tasks feel like a fun/interesting game

  • Longevity

    • Reduces awkward wrist motions responsible for certain chronic myofascial conditions (e.g. carpal tunnel)

    • Engages more parts of the brain

    • I hypothesize that Vim has some of the same beneficial effects on brain health as playing an instrument

  • Sense of (Continuous) (Perpetual) Mastery

    • Salient mastery and improvement feels great.

    • Makes you feel smarter than you are.

  • Increased Intimacy with Computer

    • Vim makes your computer feel like an extension of yourself, integrating your hands with your mind with your computer.

    • GUIs alienate you from your computer.

  • Productivity

    • Writing experience is seamless.

    • Easier to achieve and maintain a deep state of concentration.

  • Adding additional features requires light problem solving

    • Although Vim is highly configurable, changes generically require some light mental exercise. Fortunately, the Vim community has many helpful resources.

Oh, Vim also saves time.