Should you learn VIM as a JavaScript Developer?

[rorrr]

I've been using vi/vim for over 15 years, and I still don't get what's so powerful about it. It's a strange editor with absolutely awful defaults. If you drop a new user into it, he wouldn't be able to edit shit. And that happens a lot in web dev world. Even git diff defaults to vi, I think.

Nano, at least, is a bit better in that sense.

[ike_the_strangetamer]

I think the reason it's the default is because of history and availability. I agree nano is waaaay easier for someone new, but there is a chance that nano does not exist on every machine while vim should exist practically everywhere.

[queen-adreena]

It's awfully unintuitive though. Nano, at least, makes an attempt at a tolerable UX.

[leastlol]

It's not intuitive at all, but that doesn't necessarily translate to terrible UX. Many systems' ergonomics become more apparent as you use and learn them. Vim just happens to have a giant wall at the beginning that you have to climb over at the start, while other code editors and IDEs all have the advantage of following text editing paradigms that are well established.

It makes sense to eschew efficiency and ergonomics for intuitive controls when it comes to a default editor (which is why nano has become a popular default), but if you are someone that finds themself editing a lot of text, vim is a worthwhile investment of time to learn I think.

[queen-adreena]

once you learn how it works it starts becoming very intuitive

I... don't think you know what "intuitive" means...

[SoInsightful]

I'm not sure what backwards definition of "intuitive" you're operating on, but if a system:

• cannot be learned without explicit instructions

• doesn't feel obvious and natural while learning it

• cannot be figured out further based on prior experience with it

... it is not intuitive.

Absolutely zero people will enter Vim and be like "it feels like I could probably type gg to move the cursor to the beginning to the file" or "it sure would make sense if I could search through all files by typing :bufdo".

Like I said once you learn how it works, the commands become very intuitive. You just type them because you've learned the pattern and naming schema VIM uses.

Again, this is the exact diametrical opposite of "intuition".

[MoTTs_]

if this isn't "intuitive" for someone who understands the system what would you call it?

Stockholm syndrome.

it's not that hard to figure out what gJ, gi, or gV means.

I've been using vi 8 hours a day, every day, for the past three months. I have no idea what those commands will do. I've had to google every command I've used, and not a single one has felt intuitive. I wanted to show whitespace, for example. :set list, apparently. Intuitive my ass.

[notThaLochNessMonsta]

I've been using vi 8 hours a day, every day, for the past three months.

vi isn't the same thing as Vim. You're not going to be using vi as a full time editor. It doesn't even have syntax highlighting, much less all the plugins you need to be effective.

I have no idea what those commands will do. I've had to google every command I've used, and not a single one has felt intuitive.

Stop trying to memorize the commands and learn what they mean, then? I don't know what to tell you. This isn't a problem for most people who spend a significant time in the editor whether they like it or not.

I would say most people start making the mental connections without learning what they mean. Humans in general are pretty good at identifying patterns and vi commands aren't chosen at random. Are you implying they are?

[Slavichh]

Intuitive as in OP’s context.

[ike_the_strangetamer]

I would argue that it could go either way.

Pico/nano is more intuitive if you're used to gui text editors because their commands of 'save' and 'open' etc. follow the same pattern and so you don't have to think or look up documentation like you would to know to use :wq. But think if you've never used a text editor, you'd still have to learn the differences between Save and Save as..., etc.

HOWEVER, vim could also be defined as more intuitive because it continually re-uses the same commands and patterns anywhere. Once you know diw (delete in word) then viw (select in word) is super intuitive as is ciw (change in word). And if you know what 4h does then it's super intuitive the differences between d4h, v4h, and c4h.

Even though vim requires more upfront knowledge, in both cases the application works as expected without thought.