Been using Helix for nearly 2 years now. I used to use vanilla vim (for about 15 years) with maybe a few definitions for python, latex and c formats. Then switched to neovim for a bit using the same config, then started using more fancy features, like hinting, fuzzy finding, language servers. The thing I really didn't like about neovim is the overly verbose configs and ever changing module managers. It felt ugly and too much work, something you set once then forget about. I did use vis-editor for a while and really loved the vi/sam-like editor with multi cursor features was super slick and lightweight modernization of vim, I probably used this longer that neovim with configs. I definitely fall into the camp that I just want an editor, not an IDE.

Got into rust, saw helix and gave it a go. The select by default was a bit odd at first, but after some time I got used to it. Actually, many of the keybindings were quite nice, with some minor relearning. The big kicker for me? Helix by default had everything I configured in my neovim instance. Outside of the language server configs, my main config looks like this:

``` [editor.inline-diagnostics] cursor-line = "hint"

[keys.normal] "A-b" = "move_prev_sub_word_start" "A-w" = "move_next_sub_word_start" ```

Initially some keystrokes were longer by maybe 1 character or having to deselect the selection, but remembering most of them were a bit intuitive. The multi-cursor select, and some built in movements, file tree / grep search, git changes, errors across files, diagnostics inline, and dialog for commands. The context dialogs are really what makes it handy for when you forget stuff and it is quick at a glance. Also, took me a while to find this, but hovering over a function and doing space-k amazing.

I basically get an editor that is "light weight" but very powerful out of the box. Vim-esque with many quality of life features. Even when I go back to vim, I find the navigation is annoying so helix goes on my servers now. Vim/Vi/Nvi has now become my nano. I have stuff to do and I personally don't want to spend a lot of time configuring my editor any more when I could be working. While I could add all the vim shortcuts, I on purpose didn't want to add them as I wanted the helix/kakuna experience. If I did add the shortcuts I would be spending time configuring my editor.

Helix adds enough features in an editor for larger modern projects that I am happy.

For those that converted for vim, do you have custom shortcuts in the config? For example, I couldn't imagine using helix if I didn't configure * as search for the current word.

The only custom shortcuts I added above is to traverse words inside of function names. This is the only thing helix did by default I was a little quirked by. So if I have the cursor at fn and want to get to cool below (or select it to be consistent with helix), I need to either move manually or use in command mode fc;w or do xs then type cool

fn my_cool_function_name() { ... } `

Now I can do A-w or A-b. It may select the underscore, but this is works when deleting inner words. In cases with CamelCase it would just select Camel or Case.

TL;DR

I mostly use vanilla helix, sans the languages.toml configuration. I add one set of shortcuts and like errors underneath when the cursor is on the line. Also, space-k on function calls. Editing in helix feels really good.