Emacs vs Neovim

1 minute read
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Neovim for Programming

  • Efficiency and Speed: Neovim is highly efficient for programming due to its lightweight nature and focus on speed. It starts up faster and can handle large files with ease.
  • Plugin Ecosystem: Neovim has a rich plugin ecosystem, especially for programming-related tasks. Plugins like nvim-treesitter for syntax highlighting, telescope.nvim for fuzzy finding, and coc.nvim or nvim-lspconfig for Language Server Protocol (LSP) support make it a powerful choice for coding.
  • Modal Editing: Neovim, like Vim, uses modal editing, which can be very powerful for code navigation and manipulation once you get used to it.

Emacs for Writing Posts (and Beyond)

  • Org-mode: Emacs shines when it comes to writing and organizing content, especially with Org-mode. Org-mode is exceptional for note-taking, task management, and writing posts or documentation. It allows you to export your work to various formats (HTML, PDF, LaTeX, etc.) easily.
  • Extensibility: Emacs is known for its extensibility. You can customize it to be a full-fledged IDE, text editor, or writing tool. For blog posts, especially if you’re using something like ox-hugo, Emacs can be incredibly powerful.
  • Unified Environment: If you prefer an environment where you can write, code, manage tasks, and do everything in one place, Emacs offers that. It’s an all-in-one tool where you can manage your entire workflow.

Which Should You Choose?

  • For Programming: Neovim might be better if you want a focused, fast, and highly efficient tool purely for coding. It’s especially suitable if you prefer modal editing and a streamlined environment.

  • For Writing and More: Emacs could be better if you’re looking for a versatile tool that excels at writing posts, organizing content, and managing your entire workflow beyond just coding. It’s particularly strong if you take advantage of Org-mode’s features.

Since I already use Emacs for my blog with Hugo, I find it more productive to keep using it for writing and content management while possibly using Neovim for coding tasks if you prefer its efficiency and speed.