Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

MacVim VS vim.so

Compare MacVim VS vim.so and see what are their differences

MacVim logo MacVim

MacVim is a port of the text editor Vim to Mac OS X.

vim.so logo vim.so

Learn vim fast with interactive exercises in the browser
  • MacVim Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-08
  • vim.so Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-05-17

MacVim features and specs

  • Familiar Vim Interface
    MacVim provides the same powerful and familiar editing interface as Vim, making it a great choice for users who are already accustomed to Vim's keybindings and commands.
  • Native macOS Integration
    MacVim is specifically designed for macOS, offering better system integration, including support for native macOS features like full-screen mode, a menu bar, and better keyboard shortcut customization.
  • GUI Enhancements
    While retaining Vim's command-line capabilities, MacVim offers a graphical user interface (GUI) which makes it more accessible to users who prefer a more visual interaction with their text editor.
  • Plugin Support
    MacVim supports Vim's extensive plugin system, allowing users to customize and extend its functionality with thousands of available plugins.
  • Active Development
    Being open-source and maintained by a community of developers means MacVim benefits from regular updates, bug fixes, and new features.

Possible disadvantages of MacVim

  • Steep Learning Curve
    Like Vim, MacVim can be challenging for beginners due to its unique mode-based editing paradigm and the need to remember extensive keybindings.
  • Resource Intensive
    Though optimized for macOS, MacVim with a GUI can be more resource-intensive compared to traditional Vim, which may be a concern for those with older or less powerful machines.
  • Not for Non-Vim Users
    For users unfamiliar with Vim, MacVim can be intimidating and less intuitive compared to other modern text editors or IDEs.
  • Occasional macOS-Specific Bugs
    Being a macOS-specific application, some users encounter macOS-related bugs or compatibility issues that might not be present in the original Vim.
  • Requires Additional Configuration
    To fully leverage MacVim's capabilities, users often need to spend time configuring their environment, including installing and setting up plugins.

vim.so features and specs

  • Keyboard-Centric
    Vim.so allows for efficient text editing without needing to rely on a mouse, which can significantly speed up programming and editing tasks once the user becomes proficient.
  • Highly Customizable
    Vim.so supports extensive customization options, from key bindings to plugins, allowing users to tailor the environment to their specific needs and preferences.
  • Vim Integration
    As an extension or adaptation of Vim, vim.so brings the powerful features and user-friendly aspects of Vim to more platforms, potentially enhancing usability.
  • Cross-Platform Support
    Vim.so can be used on various operating systems, providing a consistent editing experience across different environments.
  • Steep Learning Curve with Reward
    While Vim's learning curve is notoriously steep, mastering it can lead to increased productivity and efficiency for experienced users.

Possible disadvantages of vim.so

  • Steep Learning Curve
    Vim.so, like Vim itself, can be daunting for new users due to its unique modal editing model and extensive set of commands.
  • Initial Configuration
    Setting up Vim.so can require a considerable amount of initial configuration, which may be time-consuming and intimidating for beginners.
  • Limited Default Features
    Out of the box, Vim.so may lack certain features found in more modern text editors or IDEs, requiring the installation of plugins to match functionality.
  • Dependency on Extensions
    To make the most out of Vim.so, users often need to rely on third-party plugins and extensions, which can introduce compatibility and maintenance challenges.
  • Not Beginner-Friendly
    The efficiency and power of Vim.so may be less accessible to those new to programming or text editing, leading to a potential disadvantage compared to more user-friendly editors.

MacVim videos

Why is MacVim much faster than Vim in the Terminal?

More videos:

  • Review - MacVim | Astros a Star | Ep. 5

vim.so videos

MASTER VIM with this interactive course (vim.so review)

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to MacVim and vim.so)
Text Editors
68 68%
32% 32
Productivity
23 23%
77% 77
IDE
100 100%
0% 0
Developer Tools
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

Share your experience with using MacVim and vim.so. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
Log in or Post with

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, vim.so should be more popular than MacVim. It has been mentiond 5 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

MacVim mentions (3)

  • Notepad Next
    gVim (only on windows/linux) with a minimal config is my preferred. Fast but a few powerful built-in vim features like search, replace, syntax highlighting, spellchecking, auto-indent etc. It loads in about 1.5s on my machine and renders the text nicely. Maybe take a look at https://github.com/macvim-dev/macvim on mac, perhaps someone can comment about the state of macvim? - Source: Hacker News / over 4 years ago
  • Vim: The Best Way to Write Code?
    Vim (aka Vi IMproved) is a highly efficient text editor that has inspired other editors like it, most notably MacVim (which I will refer to as vim from here on) and gVim. - Source: dev.to / about 5 years ago
  • Vim 9 - Update
    If you want to try out Vim9, you can download the latest Win32 binaries from: https://github.com/vim/vim-win32-installer/releases. For MacOS, you can use https://github.com/macvim-dev/macvim/. Source: over 5 years ago

vim.so mentions (5)

  • Why are online code courses so damn boring?
    I’ve only found some super niche ones that really walk you through some practical use-cases, or have some sort of theme (e.g. vim.so or this one I recently came across https://tigyog.app/d/C-I1weB9CpTH/r/everyday-data-science). Source: almost 4 years ago
  • I will be a software engineer and was wondering what are good side hustles I can do?
    I did not make vim.so just to be clear, its just a recent example of a small recent project I came across that does not seem too intense but probably generated a decent amount of money. Source: over 4 years ago
  • I will be a software engineer and was wondering what are good side hustles I can do?
    Build something! There are tons of people making small sites that are relatively cheap but help generate some income and are a passion project. I personally have a side business that requires very little work and generates some extra cash every month. Examples of this are things like https://vim.so, https://thedailybyte.dev, https://llamalife.co, https://www.getcyberleads.com and the list goes on. Even if you... Source: over 4 years ago
  • vim.so is $10 right meow!
    I don't think that is fair, vim.so is obviously a proper learning game someone has spent a lot of time and effort on. If you want to save money, maybe:. Source: almost 5 years ago
  • CourseMaker - Interactive Course Builder for Programming Courses
    Can you share how this compares to slip.so (this is the same guy behind vim.so) in term of prices, how many customers do you have currently, current revenue, and other details like how you got this idea, or is just a clone or the other are clones from you, how long is this on the market and so. Thanks. Source: over 5 years ago

What are some alternatives?

When comparing MacVim and vim.so, you can also consider the following products

Kakoune - Vim inspired — Faster as in less keystrokes — Multiple selections — Orthogonal design

Vim Adventures - Learning Vim while playing a game

Kate - The Kate Editor Homepage

Vimified - The simplest way to learn Vim

Light Table - Light Table is a new interactive IDE that lets you modify running programs and embed anything from...

Master Vim - Learn Vim with interactive exercises