Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

StackEdit VS Vim

Compare StackEdit VS Vim and see what are their differences

StackEdit logo StackEdit

Full-featured, open-source Markdown editor based on PageDown, the Markdown library used by Stack Overflow and the other Stack Exchange sites.

Vim logo Vim

Highly configurable text editor built to enable efficient text editing
  • StackEdit Landing page
    Landing page //
    2024-12-08
  • Vim Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-23

StackEdit features and specs

  • Markdown Support
    StackEdit offers robust support for Markdown, allowing for efficient and straightforward text formatting and editing.
  • Offline Access
    Users can work on their documents offline, making it convenient for use in areas with limited or no internet connectivity.
  • Synchronization
    StackEdit can be synchronized with various cloud storage services like Google Drive and Dropbox, enabling easy access and backup.
  • Collaboration
    The platform supports real-time collaboration, which is useful for teams working on a document simultaneously.
  • Integrated Editor
    It includes a feature-rich Markdown editor with a live preview, which helps users see the formatted version of their text as they type.

Possible disadvantages of StackEdit

  • Learning Curve
    Users unfamiliar with Markdown may find it initially challenging to use all of StackEdit's features effectively.
  • Limited Export Options
    While it does support exporting to HTML, PDF, and a few other formats, the export options may be limited compared to other markdown editors.
  • Performance
    Some users might experience performance issues with large documents or when using the application for extended periods.
  • Requires Signup for Full Features
    To access all features, such as cloud synchronization and import/export options, users need to sign up for an account.
  • Dependency on Internet for Sync
    While offline editing is a plus, syncing documents still requires an internet connection, which may be inconvenient for some users.

Vim features and specs

  • Efficiency
    Once learned, Vim can significantly speed up text editing with its modal editing, keyboard shortcuts, and commands that allow for quick navigation and manipulation of text.
  • Lightweight
    Vim is a very lightweight editor, consuming minimal system resources, making it highly performant even on systems with lower specifications.
  • Customizability
    Vim is highly configurable and extensible through plugins and user-defined settings, allowing users to tailor the editor to their specific needs.
  • Ubiquity
    Vim is available on almost every Unix-like system and even on Windows, making it a ubiquitous tool that you can rely on being available in most environments.
  • Support for Multiple Programming Languages
    Vim supports a wide range of programming languages out of the box and offers syntax highlighting, which can be enhanced through plugins.
  • Powerful Search and Replace
    Vim offers robust searching and replacing functionalities, including support for regular expressions, which can be a powerful tool for developers.

Possible disadvantages of Vim

  • Steep Learning Curve
    Vim's modal editing and extensive set of commands can be daunting for new users, requiring significant time and effort to master.
  • Minimal Default Config
    The default configuration of Vim is quite minimalistic, which may necessitate additional setup and customization to meet modern development needs.
  • Limited GUI
    Vim primarily operates in a terminal, and while there are graphical variants like GVim, they are not as feature-rich or user-friendly as modern GUI editors.
  • Plugin Management
    While Vim is highly extensible, managing and configuring plugins can be cumbersome compared to more modern editors that offer integrated plugin management.
  • Inconsistent Behavior Across Platforms
    There may be inconsistencies in behavior or available features of Vim across different operating systems, which can complicate its use in certain environments.
  • Lack of Integrated Modern Features
    Vim lacks some modern IDE features like integrated debugging, advanced code introspection, and refined autocompletion, which often require third-party plugins to achieve.

Analysis of StackEdit

Overall verdict

  • StackEdit is generally considered a good tool for those who need a reliable markdown editor with advanced features, especially for users who value cloud integration and offline functionality.

Why this product is good

  • StackEdit is a versatile, in-browser markdown editor that offers a variety of features, such as real-time collaboration, seamless synchronization with cloud services like Google Drive and Dropbox, and offline editing capabilities. It supports a wide range of markdown variations and extensions, making it suitable for different types of documentation and note-taking needs.

Recommended for

    StackEdit is highly recommended for writers, bloggers, developers, and students who frequently work with markdown files and need a powerful editor that can integrate with cloud storage services while providing collaboration features.

Analysis of Vim

Overall verdict

  • Yes, Vim is a good text editor, especially for users who invest the time to learn its powerful commands and features. Its steep learning curve may be challenging initially, but once mastered, it significantly enhances productivity.

Why this product is good

  • Vim is considered a powerful text editor because of its efficiency and versatility. It offers extensive features, such as syntax highlighting, a robust plugin system, and support for numerous programming languages. Vim is highly configurable, enabling users to customize its environment to fit their needs. It is particularly appreciated for its speed and the ability to perform complex text manipulations using simple commands.

Recommended for

    Vim is recommended for programmers, developers, and system administrators who require a highly efficient and customizable text editing experience. It is especially useful for those who work extensively in terminal environments or need a quick, resource-light text editor for remote systems.

StackEdit videos

StackEdit - Write Markdown on Google Drive

More videos:

  • Review - StackEdit éditeur puissant de Markdown en ligne 💪

Vim videos

What Vim Is and Why You Should Learn It

More videos:

  • Review - JAC Vapour VIM Review - JAC does a side by side mod...
  • Review - Jac Vapour VIM - Quick Look

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to StackEdit and Vim)
Text Editors
25 25%
75% 75
Markdown Editor
100 100%
0% 0
IDE
0 0%
100% 100
Markdown Viewer
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare StackEdit and Vim

StackEdit Reviews

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Vim Reviews

Boost Your Productivity with These Top Text Editors and IDEs
Vim offers a variety of features like split windows, macros, and extensive customization options. It has a steep learning curve, but once you master it, you’ll be amazed at the speed and productivity it brings to your coding workflow. Vim is a favorite among experienced developers who value speed and efficiency above all else.
Source: convesio.com
13 Best Text Editors to Speed up Your Workflow
It’s tough to say which developers would enjoy Vim as a text editor. It’s an old system with an outdated interface. Yet, it still has the charm and powerful feature-set that the average developer needs. I would recommend it to more advanced developers who enjoy using open source software and being a part of a community–like the one you can find behind Vim.
Source: kinsta.com
12 Best LaTeX Editors You Should Use
The entire installation process is perfectly documented on their Sourceforge page, which you must definitely pay a visit. There is another standalone Vim software, known as the gVim that brings a GUI-based interface to the Vim document editor. Vim-LaTeX has been developed specifically for the programmers and it is so highly configurable that it can function anyway, ranging...
Source: beebom.com
The Top 7 Notepad++ Alternatives for You
Vim is a totally free Notepad++ alternative. It is available to use on Windows, Mac and Linux computers and it is very powerful. I was able to customize Vim to get it to look and function just how I want it. There is really good help support with Vim so if you are new to programming it will get you through most issues.
10 Best Notepad++ Alternatives in 2020
Vim is an advanced text editor open source tool which is also considered to be an IDE in its way. This tool allows managing your text editing activities with vim editors and UNIX System which can be used on-premise or online.
Source: www.guru99.com

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, StackEdit should be more popular than Vim. It has been mentiond 51 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.

StackEdit mentions (51)

  • If it is worth keeping, save it in Markdown
    Https://daringfireball.net/projects/markdown/syntax#philosophy "Markdown-formatted document should be publishable as-is, as plain text, without looking like it’s been marked up with tags or formatting instructions." Any text editor (Notepad, TextPad, (neo)vi(m), Emacs, TextMate, Apostrophe, GhostWriter, Typora, etc.) will do. Markdown-specific editors have either a real-time preview or the ability to edit as... - Source: Hacker News / 3 months ago
  • 100+ Must-Have Web Development Resources
    StackEdit: An open-source, free Markdown editor based on PageDown. - Source: dev.to / 8 months ago
  • Markdown as Fast as Possible
    Alternatively, you can use an online markdown editor like StackEdit or HackMD. - Source: dev.to / over 1 year ago
  • Good Notes App?
    Use https://stackedit.io/ in the browser :). Source: over 1 year ago
  • Vrite Editor: Open-Source WYSIWYG Markdown Editor
    Markdown is awesome! But, when writing 1000 words+ articles, I quickly feel the need for a better experience. For years, I’ve used StackEdit — an open-source, in-browser Markdown editor — for editing all kinds of long-format Markdown text. That said, given my recent experience with WYSIWYG editors, I thought I could do something better. - Source: dev.to / almost 2 years ago
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Vim mentions (10)

  • regular Vim has lua?!
    Lua is quite small, encouraging distros to include it. The ubuntu gvim has, and the gvim AppImage linked from vim.org does. The default Makefile from github is set up to not include it, but you can uncomment one line there to get it. Source: over 2 years ago
  • is there a way to make highlighted text persistent after quit when using something like [match Search /\%'.line('.').'l/] ?
    I've not used vimwiki locally (tho I'm old enough to remember the Vim wiki on vim.org :), but I think what you are wanting to do is extend vimwiki's syntax file. I presume it installs one at $VIMRUNTIM/syntax or or ~/.vim/syntax. If this sounds right, then create a ~/.vim/after/syntax/vimwiki.vim file and place your match command in there. Then everytime you open a vimwiki file it should apply your... Source: over 2 years ago
  • vim.org - Is there a reason for this 1800s-esque design?
    Vim.org has 242k total visitors, tailwindcss.com has 4.4m, planetscale.com has 412k, jpl.nasa.gov has 2.6m, all built with Tailwind, all several years younger than Vim's website. Unnecessary comparison, unnecessary defence. It's a valuable tool, fine, but a complete disregard for anyone who doesn't love a crappy website and would like to navigate a website like a normal human is not something to be defended. Maybe... Source: over 2 years ago
  • What is YOUR process of writing ?
    I write in Vim with some customizations in my vimrc to gear it more towards prose writing than code editing. It's not pretty, but Normal Mode and Ex commands are the most powerful text editing tools out there, so that means I spend less time on making corrections and other edits. Source: about 3 years ago
  • Why developers need to know about Vim
    If you are open minded and would like to try it out, click me for more information! Cheers. - Source: dev.to / over 3 years ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing StackEdit and Vim, you can also consider the following products

Typora - A minimal Markdown reading & writing app.

VS Code - Build and debug modern web and cloud applications, by Microsoft

Markdown by DaringFireball - Text-to-HTML conversion tool/syntax for web writers, by John Gruber

Sublime Text - Sublime Text is a sophisticated text editor for code, html and prose - any kind of text file. You'll love the slick user interface and extraordinary features. Fully customizable with macros, and syntax highlighting for most major languages.

MarkdownPad - MarkdownPad is a full-featured Markdown editor for Windows. Features:

Notepad++ - A free source code editor which supports several programming languages running under the MS Windows environment.