Software Alternatives & Startups

Vim VS MPV

Compare Vim VS MPV and see what are their differences

Vim

Highly configurable text editor built to enable efficient text editing

Vim Landing page
Rating
0 reviews
Pricing
Open source
MPV

MPV is an audio and movie player based on MPlayer and mplayer2. A free, open source, and cross-platform media player.

MPV Landing page
Rating
0 reviews
Pricing
Open source
Note: These products don't have any matching categories. If you think this is a mistake, please edit the details of one of the products and suggest appropriate categories.

Which is more popular?

Based on our record, MPV seems to be a lot more popular than Vim. While we know about 235 links to MPV, we've tracked only 10 mentions of Vim.

social mentions
10 vs 235
Text Editors popularity
100% vs 0%

Base details

Website, pricing, platforms and company facts side by side.

Vim
MPV
Website vim.org mpv.io
Pricing
Open source
Open source
Listed in

Features and specs

What each product offers, as listed by its team.

Vim 6 features
MPV 5 features
  • 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

  • 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.
  • Cross-Platform Compatibility
    MPV is available on multiple operating systems including Windows, macOS, and various Linux distributions, making it versatile for users across different platforms.
  • High Customizability
    MPV offers extensive customization options through its configuration files, allowing users to tailor the player to their specific needs and preferences.
  • High-Quality Video Playback
    MPV supports a wide array of video codecs and formats out-of-the-box, providing high-quality playback and smooth performance.
  • Minimalistic Interface
    MPV features a clean and simple interface that focuses on the video content without unnecessary distractions, appealing to users who prefer a minimalist design.
  • Active Open-Source Community
    As an open-source project, MPV is continuously improved by a dedicated community, which contributes regular updates, new features, and bug fixes.

Possible disadvantages

  • Steep Learning Curve
    New users might find MPV challenging to use initially, especially due to its reliance on command-line configurations and lack of a graphical user interface for settings.
  • Limited Built-In GUI
    MPV lacks a comprehensive built-in graphical user interface, which might be inconvenient for users who prefer GUI-based interaction for functionality like playlist management or detailed settings.
  • Dependency on External Scripts
    Some advanced functionalities require the use of external scripts and add-ons, which can be cumbersome to find, install, and configure.
  • Lack of Integrated Streaming Services
    MPV does not natively support integration with popular streaming services, requiring additional steps or tools for users who want to stream content directly within the player.
  • Occasional Stability Issues
    Being an actively developed open-source project, MPV can sometimes experience stability issues or bugs in new releases, impacting the user experience.

Analysis

An editorial look at what each product does well and who it suits.

Vim
MPV

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.

Overall verdict

  • Yes, MPV is considered a good media player for both casual and advanced users who appreciate flexibility and performance.

Why this product is good

  • MPV is a versatile and open-source media player known for its high performance, wide range of supported formats, and minimalistic design. It offers features such as hardware acceleration, high-quality video output, and scripting capabilities, making it popular among power users and developers.

Recommended for

  • Users who need a lightweight and efficient media player
  • Advanced users who want extensive customization and scripting options
  • Developers looking for a media player with robust API support
  • Linux users and those who prefer open-source software

Videos

Walkthroughs and reviews on video.

Vim 3 videos + Add
MPV 4 videos + Add

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

Best MPVs: Our top 5

More videos

  • Review - Mazda5 MPV review - CarBuyer
  • Demo - MPV - A Lightweight Powerful Video Player for Linux
  • Review - What Car? reviews seven-seat MPVs - Vauxhall Zafira Tourer, Seat Alhambra & Citroen Grand C4 Picasso

Category popularity

How often each product is chosen within a category, 0–100% relative to the other.

Score bands 0–20 21–40 41–50 51–60 61–100
Vim
MPV
100% 100%
0% 0%
0% 0%
100% 100%
100% 100%
IDE
0% 0%
0% 0%
100% 100%

User comments

Share your experience with using Vim and MPV. For example, how are they different and which one is better?

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Reviews and articles

External articles and on-site reviews we used to compare the two products.

Vim no reviews yet
MPV no reviews yet
  • Boost Your Productivity with These Top Text Editors and IDEs
    convesio.com · Nov 2023

    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...

  • 13 Best Text Editors to Speed up Your Workflow
    kinsta.com · Sep 2023

    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...

  • 12 Best LaTeX Editors You Should Use
    beebom.com · Dec 2021

    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...

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Social recommendations and mentions

Recommendations tracked on public social media and blogs since March 2021.

Vim 10 mentions
MPV 235 mentions
  • 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 3 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... Source: almost 4 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... Source: almost 4 years ago

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Alternatives to Vim and MPV

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