Software Alternatives & Startups

Vim VS Slackware

Compare Vim VS Slackware and see what are their differences

Vim

Highly configurable text editor built to enable efficient text editing

Rating
0 reviews
Pricing
Open source
Slackware

Slackware Linux is an advanced Linux operating system, designed with the twin goals of ease of use...

Rating
0 reviews
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, Vim should be more popular than Slackware. It has been mentioned 10 times since March 2021.

social mentions
10 vs 4
Text Editors popularity
100% vs 0%
alternatives listed
240+ vs 92

Base details

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

Vim
Slackware
Website vim.org slackware.com
Pricing
Open source
—
Listed in

Features and specs

What each product offers, as listed by its team.

Vim 6 features
Slackware 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.
  • Simplicity
    Slackware follows a philosophy of simplicity and minimalism, providing a system that is free from unnecessary layers or GUIs, allowing users to have more control over their environment.
  • Stability
    The distribution is known for its stability as it uses well-tested components and avoids including any experimental features.
  • Unix-Like Experience
    Slackware provides a very Unix-like experience, which is appealing to advanced users looking to work closer to the system's core without abstractive layers.
  • Customization
    With Slackware's minimal default setup, users can customize their system extensively according to their needs and preferences.
  • Comprehensive Documentation
    Slackware’s documentation and supportive community help users understand the system better and solve issues on their own.

Possible disadvantages

  • Steep Learning Curve
    Slackware can be challenging for beginners due to its manual configuration requirements and lack of GUIs for system management.
  • Limited Package Management
    Unlike other distributions with advanced package management systems (e.g., APT, YUM), Slackware relies on a more manual approach, making software management potentially cumbersome.
  • Fewer Automated Tools
    Slackware lacks some automated tools that other distributions provide, requiring users to perform more manual setup and maintenance tasks.
  • Slower Release Cycle
    Its slower release cycle means that the distribution might not always provide the latest software versions, which may not appeal to users wanting the most current applications.
  • Less Commercial Support
    Compared to more popular distributions, Slackware has less commercial support, which could be a limitation for enterprise environments looking for professional assistance.

Analysis

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

Vim
Slackware

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

  • Slackware is considered a good Linux distribution for users who prefer a stable, traditional, and straightforward Linux experience. However, it might not be the best choice for those looking for a more user-friendly or feature-rich distribution with extensive graphical user interfaces and tools.

Why this product is good

  • Slackware is one of the oldest Linux distributions. It is known for its simplicity and being a no-frills, Unix-like operating system. Its design philosophy emphasizes simplicity and transparency. Users appreciate the control it provides and the fact that it stays true to Unix principles. It's renowned for its stability, lack of unnecessary bells and whistles, and the control it offers to the user over the operating system.

Recommended for

    Slackware is recommended for advanced Linux users, system administrators, and those who appreciate the Unix design philosophy. It's particularly suitable for users who want to have full control over their system configuration and prefer manual software management and configuration.

Videos

Walkthroughs and reviews on video.

Vim 3 videos + Add
Slackware 3 videos + Add

What Vim Is and Why You Should Learn It

More videos

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

Slackware 14 Install & Review

More videos

  • - A look at Slackware
  • - Moving to Slackware

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
Slackware
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 Slackware. 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
Slackware 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
Slackware 4 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: about 4 years ago

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  • My first Linux installation!
    Congrats on making it past the slackware.com Install Help page that seeks to walk you through selection of non-existing boot and root floppy disks. Source: over 4 years ago
  • Slackware 15 multilib
    Using the slackware.uk mirror of Alienbob's content is a LOT faster than going to slackware.com:. Source: over 4 years ago
  • Slackware 15.0 x86 stable is released
    Stay tuned to http://slackware.com and the ##slackware IRC channel on. - Source: Hacker News / almost 5 years ago

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Alternatives to Vim and Slackware

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