Software Alternatives & Startups

Vimium VS W3M

Compare Vimium VS W3M and see what are their differences

Vimium

The Hacker's Browser.

Rating
0 reviews
W3M

w3m is a text-based web browser as well as a pager like ' ...

Rating
0 reviews

Which is more popular?

Based on our record, Vimium should be more popular than W3M. It has been mentioned 31 times since March 2021.

social mentions
31 vs 11
Web Browsers popularity
64% vs 36%
alternatives listed
29 vs 35

Base details

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

Vimium
WM
W3M
Website vimium.github.io w3m.sourceforge.net
Listed in

Features and specs

What each product offers, as listed by its team.

Vimium 5 features
WM
W3M 5 features
  • Keyboard Efficiency
    Vimium enhances navigation efficiency by allowing users to browse using keyboard shortcuts similar to those in Vim, reducing reliance on a mouse.
  • Customizability
    Users can customize key bindings and shortcuts to suit their preferences, making it adaptable to individual workflows.
  • Productivity
    Increased productivity through reduced context switching between using a mouse and keyboard, as actions can be executed swiftly using shortcuts.
  • Free and Open Source
    Vimium is available at no cost and its source code can be reviewed and modified, promoting transparency and community-driven enhancements.
  • Cross-Browser Support
    Available as an extension for multiple browsers, allowing users to utilize Vim-like navigation across different environments.

Possible disadvantages

  • Learning Curve
    Users unfamiliar with Vim may find the initial learning process challenging as they adjust to new shortcuts and navigation methods.
  • Limited Mouse Interaction
    Users who prefer or rely heavily on mouse interactions might find Vimium's keyboard-focused approach limiting.
  • Compatibility Issues
    Some websites or web applications may not fully support Vimium's features, leading to inconsistent performance or conflicts.
  • Overwhelming for Basic Users
    Casual users or those needing only basic browsing features may find Vimium's advanced options unnecessary and overly complex.
  • Lightweight
    W3M is a lightweight browser, making it suitable for systems with minimal resources, and performs well even on older hardware.
  • Text-based
    As a text-based browser, W3M is useful for accessing web content via command-line interfaces, which can be beneficial for users who prefer non-GUI environments.
  • Fast Performance
    Due to its minimalistic design, W3M provides fast browsing experiences, especially when handling simple webpages or when operating over slow connections.
  • Keyboard Navigation
    W3M allows efficient browsing using keyboard shortcuts, which can enhance productivity for users who master these controls.
  • Inline Image Support
    W3M supports the display of inline images when combined with certain terminal emulators, offering better multimedia support compared to some other text-based browsers.

Possible disadvantages

  • Limited Modern Web Support
    W3M struggles with rendering complex websites that rely heavily on JavaScript and modern web technologies, limiting its usability on many current sites.
  • User Interface
    The text-based user interface can be difficult for new users to adapt to, especially those accustomed to graphical web browsers.
  • Limited Interactivity
    Due to its text-based nature, W3M has limited support for interactive web features, which can impede full functionality on interactive pages.
  • Steep Learning Curve
    The reliance on keyboard shortcuts and the lack of a GUI can present a steep learning curve for new users who are not familiar with text-based navigation.
  • Dependency on Terminal
    W3M requires a terminal interface, which might not be as appealing or accessible for users used to graphical environments.

Videos

Walkthroughs and reviews on video.

Vimium 3 videos + Add
WM
W3M 3 videos + Add

Vimium : Intro to using keyboard in your browser

More videos

  • - Quick Look at Vimium Chrome Chromium Firefox Extension
  • - How to browse the web faster using your keyboard and Vimium extension (sous-titres FR)

Terminal-based Web Browsing with w3m - Lunduke Show

More videos

  • - nVLC Browser Extension for W3M - Linux TUI
  • - w3m-img -- View Images in the Console - Linux CLI

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
Vimium
WM
W3M
64% 64%
36% 36%
100% 100%
0% 0%
74% 74%
26% 26%
0% 0%
100% 100%

User comments

Share your experience with using Vimium and W3M. For example, how are they different and which one is better?

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Social recommendations and mentions

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

Vimium 31 mentions
WM
W3M 11 mentions
  • GUIs should be fully keyboard-driven
    I use [Vimium](https://vimium.github.io/) for this very reason -- highly recommend it! Although admittedly this only solves for a fully keyboard-driven _browser_ experience. - Source: Hacker News / about 2 months ago
  • GUIs should be fully keyboard-driven
    Https://vimium.github.io/ Hacker browser: allows to navigate browsers without ever needing to use the mouse. I highly recommend it, it's such a productivity booster. - Source: Hacker News / about 2 months ago
  • GUIs should be fully keyboard-driven
    For people who want to navigate browsers only with the keyboard, I recommend vimium https://vimium.github.io/ It's a plugin that enables many keyboard shortcuts, so that you almost don't need to touch the mouse to navigate. For me, it's... - Source: Hacker News / about 2 months ago

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  • Surfing the Web Like It's 1992 (Lynx Browser)
    I should mention, there are other text-based browsers like w3m and Links, but I enjoy using Lynx most. - Source: dev.to / about 1 year ago
  • dnf update is downloading ImageMagick?
    [code]Installed Packages Name : w3m-img Version : 0.5.3 Release : 57.git20220429.fc37 Architecture : x86_64 Size : 32 k Source : w3m-0.5.3-57.git20220429.fc37.src.rpm Repository : @System From repo :... Source: almost 4 years ago
  • Setting up lynx
    You should check w3m http://w3m.sourceforge.net/. Source: over 4 years ago

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Alternatives to Vimium and W3M

When comparing Vimium and W3M, you can also consider the following products.