4 ms·

Useful - I found that mapping keys to actual verbs in my head as I'm using vim really helps the memorization process. This doesn't exactly work for everything

by oacgnol 15y ago

Useful - I found that mapping keys to actual verbs in my head as I'm using vim really helps the memorization process. This doesn't exactly work for everything though... I'm still having trouble remembering movement keys (still using the arrow keys instead of hjkl...).

cgag 15y ago
If you just force yourself to stop using the arrow keys you'll be surprised at how quick it just becomes muscle memory. As far as remembering them until then, I suppose they're kind of like the arrow keys in that left and right are on the outside with up and down in the middle.
johncoltrane 15y ago
I still use them as well but not for moving though my code. /?fFtT and things like ]] beat both the arrows END hjkl hands down, I think.
city41 15y ago
For what it's worth vim has been my main editor now for 2+ years and I still don't use hjkl. I know I should, but I can't seem to get over the hump that I can easily find arrow keys by feel, but not hjkl. As for remembering them, left and right are on the outside, and 'j' kind of looks like a down arrow (that's how I distinguish j from k)
- bostonvaulter2 15y ago
  You should start using j and k in other places like gmail to start getting used to it. I know it takes some work, but I think it is totally worth the effort.
- wahnfrieden 15y ago
  You can just remap the arrow keys to do nothing in vim, and within a few days or so you'll be comfortable with hjkl. It's not a big deal - just do this if you want it.
- thristian 15y ago
  I've been using Vim for something like a decade, and I only recently started toying with hjkl. At first, I ignored it because I was already pretty good with the arrow keys and hjkl are annoyingly not quite the home keys; then I ignored it because I switched to Dvorak and hjkl are scattered across the keyboard. Strangely, it was Google+ that got me interested in hjkl, or at least J and K for moving up and down. In the Dvorak layout, J and K are where C and V are in QWERTY, so they're still pretty convenient to reach for.

by oacgnol 15y ago

cgag 15y ago

If you just force yourself to stop using the arrow keys you'll be surprised at how quick it just becomes muscle memory. As far as remembering them until then, I suppose they're kind of like the arrow keys in that left and right are on the outside with up and down in the middle.

johncoltrane 15y ago

I still use them as well but not for moving though my code. /?fFtT and things like ]] beat both the arrows END hjkl hands down, I think.

city41 15y ago

For what it's worth vim has been my main editor now for 2+ years and I still don't use hjkl. I know I should, but I can't seem to get over the hump that I can easily find arrow keys by feel, but not hjkl. As for remembering them, left and right are on the outside, and 'j' kind of looks like a down arrow (that's how I distinguish j from k)

bostonvaulter2 15y ago
You should start using j and k in other places like gmail to start getting used to it. I know it takes some work, but I think it is totally worth the effort.
wahnfrieden 15y ago
You can just remap the arrow keys to do nothing in vim, and within a few days or so you'll be comfortable with hjkl. It's not a big deal - just do this if you want it.
thristian 15y ago
I've been using Vim for something like a decade, and I only recently started toying with hjkl. At first, I ignored it because I was already pretty good with the arrow keys and hjkl are annoyingly not quite the home keys; then I ignored it because I switched to Dvorak and hjkl are scattered across the keyboard. Strangely, it was Google+ that got me interested in hjkl, or at least J and K for moving up and down. In the Dvorak layout, J and K are where C and V are in QWERTY, so they're still pretty convenient to reach for.