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Personally, my problem with trying to use Vim keybindings in VS Code is not about the motions of moving around/editing the code itself, but everything else. You

Personally, my problem with trying to use Vim keybindings in VS Code is not about the motions of moving around/editing the code itself, but everything else. You end up in plenty of situations where you have to resolve using the mouse because you ended up on some sub-page or whatever, where you either need to resolve using the mouse or keep pressing Tab until you get to where you want to go. Installing plugins is one good example of this, where even if you use a Vim plugin (or this, it seems), you still need to resolve to using the mouse/Tabbing to actually install the plugin itself. While with Neo/Vim itself, you never need to reach for the mouse, because the entire thing, not just the editing/writing, is meant to facilitate keyboard-only usage.

Tyr42 4y ago
I guess I am the target market. I don't mind using the mouse when I'm not in the "flow" of editing. Even browsing code, scroll wheels are pretty expressive, and clicking to jump to definition is fine. Ok not typing, so I don't need to keep my hand on the home row. But the actual editing doesn't use the mouse.
- eric-hu 4y ago
  If you have the proper jump to definition set up, vscode-neovim actually has a keybinding (that matches vim/neovim) gd (go to definition) You'll also like gh (peek definition)
wilsonnb3 4y ago
perhaps onivim would be a good VSCode alternative for you, I think they have a mode like the browser vim extensions that labels everything on screen with a key you can press instead of clicking. https://onivim.io/ https://onivim.io/
- nulld3v 4y ago
  Onivim is no longer being developed :(
- satvikpendem 4y ago
  Onivim development has stopped, it is now abandonware: https://github.com/onivim/oni2/issues/3811#issuecomment-910306404 https://github.com/onivim/oni2/issues/3811#issuecomment-9103...
  - cfuendev 4y ago
    Woah, that really sucks. I checked their website some time ago and though they still had momentum.. :( Hope that rewrite people are talking about in the issue replies does happen at some point.
- rzzzt 4y ago
  SpaceVim is also a fine contender with its LSP support: https://spacevim.org/ https://spacevim.org/
coldtea 4y ago
>Installing plugins is one good example of this, where even if you use a Vim plugin (or this, it seems), you still need to resolve to using the mouse/Tabbing to actually install the plugin itself. Sounds like a minor annoyance at best... Where vim-mode is important to me is editing and navigating code, not when installing plugins...
- capableweb 4y ago
  As I said, it's one example. Anything outside the code window suffers from the same problem, not just installing plugins...
  - DiggyJohnson 4y ago
    I didn’t expect to disagree with you at first because I also struggle with vim -Code plug-ins, but it really never occurred to me that it would cover the entire functionality of Vim outside the editor and file navigation.
- lanza 4y ago
  It's not just installing plugins. It's the VCS view, the symbol list, the terminal, the file browser, the search pane, the debugger pane, any pane added by any extension, etc.
  - tuukkah 4y ago
    > the terminal Ctrl+`
rendall 4y ago
Ctrl+shift+p puts the cursor in the command search where you can find all the commands including extension related commands. Ctrl+w j puts the cursor in the terminal. VS code is entirely navigable with key strokes even with Vim emulator
- capableweb 4y ago
  As mentioned, extensions is one example. How do you resize the sidebar? Or resizing the vertical size of the "Outline" pane? To be honest, guess it was a long time ago I last used VS Code, but when I did, I ended up in situations where it wasn't suitable to use the keyboard too many times.
Lio 4y ago
It's worth pointing out that while Vim/Neovim can be fully used without a mouse you can still use one if you want to. That includes mouse wheel, clicking tabs, resizing windows, balloon help amongst others. That works over SSH too.
FeistySkink 4y ago
Not sure if you know, but you can install plugins from terminal.
gabrielgio 4y ago
That is the reason why I moved from eMacs to neovim. Emacs on itself is amazing piece of software, but I had to fight my way to setup vim binding on everything. With neovim you just get that by default. Everything is thought around that.
- ngai_aku 4y ago
  In what scenarios were you reaching for your mouse within emacs?
  - forgotpwd16 4y ago
    Seems like they meant using vim bindings everywhere requires much work to configure.
eric-hu 4y ago
I do now have memorized some mix of vim and vscode keybindings, but to me it's worth it. I'm not at 100% keyboard navigation because in some cases I've burned 5-10 minutes looking up a shortcut, repeatedly 1/mo for 3 months. After so many (overly) spaced repetitions, I recognize the shortcut isn't worth memorizing. > Installing plugins is one good example of this, where even if you use a Vim plugin (or this, it seems), you still need to resolve to using the mouse/Tabbing to actually install the plugin itself. I agree with you here, but I rarely need to install new plugins. It's certainly not a task I repeat for a given plugin. Plugins are actually the reason I do primary development in VSCode instead of Neovim natively. I can set up linters, language highlighters, etc in VSCode much faster than I can in Neovim. The ecosystem in VSCode also seems to be bigger for what I've done in the last few years. --- Anyways, here are some VS Code keybindings I've found essential to go hand-in-hand with vscode-neovim. These few probably get me to 90% keyboard navigation for day-to-day editing. cmd-shift-m: toggle the bottom tray problems (works as a universal way to show/hide the bottom) cmd-b: toggle the left sidebar (in whatever context it was last in) cmd-shift-e: show the current file in the left sidebar cmd-0: move context/focus to the left sidebar cmd-1: move context/focus to the editor cmd-2: move context/focus to the right editor (or open an editor split, if not yet split) ctrl-1,...9: highlight Nth tab from the left ctrl-0: highlight rightmost tab cmd-p: fuzzy find file cmd-shift-p: fuzzy find any installed action by description
- FPGAhacker 4y ago
  Thank you for posting these!
  - eric-hu 4y ago
    My pleasure! This plugin is hands down my favorite VSCode plugin. I worked mostly in vim before, and this plugin made me comfortable doing project work in VSCode. I'll keep an eye on this thread for a day or two and try to add more essential hotkeys if I think of them.
    - satvikpendem 4y ago
      All that `cmd`ing makes me feel like I'm in Emacs ;). I wonder if there's a way to bind those actions to vim-like keybindings.
nkit 4y ago
VspaceCode might help you and others: https://vspacecode.github.io/ https://vspacecode.github.io/. It allows you to execute arbitrary VScode commands in fewer keystrokes using Emacs like menu (never used Emacs myself, so might be off a little). Along with default <space> key, I've also mapped ctrl+g as a global binding to trigger VspaceCode. So almost anywhere in the UI, I can always use keyboard to navigate. EDIT: formatting
kamaal 4y ago
>>While with Neo/Vim itself, you never need to reach for the mouse, because the entire thing, not just the editing/writing, is meant to facilitate keyboard-only usage. Exactly, most python plugins like black, code formatters, auto complete etc don't even work with these plugins.
snthpy 4y ago
Exactly this!
WirelessGigabit 4y ago
If only there was some sane oob setup for neovim with decent file exploring, and debugging.
- 0x008 4y ago
  what about https://www.lunarvim.org/ https://www.lunarvim.org/ or https://astronvim.github.io/ https://astronvim.github.io/ or https://github.com/NvChad/NvChad https://github.com/NvChad/NvChad ?

Tyr42 4y ago

I guess I am the target market. I don't mind using the mouse when I'm not in the "flow" of editing. Even browsing code, scroll wheels are pretty expressive, and clicking to jump to definition is fine. Ok not typing, so I don't need to keep my hand on the home row. But the actual editing doesn't use the mouse.

eric-hu 4y ago
If you have the proper jump to definition set up, vscode-neovim actually has a keybinding (that matches vim/neovim) gd (go to definition) You'll also like gh (peek definition)

wilsonnb3 4y ago

perhaps onivim would be a good VSCode alternative for you, I think they have a mode like the browser vim extensions that labels everything on screen with a key you can press instead of clicking. https://onivim.io/ https://onivim.io/

nulld3v 4y ago
Onivim is no longer being developed :(
satvikpendem 4y ago
Onivim development has stopped, it is now abandonware: https://github.com/onivim/oni2/issues/3811#issuecomment-910306404 https://github.com/onivim/oni2/issues/3811#issuecomment-9103...
- cfuendev 4y ago
  Woah, that really sucks. I checked their website some time ago and though they still had momentum.. :( Hope that rewrite people are talking about in the issue replies does happen at some point.
rzzzt 4y ago
SpaceVim is also a fine contender with its LSP support: https://spacevim.org/ https://spacevim.org/

coldtea 4y ago

>Installing plugins is one good example of this, where even if you use a Vim plugin (or this, it seems), you still need to resolve to using the mouse/Tabbing to actually install the plugin itself. Sounds like a minor annoyance at best... Where vim-mode is important to me is editing and navigating code, not when installing plugins...

capableweb 4y ago
As I said, it's one example. Anything outside the code window suffers from the same problem, not just installing plugins...
- DiggyJohnson 4y ago
  I didn’t expect to disagree with you at first because I also struggle with vim -Code plug-ins, but it really never occurred to me that it would cover the entire functionality of Vim outside the editor and file navigation.
lanza 4y ago
It's not just installing plugins. It's the VCS view, the symbol list, the terminal, the file browser, the search pane, the debugger pane, any pane added by any extension, etc.
- tuukkah 4y ago
  > the terminal Ctrl+`

rendall 4y ago

Ctrl+shift+p puts the cursor in the command search where you can find all the commands including extension related commands. Ctrl+w j puts the cursor in the terminal. VS code is entirely navigable with key strokes even with Vim emulator

capableweb 4y ago
As mentioned, extensions is one example. How do you resize the sidebar? Or resizing the vertical size of the "Outline" pane? To be honest, guess it was a long time ago I last used VS Code, but when I did, I ended up in situations where it wasn't suitable to use the keyboard too many times.

Lio 4y ago

It's worth pointing out that while Vim/Neovim can be fully used without a mouse you can still use one if you want to. That includes mouse wheel, clicking tabs, resizing windows, balloon help amongst others. That works over SSH too.

FeistySkink 4y ago

Not sure if you know, but you can install plugins from terminal.

gabrielgio 4y ago

That is the reason why I moved from eMacs to neovim. Emacs on itself is amazing piece of software, but I had to fight my way to setup vim binding on everything. With neovim you just get that by default. Everything is thought around that.

ngai_aku 4y ago
In what scenarios were you reaching for your mouse within emacs?
- forgotpwd16 4y ago
  Seems like they meant using vim bindings everywhere requires much work to configure.

eric-hu 4y ago

I do now have memorized some mix of vim and vscode keybindings, but to me it's worth it. I'm not at 100% keyboard navigation because in some cases I've burned 5-10 minutes looking up a shortcut, repeatedly 1/mo for 3 months. After so many (overly) spaced repetitions, I recognize the shortcut isn't worth memorizing. > Installing plugins is one good example of this, where even if you use a Vim plugin (or this, it seems), you still need to resolve to using the mouse/Tabbing to actually install the plugin itself. I agree with you here, but I rarely need to install new plugins. It's certainly not a task I repeat for a given plugin. Plugins are actually the reason I do primary development in VSCode instead of Neovim natively. I can set up linters, language highlighters, etc in VSCode much faster than I can in Neovim. The ecosystem in VSCode also seems to be bigger for what I've done in the last few years. --- Anyways, here are some VS Code keybindings I've found essential to go hand-in-hand with vscode-neovim. These few probably get me to 90% keyboard navigation for day-to-day editing. cmd-shift-m: toggle the bottom tray problems (works as a universal way to show/hide the bottom) cmd-b: toggle the left sidebar (in whatever context it was last in) cmd-shift-e: show the current file in the left sidebar cmd-0: move context/focus to the left sidebar cmd-1: move context/focus to the editor cmd-2: move context/focus to the right editor (or open an editor split, if not yet split) ctrl-1,...9: highlight Nth tab from the left ctrl-0: highlight rightmost tab cmd-p: fuzzy find file cmd-shift-p: fuzzy find any installed action by description

FPGAhacker 4y ago
Thank you for posting these!
- eric-hu 4y ago
  My pleasure! This plugin is hands down my favorite VSCode plugin. I worked mostly in vim before, and this plugin made me comfortable doing project work in VSCode. I'll keep an eye on this thread for a day or two and try to add more essential hotkeys if I think of them.
  - satvikpendem 4y ago
    All that `cmd`ing makes me feel like I'm in Emacs ;). I wonder if there's a way to bind those actions to vim-like keybindings.

nkit 4y ago

VspaceCode might help you and others: https://vspacecode.github.io/ https://vspacecode.github.io/. It allows you to execute arbitrary VScode commands in fewer keystrokes using Emacs like menu (never used Emacs myself, so might be off a little). Along with default <space> key, I've also mapped ctrl+g as a global binding to trigger VspaceCode. So almost anywhere in the UI, I can always use keyboard to navigate. EDIT: formatting

kamaal 4y ago

>>While with Neo/Vim itself, you never need to reach for the mouse, because the entire thing, not just the editing/writing, is meant to facilitate keyboard-only usage. Exactly, most python plugins like black, code formatters, auto complete etc don't even work with these plugins.

snthpy 4y ago

Exactly this!

WirelessGigabit 4y ago

If only there was some sane oob setup for neovim with decent file exploring, and debugging.

0x008 4y ago
what about https://www.lunarvim.org/ https://www.lunarvim.org/ or https://astronvim.github.io/ https://astronvim.github.io/ or https://github.com/NvChad/NvChad https://github.com/NvChad/NvChad ?