Alternatives to vis

A modal, vi-like terminal text editor built around Plan 9's structural regular expressions. The listings below can replace it for an important use case. Each note says what changes if you switch.

Replacements

Listings that take over the same core job as vis.

  • Kakoune

    A modal terminal code editor where multiple selections are the main way of editing.

    FreeOpen sourceCommand line

    Kakoune is a terminal editor built around multiple selections with selection-first commands, but its keybindings differ from vi and it lacks structural regular expressions.

  • Vim

    The editor that is already on every server, with a graphical build for Windows and a licence that asks you to donate to Ugandan children.

    FreeOpen sourceWindowsmacOSLinuxCommand line

    Vim offers classic vi modal editing with decades of plugins and runs on many more platforms, but uses Vimscript rather than Lua and lacks sam-style structural regexes.

  • Neovim

    A modern rewrite of Vim with a built-in language server client, Lua configuration and an embeddable API.

    FreeOpen sourceWindowsmacOSLinuxCommand line

    Neovim adds a built-in LSP client, tree-sitter and Lua configuration across Windows, macOS and Linux, with a far larger plugin ecosystem than vis.

  • Helix

    A modal terminal editor with language servers and multiple selections built in, and no plugins to install.

    FreeOpen sourceWindowsmacOSLinuxCommand line

    Helix is a selection-first modal terminal editor with built-in language servers and tree-sitter, but has no plugin system and keys that differ from vi.

  • Textadept

    A fast, minimalist programmer's text editor that can be scripted and extended with Lua.

    FreeOpen sourceWindowsmacOSLinuxCommand line

    Textadept keeps Lua scripting and a terminal interface but drops modal vi editing, and also offers a graphical interface on Windows, macOS and Linux.

Similar software

Related functionality, not a direct replacement.