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37
VIMTOKAK
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@ -1,16 +1,16 @@
Vi(m) to Kakoune:
=================
Kakoune is inspired heavily by Vim, it strives to be as efficient as Vim,
Kakoune is inspired heavily by Vim. It strives to be as efficient as Vim,
more consistent and simpler. A big difference is that a lot of special
features in Vim just become regular interactions of basic features in
Kakoune.
Operations and moves are reversed in Kakoune. First select whatever text
you want to operate on, and then use an modifying operation. That makes
things more consistent (Vim needs a separate x and d operation because
of the operator -> move order, Kakoune only needs the d operation). That
also allows more complex selections.
you want to operate on, and then use a modifying operation. That makes
things more consistent: Vim needs separate x and d operations because
of the operator -> move order, while Kakoune only needs the d operation.
Selecting first also allows more complex selections.
delete a word:
* vim: dw
@ -29,9 +29,9 @@ global replace:
* kak: %sword<ret>creplacement<esc>
Explanation: '%' selects the entire buffer, 's' opens a prompt for a
regex, <ret> validates the regex and replace the selection with one
per matches (hence, all occurences of word are selected). 'c' deletes
the selection contents and enter insert mode, replacement is typed
regex, <ret> validates the regex and replaces the selection with one
per match (hence all occurences of "word" are selected). 'c' deletes
the selection contents and enters insert mode where "replacement" is typed,
and <esc> goes back to normal mode.
Note that the Kakoune version is one key less, and is not a special
@ -41,8 +41,7 @@ replace in current curly braces block:
* vim: viB:s/word/replacement<ret>
* kak: <a-i>Bsword<ret>creplacement<esc>
Here again, we need to rely on another Vim special feature, visual
mode.
Here again, Vim had to rely on a special feature, visual mode.
join line with next:
* vim: J
@ -52,17 +51,17 @@ delete to line end:
* vim: d$
* kak: <a-l>d or Gld
some classic vim moves are not bound to the same key, this is due to Kakoune
using shifted moves to append to selection, so moves that were bound to non
alphabetic chars had to change.
Some classic Vim moves are not bound to the same key. Kakoune
uses shifted moves to extend the selection, so Vim moves that were bound to
shifted characters had to change.
* % become m (for matching), however m will replace selection with the next
block, if you want to get a selection from current point to next block end,
you should use <space>M (<space> clears the selection to one character)
* % became m (for "matching"). However, m replaces the selection with the next
block. If you want to get a selection from the current point to the next
block's end, you should use ;M (; reduces the selection to one character).
* 0 and $ became <a-h> and <a-l>. Another binding is gh and gl.
* 0 and $ became <a-h> and <a-l>. Equivalent bindings are gh and gl.
:[gv]/re/cmd
to emulate :g or :v, use % to select the whole buffer, <a-s> to get
one selection by line, and then <a-k> or <a-K> in order to keep only the
To emulate :g or :v, use % to select the whole buffer, <a-s> to get
one selection per line, and then <a-k> or <a-K> to keep only the
selections matching (or not matching) the entered regex.

127
doc/design.asciidoc
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@ -1,50 +1,50 @@
Kakoune design
==============
This document describes the design goals for Kakoune, including rationales.
This document describes the design goals for Kakoune, including rationale.
Interactivity
-------------
Unlike Vim, Kakoune does not have an underlying line-oriented editor, and
is always expected to be used in an interactive (i.e. with the edited text
being displayed in real time) fashion. That should not prevent Kakoune from
being used non interactively (executing macro for example), but priority
should be given to ease of interactive use.
Unlike Vim, Kakoune does not have an underlying line-oriented editor. It is
always expected to be used in an interactive fashion, displaying edited text in
real time. That should not prevent Kakoune from being used non-interactively
(executing a macro for example), but priority should be given to ease of
interactive use.
Limited scope
-------------
Kakoune is a code editor. It is not an IDE, not a file browser, not a word
processor and not a window manager. It should be very efficient at editing code,
and should, as a side effect, be very efficient at editing text in general.
processor and not a window manager. It should be very efficient at editing code.
As a side effect, it should be very efficient at editing text in general.
Composability
-------------
Being limited in scope to code edition should not isolate Kakoune from its
Being limited in scope to code editing should not isolate Kakoune from its
environment. On the contrary, Kakoune is expected to run on a Unix-like
system, along with a lot of text-based tools, and should make it easy to
system alongside a lot of text-based tools, and should make it easy to
interact with these tools.
For example, sorting lines should be done using the Unix sort command, not
with an internal implementation. Kakoune should make it easy to do that,
hence the +|+ command for piping selected text through a filter.
The modern Unix environment is not limited to text filters, most people use
The modern Unix environment is not limited to text filters. Most people use
a graphical interface nowadays, and Kakoune should be able to take advantage
of that, without hindering text mode support. For example Kakoune supports
multiple clients on the same editing session, so that multiple windows can
be used, letting the system window manager handle its responsibilities such
as tiling or tabbing.
of that without hindering text mode support. For example, Kakoune enables
multiple windows by supporting many clients on the same editing session,
not by reimplementing tiling and tabbing. Those responsibilities are left
to the system window manager.
Orthogonality
-------------
Kakoune features should be as orthogonal as possible, for example, in Vim,
there are multiple ways for modifying the buffer: Through normal/insert
mode, command mode, and Vim scripts. In Kakoune, modifying the buffer is the
normal/insert mode job.
Kakoune features should be as orthogonal as possible. For example, in Vim,
there are many ways to modify the buffer: Through normal/insert
mode, command mode, and Vim scripts. In Kakoune, modifying the buffer is
only the job of normal/insert mode.
That means there should be clear separation of concerns between modes:
@ -55,101 +55,98 @@ That means there should be clear separation of concerns between modes:
* command mode is for non-editing features (opening a file, setting
options...).
Orthogonality is an ideal, and should not prevent common sense pragmatism,
the +gf+ and +ga+ commands are not strictly selection manipulation ones,
but fit nicely with other +goto+ commands, and hence are acceptable in
Orthogonality is an ideal; it should not forbid common sense pragmatism.
The +gf+ and +ga+ commands are not strictly selection manipulation commands,
but they do fit nicely with other +goto+ commands, so they are acceptable in
normal mode even though they could arguably be moved to command mode.
Modes should be orthogonal, and commands in modes should be as well. For
example, Vim uses +d+ and +x+ for very similar things: deleting text. In
Modes should be orthogonal, as should commands within modes. For
example, Vim uses both +d+ and +x+ to delete text, with minor differences. In
Kakoune only +d+ exists, and the design ensures that +x+ is not needed.
Speed
-----
Kakoune should be fast, fast to use, as in a lot of editing in a few
Kakoune should be fast -- fast to use, as in a lot of editing in a few
keystrokes, and fast to execute.
* Vim is the benchmark here, most editing tasks should be doable in less
or the same number of keys.
* Vim is the benchmark here. Most editing tasks should be doable in fewer
or the same number of keystrokes as Vim.
* Kakoune be designed with asynchronicity in mind, launching a background
* Kakoune is designed with asynchronicity in mind. Launching a background
process and using its result when available should not block the editor.
* Kakoune should be implemented with speed in mind, a slow editor is a
* Kakoune should be implemented with speed in mind. A slow editor is a
useless one.
Simplicity
----------
Simplicity is nice, simplicity correlates with orthogonality and speed, and makes
Simplicity is nice. Simplicity correlates with orthogonality and speed. It makes
things easier to understand, bugs easier to fix, and code easier to change.
* *No threading*: multithreading is a hard problem, and is not well suited
* *No threading*: multithreading is a hard problem and is not well suited
to a text editor:
- Either we want a direct result, and we need to be synchronous with
the user, so getting a 4x speed up is meaningless, we need to have an
- When we want a direct result, we need to be synchronous with
the user. A 4x speed improvement is meaningless; we need to have an
algorithm which appears instantaneous the user.
- Or we want an asynchronous result, and then the processing is best left
- When we want an asynchronous result, the processing is best left
to a helper command which can be reused with other Unix tools.
* *No binary plugins*: shared object by themselves add a lot of
complexity. Plugins add another interface to Kakoune, and goes against
orthogonality. The +%sh{ ... }+ and socket interface should be made good
* *No binary plugins*: shared objects by themselves add a lot of
complexity. Plugins add another interface to Kakoune and go against
orthogonality. The +%sh{ ... }+ and socket interfaces should be made good
enough for most plugin use cases.
- It is better to write Kakoune-independent helper tools (intelligent
code completer, source code navigation programs) that can interact with
Kakoune through the shell than write them in a plugin.
- Rather than writing a plugin for intelligent code completion or source
code navigation, it is better to write an independent helper tool that can
interact with Kakoune through the shell.
* *No integrated scripting language*: for the same reason as binary plugins.
* *Limited smartness*: Kakoune should not try to be too smart, being smart
is often unpredictable for the user, and makes things context dependent.
When Kakoune tries to be smart, it should provide the alternative, 'non
smart' version (+\*+ tries to detect word boundaries on the selection, but
+alt-*+ permits to avoid this behavior).
* *Limited smartness*: Kakoune should not try to be too smart. Being smart
is often unpredictable for the user and makes things context-dependent.
When Kakoune tries to be smart, it should provide the alternative,
'non-smart' version. For instance, +\*+ tries to detect word boundaries on
the selection, but +alt-*+ opts out of this behavior.
Unified interactive use and scripting
-------------------------------------
As both an effect of Orthogonality and Simplicity, normal mode is *not*
a layer on top of a text editing language layer (normal mode keys are
*not* bound to text editing commands), normal mode *is* the text editing
language.
As an effect of both Orthogonality and Simplicity, normal mode is not
a layer of keys bound to a text editing language layer. Normal mode *is*
the text editing language.
That means there is no +delete-selected-text+ command that +d+ is bound
to, +d+ *is* the +delete selected text+ command.
to. +d+ *is* the +delete selected text+ command.
This permits to have scripting use case and interactive use cases share
the same text editing language. Both use normal mode to express complex
edition.
This permits both scripting and interactive use cases to share the same text
editing language. Both use normal mode to express complex editing.
Besides promoting simplicity by avoiding the introduction of another
layer, this helps ensure the interactive editing language is as expressive
as possible as we need to make it able to handle complex use cases,
such as indentation hooks.
layer, this helps ensure the interactive editing language is expressive
enough to handle complex use cases, such as indentation hooks.
Language agnostic
Language-agnostic
-----------------
Kakoune should not be tailored for writing in a specific programming
language. Support for different languages should be provided by a kak script
file, built-in language support should be avoided.
file. Built-in language support should be avoided.
Self documenting
Self-documenting
----------------
Kakoune should be able to document its features, live documentation along
with an extensive suggestion/completion system provides the discoverability
which is often lacking in non GUI tools. Documentation should as much as
possible be integrated with the code so that it stays up to date.
Kakoune should be able to document its features. Live documentation, along
with an extensive suggestion/completion system, provides the discoverability
which is often lacking in non-GUI tools. As much as possible, documentation
should be integrated with the code so that it stays up to date.
Vim compatibility
-----------------
Kakoune is inspired by Vim, and should try to keep its commands close to
Vim's if there are no compelling reasons to change. However self-consistency
Kakoune is inspired by Vim and should try to keep its commands similar to
Vim's if there are no compelling reasons to deviate. However, self-consistency
is more important than Vim compatibility.