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deepmind.google·6d ago
AI Engineering
Lobsters·Jun 20·5 min read
Is anyone still using Emacs?
TL;DR
Many developers are questioning the relevance of Emacs, a text editor popular in the past. The author shares their personal journey of returning to Emacs after years of using modern IDEs like VSCode and IntelliJ.
✦ Why It Matters
Understanding the unique strengths of Emacs can help engineers choose the right tools for their workflows.
Key Takeaways
- Explore Emacs for its unique productivity features.
- Consider the strengths of various development tools.
- Reflect on personal workflows when choosing software.
- Stay updated on changes in tools like Emacs.
Full Summary
Emacs, a highly customizable text editor, has seen a decline in popularity with the rise of modern integrated development environments (IDEs) like VSCode and IntelliJ. The author reflects on their experience with Emacs over nearly 30 years, starting from their introduction to Linux in 1997.
They discuss how their initial reliance on sophisticated IDEs led to a temporary abandonment of Emacs. However, upon returning, they discovered a unique feature that significantly boosts their productivity, which they describe as giving them 'superpowers.'
This feature, while not explicitly named in the summary, likely refers to Emacs' extensibility and customization capabilities. The author’s journey illustrates the enduring value of Emacs for certain workflows, even in a landscape dominated by newer tools.
This suggests that engineers and researchers should consider the strengths of various tools, including Emacs, in their development processes.