I used to prefer Vim but moved to using IDEs. In professional development, you want to use the best tools - a forklift vs. a shovel. I don’t think text editors are the best tool for that, but why do programmers insist on using worse tools?
From my previous experience, I’d guess it’s these psychological factors:
1. IDEs have more cognitive overhead, and programmers have to keep a lot of state in their heads. So using a text editor gets out of their way initially to get started developing. In the long-run, though, it’s worse for cognitive overhead because you have to keep more state in your head due to having worse code completion. You also have the additional effort needed to set up plugins with text-based tools to provide additional features that are helpful for daily tasks.
2. IDEs tend to have more knobs - big menus, dropdowns etc. Those can reduce your ability to focus when you’re not used to them. Many of the available options likely aren’t applicable to what you’re working on, and can be distracting.
3. A lot of programmers have a sense of elitism, and using text-based tools looks retro and more intimidating to those not familiar with it. In so doing, this validates the view of oneself as a member of a priestly class of text-slinging wizards.
4. Programmers love to yak-shave. Using more primitive tools gives a reason for us to customize the experience, even or especially if it’s an inefficient waste of time. Programmers love opportunities for self-expression through code and customizing the experience of using their coding environments for its own sake.
> 3. A lot of programmers have a sense of elitism, and using text-based tools looks retro and more intimidating to those not familiar with it. In so doing, this validates the view of oneself as a member of a priestly class of text-slinging wizards.
That's usually what I hear from people finding out I like/use Vim. It's like they can't come to peace with the fact that I like it for its bindings and plugins, no, it has to be because I want to be a snob about it. And those judgements only start once they find out I am using vim, before that I am just a regular guy but as soon as they see me type `vi`, blam, I am an elitist asshole. Fuck that.
Turns out I use vscode (debugging so much nicer) AND vim (quick notes and configuring stuff so much faster) (and Kate).
Once, I was debugging a config file in a video meeting with a colleague. I was frustrated because I had difficulties making the config file works and was mumbling "goddamitthingofhelltheresalwasysomething" and that colleague jumps at me "ah ! you are frustrated because you are using vim and can't paste the buffer (or saving the file or something)."
Have you tried LSP, say like in a LunarVIM or AstroVIM setup? These are self-contained packagings so you don't have to fiddle around with plugins (though you can also achieve the same results through plugins), and as I understand it you get the same code completion and intelligence you get in VSCode.
From my previous experience, I’d guess it’s these psychological factors:
1. IDEs have more cognitive overhead, and programmers have to keep a lot of state in their heads. So using a text editor gets out of their way initially to get started developing. In the long-run, though, it’s worse for cognitive overhead because you have to keep more state in your head due to having worse code completion. You also have the additional effort needed to set up plugins with text-based tools to provide additional features that are helpful for daily tasks.
2. IDEs tend to have more knobs - big menus, dropdowns etc. Those can reduce your ability to focus when you’re not used to them. Many of the available options likely aren’t applicable to what you’re working on, and can be distracting.
3. A lot of programmers have a sense of elitism, and using text-based tools looks retro and more intimidating to those not familiar with it. In so doing, this validates the view of oneself as a member of a priestly class of text-slinging wizards.
4. Programmers love to yak-shave. Using more primitive tools gives a reason for us to customize the experience, even or especially if it’s an inefficient waste of time. Programmers love opportunities for self-expression through code and customizing the experience of using their coding environments for its own sake.