# Emacs vs Neovim

**Leader by vioscaleAI score:** Neovim

| Attribute | Emacs | Neovim |
|---|---|---|
| **vioscaleAI score** | 39.2 (53% (medium)) | 56.9 (47% (low)) |
| activity.commits_last_30d | 100 | 100 |
| adoption.dependent_repos | 0 | 1,262 |
| adoption.github_stars | 5,218 | 102,997 |
| content.faq | `[{"answer":"A free and open-source text editor built on a Lisp interpreter that enables extensive customization through Lisp code. It combines core text editing with broader functionality including project planning, email and news reading, debugging, calendar, and IRC capabilities. It is indexed under IDEs & Code Editors.","source":"https://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/","question":"What is Emacs?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"Emacs is open source, so it can be self-hosted and used at no licence cost. It is released under the GPL-3.0 licence. Pricing changes often, so verify at source before relying on it.","source":"https://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/","question":"Is Emacs free to use?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"Emacs supports Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and a command-line interface. Platforms we have not confirmed are simply not listed here rather than ruled out.","source":"https://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/","question":"What platforms does Emacs support?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"Yes. Emacs can be deployed self-hosted, so it does not have to run on the vendor's infrastructure.","source":"https://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/","question":"Can Emacs be self-hosted?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"Yes. Emacs is published under the GPL-3.0 licence, a copyleft licence, so check its terms before embedding it in a closed-source product. Licence terms can change between releases, so verify against the repository for the version you intend to use.","source":"https://github.com/emacs-mirror/emacs","question":"Is Emacs open source?","confidence":0.95}]` | `[{"answer":"A terminal-based text editor that extends Vim with modern features including built-in language server support, tree-sitter integration for code understanding, and a powerful Lua scripting API. It maintains full Vim compatibility while enabling new applications through its extensible plugin architecture and remote capabilities. It is indexed under IDEs & Code Editors.","source":"https://neovim.io","question":"What is Neovim?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"Neovim offers a free tier, so you can start without paying. Pricing changes often, so verify at source before relying on it.","source":"https://neovim.io","question":"Is Neovim free?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"Neovim supports Windows, macOS, Linux and a command-line interface. Platforms we have not confirmed are simply not listed here rather than ruled out.","source":"https://neovim.io","question":"What platforms does Neovim support?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"Yes. Neovim can be deployed on-premise and self-hosted, so it does not have to run on the vendor's infrastructure.","source":"https://neovim.io","question":"Can Neovim be self-hosted?","confidence":0.6}]` |
| deployment.options | `{"self_hosted":true}` | `{"on_prem":true,"self_hosted":true}` |
| description.long | An open-source text editor written in C and Lisp that emphasizes extensibility and customization through programming, with support for multiple platforms and international character input methods. | A terminal-based text editor that extends Vim with modern features including built-in language server support, tree-sitter integration for code understanding, and a powerful Lua scripting API. It maintains full Vim compatibility while enabling new applications through its extensible plugin architecture and remote capabilities. |
| features.capabilities | `{"type":"terminal_editor","lsp_dap":true,"builtin_ai":"none","deployment":"desktop","os_support":"GNU/Linux, Windows, macOS, BSD, Haiku, Android","remote_dev":false,"open_source":"oss","base_platform":"original","extensibility":"plugins","pricing_model":"free","language_scope":"polyglot","git_integration":false,"code_intelligence":"lsp_grade","integrated_debugger":true}` | `{"type":"terminal_editor","lsp_dap":true,"builtin_ai":"none","deployment":"desktop","os_support":"Windows, macOS, Linux (x86_64, arm64)","remote_dev":true,"open_source":"oss","base_platform":"original","extensibility":"plugins","pricing_model":"free","language_scope":"polyglot","code_intelligence":"ide_grade"}` |
| integrations.count | 2 | - |
| integrations.list | `[{"name":"Tree-Sitter"},{"name":"EditorConfig"}]` | - |
| language.primary | Emacs Lisp | Vim Script |
| license.spdx | GPL-3.0 | - |
| platform.support | `{"cli":true,"mac":true,"linux":true,"android":true,"windows":true}` | `{"cli":true,"mac":true,"linux":true,"windows":true}` |
| pricing | `{"type":"open_source","summary":"Free and open source","freeTier":true,"sourceUrl":"https://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/","retrievedAt":"2026-10-13T13:45:48.009Z"}` | `{"type":"open_source","sourceUrl":"https://neovim.io","retrievedAt":"2026-09-14T15:29:34.514Z"}` |
| pricing.free_tier | yes | yes |
| pricing.model | open_source | open_source |
| pricing.price_level | free | free |
| pricing.transparent | yes | yes |
| release.cadence_days | - | 43 |
| release.history | - | `[{"url":"https://github.com/neovim/neovim/releases/tag/nightly","date":"2026-10-14T05:24:29Z","type":"prerelease","version":"nightly"},{"url":"https://github.com/neovim/neovim/releases/tag/v0.12.6","date":"2026-10-09T15:43:25Z","type":"stable","version":"v0.12.6"},{"url":"https://github.com/neovim/neovim/releases/tag/stable","date":"2026-10-09T15:43:20Z","type":"stable","version":"stable"},{"url":"https://github.com/neovim/neovim/releases/tag/v0.12.5","date":"2026-08-23T18:27:13Z","type":"stable","version":"v0.12.5"},{"url":"https://github.com/neovim/neovim/releases/tag/v0.12.4","date":"2026-07-05T13:41:40Z","type":"stable","version":"v0.12.4"},{"url":"https://github.com/neovim/neovim/releases/tag/v0.12.3","date":"2026-06-10T22:57:39Z","type":"stable","version":"v0.12.3"},{"url":"https://github.com/neovim/neovim/releases/tag/v0.12.2","date":"2026-04-22T15:03:59Z","type":"stable","version":"v0.12.2"},{"url":"https://github.com/neovim/neovim/releases/tag/v0.12.1","date":"2026-04-06T14:30:16Z","type":"stable","version":"v0.12.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/neovim/neovim/releases/tag/v0.12.0","date":"2026-03-29T17:16:57Z","type":"stable","version":"v0.12.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/neovim/neovim/releases/tag/v0.11.7","date":"2026-03-28T18:14:03Z","type":"stable","version":"v0.11.7"},{"url":"https://github.com/neovim/neovim/releases/tag/v0.11.6","date":"2026-01-26T17:02:35Z","type":"stable","version":"v0.11.6"},{"url":"https://github.com/neovim/neovim/releases/tag/v0.11.5","date":"2025-11-02T17:04:31Z","type":"stable","version":"v0.11.5"},{"url":"https://github.com/neovim/neovim/releases/tag/v0.11.4","date":"2025-08-31T20:08:30Z","type":"stable","version":"v0.11.4"},{"url":"https://github.com/neovim/neovim/releases/tag/v0.11.3","date":"2025-07-12T20:59:35Z","type":"stable","version":"v0.11.3"},{"url":"https://github.com/neovim/neovim/releases/tag/v0.11.2","date":"2025-05-30T09:52:08Z","type":"stable","version":"v0.11.2"},{"url":"https://github.com/neovim/neovim/releases/tag/v0.11.1","date":"2025-04-26T15:14:47Z","type":"stable","version":"v0.11.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/neovim/neovim/releases/tag/v0.11.0","date":"2025-03-26T14:44:20Z","type":"stable","version":"v0.11.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/neovim/neovim/releases/tag/v0.10.4","date":"2025-01-29T10:31:24Z","type":"stable","version":"v0.10.4"},{"url":"https://github.com/neovim/neovim/releases/tag/v0.10.3","date":"2024-12-21T17:26:59Z","type":"stable","version":"v0.10.3"},{"url":"https://github.com/neovim/neovim/releases/tag/v0.10.2","date":"2024-10-03T09:02:18Z","type":"stable","version":"v0.10.2"}]` |
| security.scorecard | 3.2 | 4.5 |
| security.vulnerabilities | `{"count":0,"source":"https://advisories.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/advisories?ecosystem=go&package_name=github.com%2Femacs-mirror%2Femacs&per_page=100","last_12m":0,"max_severity":null}` | `{"count":0,"source":"https://advisories.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/advisories?ecosystem=homebrew&package_name=neovim&per_page=100","last_12m":0,"max_severity":null}` |

## Capabilities (IDEs & Code Editors)

| Capability | Emacs | Neovim |
|---|:--:|:--:|
| **Core** |  |  |
| Type | Terminal editor | Terminal editor |
| Language scope | Polyglot | Polyglot |
| **Deployment** |  |  |
| Deployment | Desktop | Desktop |
| **Platform support** |  |  |
| OS support | GNU/Linux, Windows, macOS, BSD, Haiku, Android | Windows, macOS, Linux (x86_64, arm64) |
| Base platform | Original | Original |
| **Extensibility** |  |  |
| Extensibility | Plugins | Plugins |
| **DX** |  |  |
| LSP / DAP support | ✓ | ✓ |
| Remote / dev-containers | ✗ | ✓ |
| Integrated debugger / profiler | ✓ | - |
| Code intelligence depth | LSP-grade | IDE-grade |
| Built-in git integration | ✗ | - |
| **AI** |  |  |
| Built-in AI | None | None |
| **Licensing** |  |  |
| Openness | Open-source | Open-source |
| **Pricing** |  |  |
| Pricing model | Free | Free |

*Source: vioscaleAI. Generated 2026-10-16T21:00:01.953Z. "-" = undocumented, not absent.*