# Emacs vs Vim

| Attribute | Emacs | Vim |
|---|---|---|
| **vioscaleAI score** | 39.2 (53% (medium)) | 57.5 (28% (low)) |
| activity.commits_last_30d | 100 | 100 |
| adoption.dependent_repos | 0 | 16 |
| adoption.github_stars | 5,218 | 41,156 |
| 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":"An advanced text editor that improves upon the classic Unix vi editor with modern features including multi-level undo, plugin support, and syntax highlighting for hundreds of programming languages. Offered as both terminal and graphical interfaces with extensive tool integration. It is indexed under IDEs & Code Editors.","source":"https://www.vim.org","question":"What is Vim?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"Vim offers a free tier, so you can start without paying. Pricing changes often, so verify at source before relying on it.","source":"https://www.vim.org","question":"Is Vim free?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"Vim 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.vim.org","question":"What platforms does Vim support?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"Yes. Vim can be deployed self-hosted, so it does not have to run on the vendor's infrastructure.","source":"https://www.vim.org","question":"Can Vim be self-hosted?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"Yes. Vim is published under the Vim 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/vim/vim","question":"Is Vim open source?","confidence":0.95}]` |
| deployment.options | `{"self_hosted":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. | An advanced text editor that improves upon the classic Unix vi editor with modern features including multi-level undo, plugin support, and syntax highlighting for hundreds of programming languages. Offered as both terminal and graphical interfaces with extensive tool integration. |
| 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":false,"builtin_ai":"none","deployment":"desktop","os_support":"Windows 7-11, macOS, Linux/Unix, Haiku, VMS, Android","open_source":"oss","base_platform":"original","extensibility":"plugins","pricing_model":"free","language_scope":"polyglot"}` |
| integrations.count | 2 | - |
| integrations.list | `[{"name":"Tree-Sitter"},{"name":"EditorConfig"}]` | - |
| language.primary | Emacs Lisp | Vim Script |
| license.spdx | GPL-3.0 | Vim |
| market.availability | - | `{"primaryMarkets":[],"availabilityScope":"global","availableCountries":[],"notAvailableCountries":[]}` |
| 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":"free","sourceUrl":"https://www.vim.org","retrievedAt":"2026-10-07T15:26:11.718Z"}` |
| pricing.free_tier | yes | yes |
| pricing.model | open_source | free |
| pricing.price_level | free | free |
| pricing.transparent | yes | yes |
| security.scorecard | 3.2 | 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=conda&package_name=vim&per_page=100","last_12m":0,"max_severity":null}` |

## Capabilities (IDEs & Code Editors)

| Capability | Emacs | Vim |
|---|:--:|:--:|
| **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 7-11, macOS, Linux/Unix, Haiku, VMS, Android |
| Base platform | Original | Original |
| **Extensibility** |  |  |
| Extensibility | Plugins | Plugins |
| **DX** |  |  |
| LSP / DAP support | ✓ | ✗ |
| Remote / dev-containers | ✗ | - |
| Integrated debugger / profiler | ✓ | - |
| Code intelligence depth | LSP-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 2026-10-16T19:15:32.607Z. "-" = undocumented, not absent.*