micro vs VSCodeVim
Which should you use? A side-by-side look at what each one does, who it suits, what it costs, how hard it is to set up, and where each falls short.
Open source · MIT
A simple, nano-like terminal text editor with mouse support and multiple cursors.
Open source · MIT
Vim keybindings and modes inside Visual Studio Code, as a VS Code extension.
The short answer
Choose micro if you need…
- People who work mostly in a terminal and want an easy editor
- Anyone editing files on remote machines over SSH
- Users coming from nano who want a more modern editor
- People who want mouse support and multiple cursors in a terminal editor
Choose VSCodeVim if you need…
- Developers who already know Vim and want its keybindings in VS Code
- People who want to customize keys with settings.json remappings
- Users who want to load parts of an existing .vimrc into VS Code
Side-by-side
| micro | VSCodeVim | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | App | App |
| Price | Free and open source | Free and open source |
| Licence | MIT | MIT |
| GitHub stars | 29.8k | 15.2k |
| Setup difficulty | Beginner | Beginner |
| How you get it | Install with a package manager | Download the app |
| Main language | Go | TypeScript |
| Last code update | 4 days ago | 6 days ago |
What each one is
micro
micro is a text editor that runs inside a terminal window, meant to be easy to install and use while still taking advantage of modern terminal features. It ships as a single binary with no dependencies, so you can download and run it without extra setup. It is intended as a successor to nano and is aimed at people who edit files in a terminal or over SSH.
VSCodeVim
VSCodeVim is an extension that makes Visual Studio Code behave like the Vim text editor, so you can edit text with Vim's keyboard commands and modes. People use it when they already know Vim and want those habits inside VS Code. The README describes it as a Vim emulator rather than real Vim, and it supports settings, key remapping, and a .vimrc file.
Best for
micro
- People who work mostly in a terminal and want an easy editor
- Anyone editing files on remote machines over SSH
- Users coming from nano who want a more modern editor
- People who want mouse support and multiple cursors in a terminal editor
VSCodeVim
- Developers who already know Vim and want its keybindings in VS Code
- People who want to customize keys with settings.json remappings
- Users who want to load parts of an existing .vimrc into VS Code
Strengths
micro
- Installs as a single static binary with no dependencies, per the README
- Familiar common keybindings such as Ctrl-s, Ctrl-c, and Ctrl-v, and rebindable
- Available through many package managers across Linux, macOS, Windows, and BSD
VSCodeVim
- Brings familiar Vim keybindings into VS Code
- Configurable through VS Code settings and key remapping options
- Open source under the MIT license with an active issue tracker
Not ideal for
micro
- People who want a full IDE with deep language tooling; the README describes only a basic 'simple autocompletion' and linting features
- Users on Mingw/Cygwin, since the README says those environments are not supported on Windows
VSCodeVim
- Users who have never used Vim and want a simple editor, since the modal keys have a learning curve
- People expecting full Vim feature parity, because the README calls it an emulator and lists some plugin emulations rather than the full set
Trade-offs
micro
- Keybindings use Ctrl or Alt, and the README notes macOS terminals may need setup to forward Alt keys
- Some package manager versions may not be up to date, according to the README
- Linux clipboard integration needs xclip, xsel, or wl-clipboard installed
VSCodeVim
- Emulation is not identical to real Vim, so some behavior may differ
- On Mac, key-repeat needs a terminal command and a logout to work properly
- On Windows it takes over control keys unless you adjust the useCtrlKeys and handleKeys settings
Getting started
micro
Install with Homebrew on Mac
brew install microInstall with Snap on Linux
snap install micro --classicFrequently asked questions
What is the difference between micro and VSCodeVim?
micro: A simple, nano-like terminal text editor with mouse support and multiple cursors. VSCodeVim: Vim keybindings and modes inside Visual Studio Code, as a VS Code extension. micro suits people who work mostly in a terminal and want an easy editor, while VSCodeVim suits developers who already know vim and want its keybindings in vs code.
Are micro and VSCodeVim free?
micro: Free and open source. VSCodeVim: Free and open source.
Is micro or VSCodeVim more popular?
micro has more GitHub stars (29.8k) than VSCodeVim (15.2k). Popularity isn't the same as fit — check which one matches your use case above.
What are other alternatives to micro and VSCodeVim?
Other options people compare them with include Edit, IdeaVim, Pretty TypeScript Errors, Git History.
Keep comparing
Built from our catalogue entries for both products: open-source details come from each project's README (AI-assisted, refreshed weekly) and GitHub data; AI-tool details are editorial. Spotted something wrong? Let us know from either product's page.