Helix
Modal terminal text editor written in Rust with built-in LSP support and multiple cursors.
Liked as a fast, batteries-included terminal editor with sane defaults123, selection-first editing and multiple cursors.45 The most common complaint is the learning curve and keybindings that clash with Vim muscle memory678, plus missing features like code folding and a plugin system.91011
Why people recommend it
Terminal workflow · 3
Commenters use it as their main terminal editor, often paired with tmux, Zellij or AI agents.
“Helix is a really nice editor. I use it as my go-to for when I'm in the terminal environment.”
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“Combined it becomes a very powerful setup!”
Speed · 3
Described as fast, snappy and lightweight once learned.
“I use Helix as an editor which has a steeper learning curve than, say, VSCode, but is way faster once you're up and running with it.”
“For writing the code by hand I recommend Helix, batteries included, fast and efficient.”
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“I want to like it, it's much snappier than vim”
Sane defaults · 3
Works out of the box without heavy configuration and doesn't break on updates.
“It has all the things I was jealous about vim, BUT it has sane defaults ootb.”
“For writing the code by hand I recommend Helix, batteries included, fast and efficient.”
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“Helix does what it does, no fuzz. Never breaks.”
Selection-first editing · 2
Multiple cursors and selection-then-action editing feel intuitive for complex edits.
“ever since switching to Helix I reach for its multiple cursors all the time”
“Helix is a really nice editor. I use it as my go-to for when I'm in the terminal environment.”
LSP navigation · 3
Built-in language server support enables go-to-definition and fast jumping, even for Markdown notes.
“I'd really miss go-to-definition, and being able to jump between sections of text quickly.”
“I use .MD files, helix terminal editor with a markdown LSP called markdown-oxide”
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“it works fine with helix editor”
Caveats and dissent
Vim muscle memory · 3
Vim users find search-and-replace, pasting and line selection awkward.
“I want to like it, it's much snappier than vim”
“I love it but the search and replace sequences are too complicated”
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“Helix has been my daily driver for a few years now”
Learning curve · 2
Steeper to learn than VS Code, and multiple cursors take thought.
“I use Helix as an editor which has a steeper learning curve than, say, VSCode, but is way faster once you're up and running with it.”
“ever since switching to Helix I reach for its multiple cursors all the time”
Missing features · 3
Lacks code folding, returning to the last edit position, and file creation in the explorer.
“The thing that keeps me from using it is lack of code folding”
“That is going to be a deal-breaker for me. One reason I use vim over many other options”
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“I want to like it, it's much snappier than vim”
No plugins yet · 1
Development is slow and the plugin system hasn't shipped.
“I've used Helix as my main editor over the past few years, I love it”
No GUI tools · 1
A switcher from JetBrains sometimes misses the GUI and debugger.
“I have switched to Helix inside Zellij + Jujutsu instead of git and not really looking back after.”
Often compared with
1 moved from Vim to Helix
2 moved from Neovim to Helix
1 moved from Visual Studio Code to Helix
1 moved from Emacs to Helix
1 moved from LazyVim to HelixJetBrains1 comment mention both
1 moved from JetBrains to Helix
Who recommends it in their own words
Threads where it came up
- Helix: A post-modern text editor 5 mentions
- Mitos editor is a fork of Helix 4 mentions
- Show HN: Files.md – open-source alternative to Obsidian 2 mentions
- I switched from VSCode to Zed 2 mentions
- Beginner-friendly, unofficial documentation for Helix text editor 2 mentions
- Ask HN: What's your SSH terminal workflow like? 1 mention
Data: helix.json. Quotes are verbatim; the verdict and theme labels are written by a model from these comments, and every clause links to its sources.
All comments 30
“I switch to nvim/helix (still evaluating both. Don’t know what to pick)”
“I use Helix”
“why an existing user of Helix might consider to use Mitos instead (or not)”
“borrowing some of the features I enjoyed in Helix and other editors”
“I'd really miss go-to-definition, and being able to jump between sections of text quickly.”
“The thing that keeps me from using it is lack of code folding”
“Layout-wise, I went with Workman. Makes Helix interesting, but it's muscle-memory now.”
“ever since switching to Helix I reach for its multiple cursors all the time”
“More of a helix user these days.”
“it works fine with helix editor”
“A Mecrisp-Stellaris Forth LSP for the Helix editor”
“because of a more lightweight editor helix, it doesn't feel like a slog”
“I study literatureand I use a modal editor for all my writing.”
“I use .MD files, helix terminal editor with a markdown LSP called markdown-oxide”
“I use helix for normal editing”
“Fish, zoxide, tmux, helix, ripgrep, fd-find, htop. There are many more, but these are the ones that I enjoy using.”
“much prefer Claude code with helix in the terminal”
“I have switched to Helix inside Zellij + Jujutsu instead of git and not really looking back after.”
“It has all the things I was jealous about vim, BUT it has sane defaults ootb.”
“Helix does what it does, no fuzz. Never breaks.”
“I've used Helix as my main editor over the past few years, I love it”
“I love it but the search and replace sequences are too complicated”
“I want to like it, it's much snappier than vim”
“Helix is a really nice editor. I use it as my go-to for when I'm in the terminal environment.”
“I use Helix as an editor which has a steeper learning curve than, say, VSCode, but is way faster once you're up and running with it.”
“For writing the code by hand I recommend Helix, batteries included, fast and efficient.”
“Combined it becomes a very powerful setup!”
“I mostly work with Firefox, kubectl, k9s, helix”
“That is going to be a deal-breaker for me. One reason I use vim over many other options”
“Helix has been my daily driver for a few years now”