Vimium
Browser extension that adds Vim-style keyboard shortcuts for navigating web pages without a mouse.
Recommended for browsing entirely from the keyboard with Vim-style shortcuts,1234 which commenters say makes them noticeably faster and more productive.567 The main caveat is that it only covers the browser, not the rest of the desktop,8 and one user wanted Vim keybindings inside text boxes too.9
Why people recommend it
Mouse-free navigation · 3
Lets users navigate the browser almost entirely without touching the mouse.
“I recommend vimium https://vimium.github.io/”
“I highly recommend it, it's such a productivity booster”
Show 1 more
“check out the Vimium extension. It made my sentiments very much favour keyboard-driven workflows”
Productivity boost · 3
Users say it makes them much faster, describing it as a productivity booster.
“I use Vimium every day, and it makes me so much faster.”
“I highly recommend it, it's such a productivity booster”
Show 1 more
“I recommend vimium https://vimium.github.io/”
Vim motions everywhere · 3
Suggested as a way to apply Vim keybindings in the browser alongside Vim in the editor.
“Look for software that supports those vi keybindings, for example Vimium in the browser”
“And also Vimium in the browser is great.”
Show 1 more
“I use Vimium in my browser and HN is great to navigate with it”
Link hinting · 2
Following links without pointing at them is singled out as a favorite feature.
“I recommend vimium https://vimium.github.io/”
Browsing Hacker News · 2
Several commenters use it to browse Hacker News, which they say navigates well with it.
“i just browse it in firefox with vimium plugin”
“I use Vimium in my browser and HN is great to navigate with it”
Remappable actions · 1
One commenter uses it to remap most browser actions to their preferred keybindings.
“I use vimium to remap most actions”
Caveats and dissent
Browser only · 2
It only gives a keyboard-driven experience inside the browser, not across the whole system.
“I use Vimium [0] for this very reason -- highly recommend it!”
“I use vimium to remap most actions”
Text input · 1
One user asked how to get Vim keybindings inside text boxes, which Vimium did not provide for them.
Bot detection · 1
One commenter wondered whether mouse-light browsing with Vimium could get them blocked by bot checks.
Keyboard fatigue · 1
A longtime user still sometimes prefers the mouse to avoid keeping their hands on the keyboard all day.
“I use Vimium in my browser and HN is great to navigate with it”
Often compared with
Who recommends it in their own words
Threads where it came up
- GUIs should be fully keyboard-driven 4 mentions
- Mouseless – keyboard-driven control of macOS/Linux/Windows 3 mentions
- Thunderbird for iOS 1 mention
- Show HN: Hntui – A TUI for Hacker News 1 mention
- Window Hints – Keyboard-first window switching 1 mention
- Precursor 1 mention
Data: vimium.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 17
“especially with the vimium plugin”
“i just browse it in firefox with vimium plugin”
“I use Vimium [0] for this very reason -- highly recommend it!”
“I highly recommend it, it's such a productivity booster”
“I recommend vimium https://vimium.github.io/”
“check out the Vimium extension. It made my sentiments very much favour keyboard-driven workflows”
“I use Vimium every day, and it makes me so much faster.”
“I use vimium”
“I use vimium to remap most actions”
“In the web I use Vimium”
“for the browser i use vimium extension”
“I use Vimium in my browser and HN is great to navigate with it”
“dark reader, vimium, sideberry”
“Look for software that supports those vi keybindings, for example Vimium in the browser”
“And also Vimium in the browser is great.”
“Vimium seems great for navigation.”
“I started seriously using vimium on chrome and firefox”