How I Use Vim In My Obsidian Workflow

Summary

The speaker, an avid Vim and NeoVim user for over a decade, extols the virtues of using Vim key bindings in Obsidian for efficient note-taking and text editing. They demonstrate how to navigate and edit documents without a mouse, highlighting the customization options and the seamless integration between Obsidian and Vim. The video also recommends the 'relative line numbers' plugin for enhanced usability and emphasizes the importance of minimizing friction when organizing thoughts through a zettelkasten system.

Takeaways

• 🔥 The speaker has been a dedicated Vim user for over a decade and has been using NeoVim for about 5 years.
• 🌐 They utilize Vimium, a web version of Vim, to navigate websites without a mouse, showcasing Vim's versatility beyond text editing.
• 💡 The compatibility between Obsidian and Vim is highlighted due to their shared modifiability and customizability, which are important to the speaker.
• 🛠️ Vim's efficiency in text editing is emphasized, as it is a vital component in everyday life for tasks ranging from programming to making shopping lists.
• 🎯 The speaker values the best way to do things as the one that works best for them, which is why they prefer Obsidian for note-taking and Vim for text maneuverability.
• 📝 Enabling Vim key bindings in Obsidian requires no installation; it's a simple toggle in the settings editor's advanced section.
• 📚 The speaker assumes the audience has a basic understanding of Vim, as the script is not a tutorial but rather an endorsement of its use within Obsidian.
• 🔑 Quick and effective navigation within documents is a must for the speaker, and Vim facilitates this without the need for a cursor or mouse.
• 📈 The script demonstrates practical Vim commands for document navigation and editing, such as jumping to the top or bottom, and changing titles.
• 📌 A community plugin for relative line numbers is recommended for an enhanced editing experience in Obsidian, similar to the speaker's setup.
• 🚀 The speaker is passionate about Vim and its potential to save time and reduce friction in the thought-to-document process, especially with a zettelkasten system.

Q & A

How long has the speaker been using Vim?

The speaker has been using Vim for over a decade.

What is NeoVim and how long has the speaker been using it?

NeoVim is a newer version of Vim, and the speaker has been using it for close to 5 years.

What is Vimium and how does it relate to Vim?

Vimium is the web version of Vim, allowing the speaker to navigate websites without using a mouse, by using Vim-like hotkeys.

Why does the speaker believe that Obsidian and Vim are a good match?

The speaker believes Obsidian and Vim are a good match because both are inherently modifiable and customizable, which are important to the speaker.

What does the speaker consider vital in their everyday life for editing text?

The speaker considers the ability to edit text in the best way possible, tailored to their personal preferences, as vital in their everyday life.

Is there a need to install anything to use Vim key bindings in Obsidian?

No, there is no need for installation. Vim key bindings can be enabled in the settings editor under the advanced section in Obsidian.

What does the speaker recommend for someone new to Vim?

The speaker recommends that new users should first look at Vim tutorials, work with it within a terminal, and then try using it inside of Obsidian.

How does the speaker navigate and edit documents quickly in Obsidian using Vim?

The speaker uses Vim commands to navigate and edit documents quickly, such as '11 up' to move to a specific line, and changing text without using a cursor.

What plugin does the speaker suggest to download for displaying relative line numbers in Obsidian?

The speaker suggests downloading the 'relative line numbers' plugin from the community plugins section in Obsidian.

What is the speaker's main concern when it comes to editing documents?

The speaker's main concern is to minimize the disconnect between thinking and writing, aiming to remove as much friction as possible to use their time effectively.

How does the speaker feel about creating content about Vim?

The speaker feels that they could create hours of content about Vim, but doubts there would be an appropriate size audience for such content.

Outlines

00:00

🖥️ Vim and NeoVim: Enhancing Productivity with Key Bindings

The speaker expresses a deep affinity for Vim, a highly customizable text editor, and its newer version, NeoVim, which they have been using for about five years. They also mention Vimium, a browser extension that allows Vim-like navigation on the web without a mouse. The speaker emphasizes the importance of modifiability and customization in their workflow, highlighting how Obsidian, a note-taking app, pairs perfectly with Vim due to its inherent customizability. They explain that using Vim key bindings in Obsidian doesn't require installation and can be enabled through settings, assuming the user already understands Vim's basic functionality. The speaker also demonstrates how to use Vim commands to navigate and edit documents efficiently within Obsidian.

Keywords

💡Vim

Vim is a highly configurable text editor built to enable efficient text editing. It is renowned for its modal editing, which allows users to switch between different modes for inserting, editing, and navigating text. In the video, the speaker's fondness for Vim is evident as they mention using it for over a decade and its web version, Vimium, for navigating websites without a mouse.

💡NeoVim

NeoVim is an extension of Vim that aims to improve the extensibility and maintainability of the original Vim editor. It is designed to be highly modular and script-friendly. The speaker has been using NeoVim for about 5 years, indicating their deep engagement with the Vim ecosystem and its evolution.

💡Vimium

Vimium is a browser extension that brings Vim's key bindings to the web, allowing users to navigate and control the browser with keyboard shortcuts. The speaker uses Vimium to navigate websites efficiently, demonstrating the cross-platform utility of Vim's keyboard-centric approach.

💡Modifiable and Customizable

These terms refer to the ability to change and adapt software to suit individual preferences and needs. The video emphasizes the importance of these attributes for the speaker, as they find them crucial for their workflow, whether in text editing or note-taking with Obsidian.

💡Obsidian

Obsidian is a markdown-based note-taking app that is known for its ability to create interconnected notes and knowledge management. The speaker highlights Obsidian's compatibility with Vim, which enhances their note-taking experience by allowing them to navigate and edit notes efficiently.

💡vim key bindings

Vim key bindings refer to the specific keyboard shortcuts used in Vim for various editing operations. In the context of Obsidian, enabling these key bindings allows the speaker to use Vim's navigation and editing techniques within the note-taking app, streamlining their workflow.

💡Efficiency

Efficiency in this video is about performing tasks in the most effective and least time-consuming way. The speaker values efficiency in their text editing and note-taking, using tools like Vim and Obsidian to minimize the time spent on navigation and editing.

💡Relative Numbers

Relative numbers is a feature that shows the distance of each line from the current line in a text editor, aiding in quick navigation. The speaker mentions downloading a plugin for relative line numbers in Obsidian to enhance their navigation experience.

💡Zettelkasten System

The Zettelkasten system is a method of organizing and interlinking notes in a way that facilitates the retrieval and synthesis of information. The speaker mentions using this system and the importance of reducing 'limbic friction' to organize thoughts effectively.

💡Cursor

A cursor in the context of text editing refers to the blinking line or block that indicates where the next character will be typed. The speaker demonstrates navigating and editing text without using a mouse cursor, showcasing the hands-on approach enabled by Vim's key bindings.

💡Community Plugins

Community plugins are additional software components created by the user community to extend the functionality of a base application. In the video, the speaker mentions using a community plugin for relative line numbers in Obsidian to improve their editing experience.

Highlights

User has been using Vim for over a decade and NeoVim for close to 5 years.

User's love for Vim extends to using Vimium, the web version of Vim, for mouseless navigation.

Demonstration of using Vimium to navigate websites with hot keys.

Obsidian and Vim are a perfect match due to their inherent modifiability and customizability.

Text editing is a vital component in everyday life and should be done in the most efficient way for the individual.

No installation is necessary for using Vim key bindings in Obsidian.

Instructions on how to enable Vim key bindings in Obsidian's settings editor.

Assumption that the viewer understands Vim and knows its basic functionality.

Recommendation to try Vim in a terminal before using it in Obsidian.

User's need for quick and effective document navigation in Obsidian.

Demonstration of renaming and editing a document title without using a cursor.

Efficient navigation to the bottom and top of a document using Vim commands.

Use of Vim commands to move halfway down a document and edit a title.

Suggestion to download the 'relative line numbers' plugin for Obsidian.

The importance of reducing cognitive friction when organizing thoughts through a zettelkasten system.

The user's commitment to using time effectively in their workflow.

Invitation for viewers to share their thoughts in the comments.

Transcripts

I've been using Vim for over a decade now,

and its newer version,

NeoVim, for close to 5 years maybe.

I love Vim so much that I even use Vimium,

which is the web version of Vim,

and allows me to do this

and so I can navigate

websites without the use of the mouse

as you can see

let's say I want to hop into this link over here

I just do sk

boom and I'm in

same thing with navigating here

I'm not using my trackpad at all

nor my mouse

I can maneuver around

easily using the hot keys that are provided from

Vimium's interface

the main reason why Obsidian and vim are

such a match made in heaven is that both are inherently

modifiable and customizable

which are very important things for me

editing text

whether it be programming or making a shopping list

it's a vital component in our everyday lives

and whenever it comes to doing something

I want to do it in the best way possible

now that doesn't necessarily mean

whatever is the most common

the best way possible for me is what works best for me

what makes sense to me

so Obsidian being my preferred choice of note taking

and vim being my personally optimal choice for

maneuverability within text

they truly are a match made in heaven

when it comes to vim

inside of Obsidian

there's actually no installation necessary

all you got to do is go into your settings editor

all the way down

and in the advanced section

you'll find vim key bindings

now keep in mind

this is not a tutorial on how to

use vim in and of itself

this is all supposing that you understand vim

and know at least the basic functionality so beware

if you're looking to try out vim and see if you like it

and you've never tried it before

I'd highly recommend instead to look at some vim

tutorials first

work with it within a terminal

and then try using it inside of Obsidian

using them inside of Obsidian is a must for me

because I need to maneuver around my document quickly

and effectively

let's say I want to change the name of Chapter 5 and

and remove that entirely

I don't want to be called Chapter 5

I just want it to be

the title itself

so I just do 11 up

go here change two words

I can either put a new name here

or let's say

I don't want anything

and I do all of this without having to

use my cursor at all

let's say I want to

move all the way to the bottom of document

I just do a capital G

to the top of the document

do a double lowercase G

they wanna move halfway down the document to chapter 2

and I wanna edit the title there 12 down

I move over here

Setting up Vim in Obsidian

I wanna do setting up

Obsidian with them

boom all done

without having to move my mouse at all

I don't even know where my mouse is

oh look it's right there

now one thing you will want to download

if you want to use something such as

the relative numbers

as you can see on the left hand side here

right now I'm on line 53

and you can see the relative

distance that each line is above and below

for that all you got to do is go into community plugins

and I believe it's called relative

yeah relative line numbers

you download that

enable it and you'll have exactly the same interface

that I have here

and honestly

that's really about it

I can make hours and hours of content all about Vim

but I doubt that there would be an appropriate size

audience for that

every millisecond that I have to disconnect my thinking

from what I have to do in order to

get my thoughts across

into my document

that's a millisecond too long

you may be thinking I'm exaggerating

but when it comes to thoughts and having a lot of them

especially if you try to organize it all through

a zettelkasten system

and want to remove as much lymbic friction

it's vital to use your time effectively

and that should wrap up today's video

let me know your thoughts in the comments below

and I will see you tomorrow