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> but the almost-like-vim-but-not-really key bindings are a deal breaker. I just can't make the switch.

> If Helix were completely different in this regard, like Emacs is, I could handle--and I know because I use both vim and Emacs regularly pretty fluently. But Helix is way too close to the vim keybindings to discern it from a memory muscle perspective.

You might want to reconsider trying a bit to see if you think it's worth it. I ended up learning vim deeply, emacs deeply, and meow (most similar to Helix being almost somewhat vim-like but different) somewhat deeply. I thought before each one that I couln't possibly learn the other, especially the similar one.

Same. Helix made me realized vim is a walled garden and I willingly helped buidling those walls.

The thing that worked for me: Don't try to be focused on coding efficiency when learning Helix. I've used Vim for well over a decade and I'm very fluent in it. But when I decided to learn to use Helix, I shifted my mindset to a Notepad.exe-like experience. A lot more scrolling, a lot less jumping. And then I started prioritizing the most needed shortcuts one by one. Helix also has a nice command search that is available via "space ?" that helped me find the commands and key combos that I wanted to learn.

I also went through the :tutor several times. Unfortunately, it doesn't cover typical coding activities, but it does a good job at explaining the editing model.

The features of Helix are also a lot more discoverable than in Vim, because you get these nice menus when you press one of <space> g m v

I don't think this is such a big deal. Yeah, you'd spent a couple of days cursing at your fingers. The bindings are an improvement and they require an investment, like all things worthwhile in life.

"not a big deal" and "[Helix] bindings are an improvement" are rather subjective in this case I'm afraid

I've been using helix a while, and compared to vim, the bindings are not as time-efficient as vim bindings are, but I just can never get LSP to work quite right at neovim, so I use helix for code

I switch between helix and evil bindings on emacs.

(To the extent that it matters, I also mostly use the Dvorak keyboard layout if I can, but can still use QWERTY).

The helix keymap overall seems very well thought out. The built-in multicursor functionality also seems very expressive/powerful.

I will sometimes think I'm driving helix when in emacs (or vice versa), but overall don't see that as a major issue.

It did take a bit of time to learn how to do some things in Helix which I'm otherwise comfortable doing with vim motions.

Same here. Not that having a different editing modal is a bad thing, but vim model is proven so well that I'm not sure why any new editor would choose to die on this hill and not offer vim keybindings for many more audiences.

I find this baffling. Who is even going to try a new modal editor if they are not already a vim (bindings) user?

Users of kakoune, like myself. What I don't understand is why this is seem as such a big deal. You spend most of your workday in your editor of choice. It's not that big a deal to spend a day or two getting used to the (IMO better) keybindings. I still up using vim for some things, like vimdiff, and I don't find it difficult to move between the two. Then again, I also use Dvorak, so maybe I'm just used to changing between layouts.

Oh thank you for the pointer. I'm exactly at your point where I tried it a few times, but >30 years of VIM keybindings in my fingers make it too painful to switch and stick to it. I'll try those.

BTW: nearly 500 stars for this simple config, that should send a clear message to Helix devs.

Has any vim-like ever not had the complaint that it was insufficiently vim so as to be impossible to switch to?

I suspect the helix devs knew what they were doing when they deviated from the vim gospel.

One does not convert the users of vim; text editors are like science — it advances one death at a time.

Same here. The vim muscle memory is too strong.