Learn Vimscript the Hard Way Epub 11: Tips and Tricks from a Vim Expert
Learn Vimscript The Hard Way Epub 11: A Review
If you are a user of the Vim editor who wants to learn how to customize it, you might have heard of a book called Learn Vimscript The Hard Way. This book is a popular and comprehensive guide to learning Vimscript, the scripting language that powers Vim. But what if you prefer reading ebooks over physical books or web pages? In this article, we will review the epub version of Learn Vimscript The Hard Way, which is available for purchase or download online. We will cover what Vimscript is and why you should learn it, what the book offers and how it differs from other resources, how to get and read the epub version on various devices, and how to use the book as a learning tool.
Learn Vimscript The Hard Way Epub 11
What is Vimscript and why should you learn it?
Vimscript is a programming language that allows you to customize and extend the functionality of Vim, one of the most powerful and versatile text editors in existence. Vimscript lets you create your own commands, mappings, functions, plugins, syntax highlighting, folding, status lines, and more. By learning Vimscript, you can make Vim work exactly the way you want it to, improving your productivity and efficiency as a coder, writer, or any kind of text manipulator.
Learning Vimscript also helps you understand how Vim works under the hood, which can make you a better Vim user in general. You will be able to troubleshoot problems, debug errors, optimize performance, and leverage existing plugins and scripts more effectively. You will also be able to contribute to the Vim community by sharing your own creations or improving others'.
What is Learn Vimscript The Hard Way?
Who is the author and what is his background?
Learn Vimscript The Hard Way is a book written by Steve Losh, a software engineer and avid Vim user. Steve has been using Vim for over a decade and has created several popular plugins and scripts for it, such as Gundo, Badwolf, and Splice. He also maintains a blog where he writes about various topics related to programming and Vim.
Steve wrote Learn Vimscript The Hard Way because he felt that there was a lack of good resources for learning Vimscript. He wanted to create a book that would teach Vimscript from scratch, in a clear and practical way, with plenty of examples and exercises. He also wanted to share his own tips and tricks for writing clean, elegant, and efficient Vimscript code.
What is the structure and content of the book?
Learn Vimscript The Hard Way is divided into three sections, each covering a different aspect of Vimscript. The first section introduces the basic Vim commands that you can use in your /.vimrc file to customize Vim quickly and easily. You will learn how to set options, create mappings, use abbreviations, write autocommands, and more. The second section dives deeper into Vimscript as a programming language, covering things like variables, comparisons, functions, loops, dictionaries, regular expressions, and more. You will learn how to write your own logic and algorithms in Vimscript, as well as how to use built-in functions and commands. The third section walks you through the creation of a sample plugin intended for distribution to other Vim users. You will learn how to structure your plugin, detect filetypes, create syntax highlighting, folding, and movement commands, interact with external commands, autoload functions, write documentation, and more.
The book is written in a tutorial style, with each chapter presenting a new concept or feature, followed by an example and an exercise. The examples are taken from real-world scenarios and show how to use Vimscript to solve common problems or enhance Vim's functionality. The exercises are designed to test your understanding and reinforce your learning. The book also includes occasional challenges that challenge you to apply what you learned in creative ways.
What are the benefits and drawbacks of the book?
One of the main benefits of Learn Vimscript The Hard Way is that it is comprehensive and thorough. It covers almost everything you need to know about Vimscript, from the basics to the advanced topics. It also explains the concepts and syntax in a clear and concise way, with plenty of examples and exercises. The book is suitable for both beginners and experienced Vimmers who want to learn or improve their Vimscript skills.
Another benefit of the book is that it is practical and relevant. It shows you how to use Vimscript to customize and extend Vim in ways that are useful and meaningful for your own workflow. It also teaches you best practices and conventions for writing clean, elegant, and efficient Vimscript code. The book is not just a reference manual or a cookbook; it is a guide that helps you think like a Vimscript programmer.
One of the possible drawbacks of the book is that it is not updated frequently. The latest version of the book was published in 2013, which means that some of the information or examples may be outdated or incompatible with newer versions of Vim or plugins. For example, the book does not cover some of the newer features or commands that were added to Vim since then, such as :terminal, :packadd, :helpgrep, etc. The book also does not mention some of the newer or alternative tools or frameworks for developing plugins or scripts for Vim, such as vim-plug, pathogen, dein, Neovim, etc.
Another possible drawback of the book is that it is not very interactive or engaging. The book is mostly text-based, with few images or diagrams. The examples and exercises are mostly static and do not provide immediate feedback or hints. The book also does not have any quizzes or tests to check your progress or comprehension. The book relies on your own motivation and discipline to follow along and complete the exercises.
How to get the epub version of Learn Vimscript The Hard Way?
Why choose epub over other formats?
Epub is a popular and widely supported format for ebooks. It stands for electronic publication and it is based on HTML and XML standards. Epub files are designed to be flexible and adaptable to different devices and screen sizes. They can also include metadata, images, fonts, stylesheets, audio, video, interactivity, and more.
Where to buy or download the epub version?
There are several ways to get the epub version of Learn Vimscript The Hard Way. One way is to buy it from the official website of the book, which is https://learnvimscriptthehardway.stevelosh.com/. The epub version costs $8 and you can pay with PayPal or credit card. You will also get access to the PDF and mobi versions of the book, as well as any future updates or revisions.
Another way to get the epub version is to download it for free from GitHub, where the author has generously shared the source code and files of the book. The GitHub repository of the book is https://github.com/sjl/learnvimscriptthehardway. You can either clone or download the repository and then use a tool like Pandoc or Calibre to convert the HTML files into epub files. Alternatively, you can download the pre-compiled epub file from this link: https://github.com/sjl/learnvimscriptthehardway/releases/download/v1.0/lvthw.epub.
A third way to get the epub version is to use an online service that can convert web pages into ebooks. For example, you can use Dotepub, which is a browser extension that lets you download any web page as an epub file with a single click. You can install Dotepub on Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Opera, and then visit the online version of Learn Vimscript The Hard Way at https://learnvimscriptthehardway.stevelosh.com/. Then you can click on the Dotepub icon on your browser toolbar and choose whether you want to download the whole book or just a single chapter as an epub file.
How to read the epub version on different devices?
Once you have obtained the epub version of Learn Vimscript The Hard Way, you can read it on various devices and platforms. Epub files are compatible with most ebook readers and apps, such as Kindle, Kobo, Nook, iBooks, Google Play Books, etc. You can also read epub files on your computer using software like Calibre, Adobe Digital Editions, Sumatra PDF, etc. You can also read epub files on your browser using extensions like EPUBReader for Firefox or Readium for Chrome.
To read the epub version of Learn Vimscript The Hard Way on your device, you need to transfer the file from your computer to your device using a USB cable, a cloud service, an email attachment, or a wireless connection. Depending on your device and app, you may need to import or open the file manually or it may be detected automatically. You can then adjust the settings and preferences of your reader or app to suit your reading experience.
How to use Learn Vimscript The Hard Way as a learning resource?
How to follow along with the exercises and examples?
The best way to learn Vimscript from Learn Vimscript The Hard Way is to follow along with the exercises and examples in the book. The book assumes that you have a basic knowledge of how to use Vim and that you have Vim installed on your computer. You will also need a text editor that can edit plain text files, such as Notepad, TextEdit, Gedit, etc.
To follow along with the exercises and examples, you need to create a separate directory for each chapter of the book. For example, you can create a directory called lvthw in your home directory and then create subdirectories for each chapter, such as lvthw/chapter01, lvthw/chapter02, etc. You can then use your text editor to create and edit the files that the book instructs you to create or modify, such as /.vimrc, test.vim, plugin.vim, etc. You can then use Vim to run or test the files and see the results.
It is important that you type the commands and code yourself, rather than copy and paste them from the book or the web. This will help you remember and understand the syntax and logic better. It is also important that you try to solve the exercises and challenges yourself, rather than look up the answers or solutions. This will help you develop your problem-solving and debugging skills. If you get stuck or confused, you can always refer to the book or the web for help, but try to figure it out on your own first.
How to test your knowledge and skills?
Another way to learn Vimscript from Learn Vimscript The Hard Way is to test your knowledge and skills regularly. The book provides several ways to do this, such as exercises, challenges, quizzes, and projects. You can use these as a way to review what you learned, check your understanding, and apply your skills.
The exercises are short tasks that ask you to write or modify some Vimscript code or commands. They are usually given at the end of each chapter or section, and they are meant to reinforce your learning and practice your skills. The challenges are more difficult tasks that ask you to write or modify some Vimscript code or commands that are not covered in the book. They are usually given at the end of some chapters, and they are meant to challenge your creativity and problem-solving abilities. The quizzes are multiple-choice questions that ask you to choose the correct answer from a list of options. They are usually given at the end of some chapters, and they are meant to test your memory and comprehension. The projects are larger tasks that ask you to create a complete plugin or script for Vim. They are usually given at the end of some sections, and they are meant to demonstrate your mastery and application of Vimscript.
To test your knowledge and skills, you should try to complete the exercises, challenges, quizzes, and projects as best as you can, without looking up the answers or solutions. You can use Vim and your text editor to write and run the code or commands, and compare them with the expected results or outputs. You can also use Vim's built-in help system or online resources to look up any information or details that you need. You can then check your answers or solutions with the ones provided in the book or on the web, and see how well you did.
How to apply what you learned to your own projects?
The ultimate way to learn Vimscript from Learn Vimscript The Hard Way is to apply what you learned to your own projects. The book gives you a solid foundation and a useful toolkit for writing Vimscript code or commands that can customize and extend Vim's functionality. You can use these skills to create your own plugins, scripts, mappings, functions, etc., that can enhance your productivity and efficiency as a Vim user.
etc. You can then use your text editor and Vim to write and test your Vimscript code or commands, and see how they work and what they do.
To apply what you learned, you should also follow the best practices and conventions that the book teaches you for writing Vimscript code or commands. For example, you should use descriptive and consistent names for your variables, functions, plugins, etc. You should also use comments and documentation to explain your code or commands and how to use them. You should also use indentation and spacing to make your code or commands readable and organized. You should also use error handling and debugging techniques to prevent or fix any bugs or issues in your code or commands.
To apply what you learned, you should also share your Vimscript code or commands with other Vim users and get feedback from them. You can do this by publishing your plugins or scripts on online platforms like GitHub, Vim.org, Reddit, etc. You can also join online communities like Stack Overflow, IRC, Discord, etc., where you can ask questions, answer questions, or discuss Vimscript topics with other Vimmers. You can also attend offline events like meetups, workshops, conferences, etc., where you can meet other Vimmers in person and learn from them.
Conclusion
Summary of the main points
In this article, we reviewed the epub version of Learn Vimscript The Hard Way, a book that teaches you how to customize and extend Vim using Vimscript. We covered the following points:
Vimscript is a programming language that lets you create your own commands, mappings, functions, plugins, etc., for Vim.
Learn Vimscript The Hard Way is a book that teaches you Vimscript from scratch, in a clear and practical way, with plenty of examples and exercises.
The book is divided into three sections: the first covers basic Vim commands that you can use in your /.vimrc file to customize Vim quickly and easily; the second covers Vimscript as a programming language; and the third covers the creation of a sample plugin for Vim.
The book is comprehensive and thorough, covering almost everything you need to know about Vimscript. It is also practical and relevant, showing you how to use Vimscript to solve common problems or enhance Vim's functionality.
The book is available in epub format, which is a flexible and adaptable format for ebooks. You can buy the epub version from the official website of the book for $8, or download it for free from GitHub or using an online service like Dotepub.
You can read the epub version on various devices and platforms using ebook readers or apps like Kindle, Kobo, iBooks, Google Play Books, etc., or using software like Calibre, Adobe Digital Editions, Sumatra PDF, etc., or using browser extensions like EPUBReader or Readium.
You can use the book as a learning resource by following along with the exercises and examples in the book; testing your knowledge and skills with the exercises, challenges, quizzes, and projects in the book; and applying what you learned to your own projects using Vimscript.
Recommendations for further learning
If you enjoyed Learn Vimscript The Hard Way and want to learn more about Vimscript or Vim in general, here are some recommendations for further learning:
Read Vim's built-in help system, which is a comprehensive and authoritative source of information and documentation for Vim and Vimscript. You can access it by typing :help in Vim.
Read the appendix of Learn Vimscript The Hard Way, which contains some additional topics and resources that are not covered in the main book.
Read Practical Vim, a book that teaches you how to master the core features and commands of Vim.
Read Modern Vim, a book that teaches you how to use Vim with modern tools and plugins.
Read Vimways, a website that publishes articles and tutorials about Vim and Vimscript every year.
Read Vimcasts, a website that publishes screencasts and articles about Vim and Vimscript.
Read Vim Awesome, a website that lists and ranks the best plugins for Vim.
Read Vim.org scripts, a website that hosts thousands of scripts and plugins for Vim.
Read r/vim, a subreddit where you can discuss Vim and Vimscript topics with other Vimmers.
Read Stack Overflow questions tagged with vim, where you can ask or answer questions about Vim and Vimscript.
Join #vim on Libera Chat, an IRC channel where you can chat with other Vimmers in real time.
Join The Vim Community on Discord, a Discord server where you can chat with other Vimmers in real time.
Attend VimConf, an annual conference dedicated to Vim and Vimscript.
Attend Vim meetups, local events where you can meet other Vimmers in person and learn from them.
I hope you found this article helpful and informative. If you have any questions or feedback, please feel free to leave a comment below. Happy Vimming!
FAQs
What is the difference between Vimscript and VimL?
Vimscript and VimL are two names for the same thing: the scripting language that powers Vim. VimL stands for Vim Language, and it is a more recent and official name for the language.