Scripting Vim

Vim is a great editor, but it’s certainly not perfect. Even though it has a huge range of built-in tools and commands, it’s always missing one or two crucial features. Unfortunately, which crucial features are missing—and how they should be provided—is different for just about every single Vim user. Fortunately, Vim provides a way for every single Vim user to modify, enhance, and extend Vim to suit themselves via its built-in scripting language. Developers are only as good as their tools and the most fundamental tool developers have is their editor. Designed for the advanced beginner- to intermediate-level developer with some Vim scripting experience, this course teaches you how to script Vim to make it much more powerful and vastly easier to use.

Understand the features and syntax of Vim’s built-in scripting language
Learn to connect your scripts into Vim’s interface via abbreviations, maps, and auto commands
Survey the limitations and pitfalls of the Vimscript language and learn to avoid them
Master the ability to use the Vimscript debugger
Review dozens of the most useful built-in functions Vim provides
Understand how to implement your own Vim functions
See how Vim is scripted in other scripting languages, so you can reuse functions you’ve invented
Dr. Damian Conway is a widely sought-after speaker, trainer, and author. He runs Thoughtstream, an international IT training company serving clients throughout Australasia, North America, and Europe; he designed the regex mechanism for Perl 6; and he’s written multiple O’Reilly titles, including Modern Perl Best Practices and Mastering Vim.