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Jun 8, 2024 · Fundamentals

Why Does Vim Use H J K L? The Surprising History Behind vi’s Quirky Design

This article traces the origins of vi and vim—from early Unix line editors and the ADM‑3A terminal’s limited keys to the invention of command and insert modes—explaining why H J K L move the cursor, how the Esc key became essential, and how vi’s verb‑noun syntax lets users edit text efficiently.