Chime vs Neovim

Chime is an open source editor designed specifically for macOS, with native extensions and a minimalist interface. It supports the Language Server Protocol, and extensions can provide deeper project integration. Refactoring tools are listed. The current stable download is version 2.2.5, released 29 Nov 2023, and requires macOS 12.0 or later. Chime’s maker says source code is never captured or transmitted off the machine. The app does make outgoing requests for software updates, licensing, and crash reporting, and users can opt out. Crash reports can also be disabled; they are described as intended to improve the products and not intended to contain personally identifiable information. Chime Systems Inc. is identified as the Canadian corporation behind the product, with Matt and Tania credited as makers. Chime has a free plan listed at free and supports macOS only.

Neovim is a free, Vim-based text editor built for extensibility and usability. It keeps Vim’s editing model and Vimscript v1 support, while configuration lives in init.lua and users can create Lua plugins. Its documented, versioned API and RPC let developers build extensions in many languages; GUIs, IDEs, and web browsers can also embed Neovim. Tree-sitter supports syntax highlighting and text objects, and built-in language-server support provides semantic code inspection and refactoring. Editing tools include multicursor command replay, macro recording, column editing, and large-file handling. A built-in terminal includes modern terminal features. Neovim supports Vim 8.x plugins and more. Stable downloads are listed for Linux, macOS, and Windows, with x86_64 and arm64 builds for each. Windows 8 or newer is required; Windows 7 and older are unsupported. It is licensed under Apache 2.0, with exceptions for parts contributed under the Vim license. Community support is available through GitHub Discussions and vi.stackexchange.com.