Why Vi Uses H J K L

Here’s why we use h, j, k, l as motion keys in vi and vim: Bill Joy used an ADM-3A terminal, which (besides a 80x24 screen) had a keyboard that looked like this: This is also where the “~” shortcut for “$HOME” comes from. vi cursor motion keys $HOME = ~

A screenshot of a tweet explaining that vi and vim use H, J, K, and L as cursor movement keys because Bill Joy used an ADM-3A terminal with those keys positioned as cursor controls. It also points out that the terminal keyboard explains why “~” is used as a shortcut for “$HOME.” The meme is shared as a humorous piece of programming history and trivia for developers. EN: A screenshot of a tweet explaining that vi and vim use H, J, K, and L as cursor movement keys because Bill Joy used an ADM-3A terminal with those keys positioned as cursor controls. It also points out that the terminal keyboard explains why “~” is used as a shortcut for “$HOME.” The meme is shared as a humorous piece of programming history and trivia for developers.

• @ithueti / 4655 2021-09-06