Hat is a hackable modal text editor for modern terminals aimed at users who prefer software they can inspect, modify, and compile from source.
ts design is intentionally minimalist: configuration is handled through source-level customisation rather than an external settings system, and extra behaviour is added by changing the code or applying distributed patch files. The project follows a suckless-style philosophy focused on small, readable tools.
This is free and open source software.
Key Features
- Provides normal, select, select line, and insert editing modes.
- Includes Vim-like motions and commands for common editing operations.
- Offers unlimited undo and redo support.
- Supports system clipboard copy and paste using xclip.
- Runs external commands on selected text for automation workflows.
- Includes dot-repeat, multi-repeat, and macro functionality.
- Uses Tree-sitter for syntax highlighting and indent alignment.
- Provides LSP features including go to definition, find references, diagnostics, completions, hover, and rename.
- Supports multiple buffers, file finding, and searching within files.
- Includes scratch buffers, Unicode support, and a printer mode.
- Can be extended with source code patches for features such as autosave, relative line numbers, Git hunk markers, and LSP code actions.
Website: github.com/ivanjermakov/hat
Support:
Developer: ivanjermakov
License: MIT License
Hat is written in Zig. Learn Zig with our recommended free tutorials.
Related Software
| Vim-like Text Editors | |
|---|---|
| Neovim | Vim-fork focused on extensibility and usability |
| Helix | Kakoune / Neovim inspired editor. |
| Lapce | Modern editor in Rust which uses native GUI and GPU rendering |
| NvChad | Neovim config aiming to provide a base configuration |
| LunarVim | IDE layer for Neovim |
| Kakoune | Implements Vi’s "keystrokes as a text editing language" model |
| Vis | Combining modal editing with structural regular expressions |
| vile | Text editor that combines aspects of the Emacs and vi editors |
| pyvim | Implementation of Vim in Python |
| gVim | Vim with a built-in GUI |
| amp | Vim-like editor written in Rust |
| Vy | Vim-like in Python made from scratch |
| moe | Command-line editor inspired by Vim |
| wig | Modal, Vim-like text editor |
| sled | Simple text editor with a terminal UI |
| red | Modern modal text editor written in Rust |
| ad | Adaptable text editor |
| hat | Hackable modal text editor |
| HAKO | Lightweight terminal-based modal text environment |
| xvi | Portable multi-file text editor |
| aretext | Minimalist text editor with vim-compatible key bindings |
| Levee | Also known as Captain Video |
Read our verdict in the software roundup.
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