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+++
title = "C-X Emacs"
author = ["Michał Sapka"]
date = 2023-12-24T20:00:00+01:00
categories = ["emacs"]
draft = false
weight = 1001
abstract = "My little website about Emacs"
hardback = true
type = "special"
+++
## What is Emacs? {#what-is-emacs}
Emacs is one of the oldest text editors out there.
Together with Vim, they are the best ways to manipulate text.
However, Emacs is so much more.
Under the hood it rocks the amazing Emacs Lisp language, which can be easily used to adjust virtually any aspect of Emacs to your liking.
This also allowed Emacs to evolve into the _de facto_ shell we use.
You can use it as file manager (_dired_), as music player (_emms_), internet browser (_eww_), email client (_mu4e_), RSS reader (_elfeed_), terminal client (_eshell_), and so much more.
It also is the place where _org-mode_ lives, the single best way to organize your life.
{{< img-c "emacs.png" "https://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/" "small" >}}
Emacs
{{< /img-c >}}
## GNU Emacs {#gnu-emacs}
Emacs is am _old_ program, which was rewritten multiple times.
Currently, the most popular version is _GNU Emacs_ available under _GPL License_.
It is _free_ program - which means that only you don't need to pay for it, but you are free to modify and redistiribute it.
In fact, you are encouraged to.
Current emacs version: **[29.2](https://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/news/NEWS.29.2)** (2024-01-18). New version is released every few months.
## Getting Emacs {#getting-emacs}
Emacs is available on most platforms - Linux, BSD, Mac, even Windows.
Simply download the version for your OS from [the official website](https://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/) or, even better, compile it from source.
It is also available in all good package managers (pacman, pkg, apt, brew, and so on)
## Evil Mode {#evil-mode}
There is a joke, that Emacs is a great operating system, but it lacks a decent text editor.
If you are afraid of using keyboard shortcuts like "ctrl-x ctrl-s" just to save file, you can install the best Vim mode out there - Evil Mode.
It supports all the keys and most of the ex-commands.
## My Guides [[rss](/emacs/rss.xml)] {#my-guides-rss}
I wrote a few guides you may find interesting
{{< menu "emacs-guides" >}}
Guides
{{< /menu >}}
## My Varia [[rss](/emacs/rss.xml)] {#my-varia-rss}
Emacs is also a way of life.
You can read my general emacs-related ramblings here:
{{< menu "emacs-varia" >}}
Varia
{{< /menu >}}
## Emacs on the Web {#emacs-on-the-web}
- [Official website](https://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/)
- [GNU Emacs Manuals](https://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/manual/) - GNU provides all the documentation one might need
- [Planet Emacslife](https://planet.emacslife.com/) - news about Emacs from all around the web,
- [Reddit group](https://reddit.com/r/emacs) - if you still use Reddit, you will find vibrant community here
- [Emacs.ch](https://emacs.ch) - Mastodon server for Emacs crowd
- [Protesilaos Stavrou website](https://protesilaos.com/) - a very prolific Emacs educator
- [Emacs Elements [YouTube]](https://www.youtube.com/@emacselements) - a YouTube channel with great Emacs tutorials
- [Xah Emacs Tutorial](https://xahlee.info/emacs) - a great reference and companion
## EmacsConf {#emacsconf}
Every year there is a conference for Emacs users:
- [EmacsConf 2023](https://emacsconf.org/2023/)
- [EmacsConf 2022](https://emacsconf.org/2022/)
- [EmacsConf 2021](https://emacsconf.org/2021/)
- [EmacsConf 2020](https://emacsconf.org/2020/)
- [EmacsConf 2019](https://emacsconf.org/2019/)
- [EmacsConf 2015](https://emacsconf.org/2015)
- [EmacsConf 2013](https://emacsconf.org/2013/)
Date of the next EmacsConf: **TBD.**
## Other distributions {#other-distributions}
\*While _Gnu Emacs_ is wonderful, it requires significant time and effort to make it friendly.
A lot of people are not fans of the default configurations.
If you are one of them, you may instead try some ready Emacs distributions, like _[Doom Emacs](https://github.com/doomemacs/doomemacs)_ or _[Spacemacs](https://www.spacemacs.org/)_.
|
