Pros of vim-sandwich

• More customizable and flexible, allowing users to define their own recipes
• Supports dot-repeat for all operations, enhancing efficiency
• Provides visual mode support for surrounding operations

Cons of vim-sandwich

• Steeper learning curve due to more complex configuration options
• Default keybindings differ from vim-surround, requiring adjustment for users switching over

Code Comparison

vim-surround:

" Surround word with quotes
ysiw"

" Change surrounding parentheses to brackets
cs)]

vim-sandwich:

" Surround word with quotes
saiw"

" Change surrounding parentheses to brackets
srb()[]

Both plugins aim to simplify the process of adding, changing, and deleting surrounding characters in Vim. vim-surround is known for its simplicity and ease of use, while vim-sandwich offers more advanced features and customization options. The choice between the two often comes down to personal preference and specific needs.

Pros of nvim-surround

• Written in Lua, providing better performance and integration with Neovim
• Offers more customization options and extensibility
• Includes built-in text objects for easier manipulation

Cons of nvim-surround

• Requires Neovim 0.7+ and Lua knowledge for advanced configuration
• May have a steeper learning curve for users familiar with vim-surround
• Potentially less stable due to being a newer project

Code Comparison

vim-surround:

" Add double quotes around a word
ysiw"

" Change single quotes to double quotes
cs'"

nvim-surround:

-- Add double quotes around a word
vim.keymap.set("n", "ys", require("nvim-surround").surround_add)

-- Change single quotes to double quotes
vim.keymap.set("n", "cs", require("nvim-surround").surround_change)

Both plugins offer similar functionality, but nvim-surround provides a more modern approach with Lua integration and additional features. While vim-surround is a tried-and-true solution, nvim-surround may be more appealing to users looking for enhanced customization and Neovim-specific optimizations. The choice between the two largely depends on personal preference and specific requirements.

Pros of vim-repeat

• Enhances Vim's native repeat functionality for custom mappings and plugins
• Works seamlessly with many popular Vim plugins, including vim-surround
• Lightweight and requires minimal configuration

Cons of vim-repeat

• Limited in scope compared to vim-surround's text manipulation features
• May not be as immediately useful for beginners as vim-surround
• Requires plugins to support its functionality for maximum benefit

Code Comparison

vim-repeat:

silent! call repeat#set("\<Plug>MyWonderfulMap", v:count)

vim-surround:

nmap ds  <Plug>Dsurround
nmap cs  <Plug>Csurround
nmap ys  <Plug>Ysurround

Summary

vim-repeat is a utility plugin that enhances Vim's repeat functionality, allowing users to repeat custom mappings and plugin actions. It's particularly useful when combined with other plugins like vim-surround. On the other hand, vim-surround focuses on manipulating surrounding characters (e.g., quotes, parentheses) in text. While vim-repeat is more of a behind-the-scenes enhancer, vim-surround provides direct text manipulation features that are immediately useful to many users. Both plugins are lightweight and well-maintained by the same author, making them excellent additions to any Vim configuration.