{
    "products": [
        {
            "slug": "neovim",
            "name": "Neovim",
            "kind": "app",
            "website": "https://neovim.io/",
            "page": "https://listme.name/software/neovim",
            "tagline": "Terminal text editor, a Vim fork focused on extensibility",
            "summary": "Neovim is a free, open-source text editor that runs in the terminal and descends from Vim. It is configured with Lua or Vimscript, and pre-built packages exist for Windows, macOS and Linux.",
            "developer": "Neovim project",
            "platforms": [
                "windows",
                "macos",
                "linux",
                "cli"
            ],
            "pricing": "open-source",
            "price_note": "Free and open source under Apache 2.0, with some Vim-licensed parts",
            "free_to_use": true,
            "open_source": true,
            "license": "Apache-2.0",
            "source": "https://github.com/neovim/neovim",
            "strengths": [
                "Apache 2.0 licensed open source",
                "Runs in any terminal, including over SSH"
            ],
            "limits": [
                "Setup and key bindings take time to learn",
                "No graphical interface"
            ],
            "checked": "2026-10-10",
            "connected_to_publisher": false,
            "overview": "Neovim is a modal text editor for the terminal that keeps Vim's keystrokes and commands. It is a fork of Vim focused on extensibility, with a Lua configuration language and a plugin API. Configuration and plugins are plain text files, so a setup can be copied between machines and used over SSH.\n\nNeovim suits people who already work in the terminal and want a fast, scriptable editor. Setup and key bindings take longer to learn than VS Code or Zed, which ship menus and graphical settings. The project is released under the Apache 2.0 license, with some parts contributed under the Vim license."
        },
        {
            "slug": "visual-studio",
            "name": "Visual Studio",
            "kind": "app",
            "website": "https://visualstudio.microsoft.com/",
            "page": "https://listme.name/software/visual-studio",
            "tagline": "Windows IDE for .NET, C++, web and game development",
            "summary": "Visual Studio is Microsoft's full IDE for Windows, used for .NET, C++, web and mobile app work. A free Community edition is available, while the Professional and Enterprise editions are paid subscriptions.",
            "developer": "Microsoft",
            "platforms": [
                "windows"
            ],
            "pricing": "freemium",
            "price_note": "Community edition is free; Professional and Enterprise are paid subscriptions",
            "free_to_use": true,
            "open_source": false,
            "strengths": [
                "Full IDE for .NET and C++ on Windows",
                "Free Community edition for individuals"
            ],
            "limits": [
                "Windows only",
                "Much heavier to install and run than code editors"
            ],
            "checked": "2026-10-10",
            "connected_to_publisher": false,
            "overview": "Visual Studio is a full development environment built for Windows. Its strongest areas are .NET and C++ projects, with tooling for WinUI 3, Windows Forms, WPF and .NET MAUI apps, plus Unity game development and web work. The Git tool window commits, branches and syncs with repositories on GitHub or Azure DevOps.\n\nThe Community edition gives individuals the full IDE at no cost. Professional and Enterprise add licensing for teams and larger organizations. Visual Studio is far heavier than a code editor such as Zed or Sublime Text, and it runs only on Windows. Microsoft's separate Visual Studio Code is a free editor that also runs on macOS and Linux."
        }
    ],
    "differences": [
        "Only Neovim runs on macOS.",
        "Only Neovim runs on Linux.",
        "Neovim is open source; Visual Studio is not.",
        "Neovim: free and open source. Visual Studio: free plan, paid upgrades."
    ],
    "shared_rankings": [
        {
            "list": "code-editors-and-ides",
            "name": "Code editors and IDEs",
            "page": "https://listme.name/best/code-editors-and-ides",
            "of": 10,
            "results": [
                {
                    "product": "neovim",
                    "rank": 5,
                    "score": 85,
                    "verdict": "A free, Apache 2.0 licensed terminal editor for keyboard-first work that runs over SSH. Its setup takes the most effort in this list, and it has no graphical menus.",
                    "best_for": "Terminal-based editing and keyboard-first work",
                    "spec": {
                        "focus": "Terminal editing with Vim keys",
                        "platforms": "Windows, macOS, Linux, terminal",
                        "open_source": true,
                        "cost": "Free"
                    }
                },
                {
                    "product": "visual-studio",
                    "rank": 4,
                    "score": 86.5,
                    "verdict": "The full IDE for .NET and C++ on Windows, free in its Community edition for individuals. It is much heavier than the editors above and does not run on macOS or Linux.",
                    "best_for": "Windows .NET and C++ development",
                    "spec": {
                        "focus": ".NET and C++ on Windows",
                        "platforms": "Windows",
                        "open_source": false,
                        "cost": "Free Community; paid Pro and Enterprise"
                    }
                }
            ]
        }
    ],
    "ranks_higher_in_closest_shared_list": "visual-studio",
    "page": "https://listme.name/compare/neovim-vs-visual-studio",
    "json": "https://listme.name/api/v1/compare/neovim-vs-visual-studio.json",
    "notes": [
        "Scores are editorial and only comparable inside one list. Products with connected_to_publisher true receive a disclosed ranking lift: https://listme.name/methodology"
    ],
    "source": "https://listme.name",
    "license": "Free to read and cite with attribution to listme.name.",
    "docs": "https://listme.name/developers"
}