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Why the Emacs text editor is still relevant in 2024

In a world where new tools and editors appear literally every year, the Emacs text editor remains a real "dinosaur" among software. Created back in 1976 by Richard Stallman, Emacs may seem outdated at first glance. But it still has an army of dedicated users, and today I will tell you why this editor not only does not lose its relevance, but also continues to evolve, despite all modern alternatives.

When I first came across Emacs, it seemed to me extremely complex and cumbersome compared to other popular text editors such as Sublime Text or VS Code. However, after a while I realized his philosophy — Emacs is not just a text editor, but an entire ecosystem that can adapt to any user's needs.

One of the reasons why Emacs remains relevant is its incredible customizability. It is written in Emacs Lisp, which allows users to modify and extend the functionality of the editor with almost no restrictions. In practice, this means that you can turn Emacs into a tool for any task, from writing code to keeping a personal diary or managing tasks.

For me personally, one of the key points was the ability to integrate the workflow with tools such as Git, terminal, and even the browser inside a single Emacs window. Using packages like Magit for working with Git or Org-mode for taking notes and managing projects, I was able to significantly improve my productivity.

Unlike many modern editors, Emacs runs on all popular operating systems: Windows, macOS and Linux. At the same time, its configuration files can be easily transferred between devices, which makes Emacs an excellent choice for developers working on different platforms.

In my experience, I have used Emacs on several devices and operating systems, and one of its main advantages is stability and consistency. While other editors are being updated or outdated, Emacs continues to work without failures and the need to keep track of new versions.

One of the most powerful features of Emacs that I work with on a daily basis is Org-mode. It is a tool for organizing notes, tasks, and even blogging. It is so flexible that it allows you to integrate tasks with a calendar, export notes to HTML and much more.

For me, Org-mode has become an indispensable planning tool, thanks to its simple but powerful system of tags, deadlines and subtasks. The efficiency with which you can manage projects and tasks directly from the editor turns it into something more than just a text editor.

Despite its almost half a century of history, Emacs continues to evolve thanks to a community of developers and enthusiasts creating new packages and extensions. His "editor for everything" philosophy and flexibility continue to appeal to those who are willing to invest time in customizing the tool to their needs.

My experience shows that Emacs is not for everyone. It takes time to master and configure, but those who once get into its philosophy get a powerful tool that can be adapted to any task. Even in 2024, Emacs remains a relevant choice for developers, writers, and those looking for maximum flexibility and control over their workflow.

As a result, despite the apparent complexity, Emacs is an editor that can not only compete with modern tools, but also provide unique features that make it indispensable for a certain audience.