Emacs with Company Mode - Detailed Review
Coding Tools
Emacs with Company Mode - Product Overview
Introduction to Emacs with Company Mode
Emacs, a highly customizable text editor, becomes even more powerful when integrated with Company Mode, a modular text completion framework. Here’s a brief overview of what Company Mode brings to the table:Primary Function
Company Mode is primarily a text completion tool. It intelligently guesses possible variants of words based on the characters you’ve already typed, helping you complete words, code snippets, and other text efficiently. This feature is particularly useful for developers, writers, and scientists who need to write code or text quickly and accurately.Target Audience
The target audience for Company Mode includes developers, writers, and scientists who use Emacs as their primary text editor. Anyone who spends a significant amount of time writing code or text can benefit from the auto-completion features provided by Company Mode.Key Features
Auto-Completion
Company Mode auto-starts suggesting completion candidates as you type. These candidates are retrieved and displayed based on the characters you’ve entered, making it easier to complete words and code snippets quickly.Customization
Company Mode is highly customizable. You can adjust various settings, such as the number of characters required before candidates are displayed, the delay before suggestions appear, and the modes in which Company Mode is active. This customization can be done through the Emacs configuration file or using the `M-x customize-group RET company` interface.Backends and Frontends
Company Mode is extensible through pluggable backends and frontends. Backends are responsible for retrieving completion candidates, while frontends handle the display of these candidates. This modular design allows for easy integration with various third-party libraries and custom backends.Additional Metadata
Company Mode provides additional metadata about completion candidates, such as `company-kind` and `company-doc-buffer`. These features help in identifying the type of completion candidate and providing additional context, making the completion process more informative and user-friendly.Alternative Workflow
Company Mode also offers an alternative workflow configuration known as `company-tng-mode`, which allows for completion using just the `TAB` key. This can be enabled by adding a specific line to the Emacs initialization file. In summary, Emacs with Company Mode is a powerful tool for anyone who needs efficient and customizable text completion. Its extensibility, customization options, and additional metadata features make it a valuable addition to the Emacs ecosystem. Emacs with Company Mode - User Interface and Experience
User Interface of Emacs with Company Mode
The user interface of Emacs with Company Mode is designed to provide a seamless and efficient coding experience, particularly in the context of autosuggestions and autocompletions.Activation and Indicators
To activate Company Mode, users can execute the command `M-x company-mode`, which toggles the mode on and off. Once enabled, the mode line in Emacs will indicate its presence with an indicator labeled ‘`company`’.Autosuggestions and Autocompletions
Company Mode auto-starts suggesting completion candidates as you type. By default, suggestions appear after a few characters are typed, but this can be customized. For instance, you can set `company-minimum-prefix-length` to 1 to show suggestions immediately after the first character is entered, and `company-idle-delay` to 0 to eliminate any delay in showing suggestions.Customization
The package is highly customizable. Users can adjust various settings to suit their preferences. For example, you can configure `company-selection-wrap-around` to enable wrapping around the list of suggestions when you reach the end. Additionally, you can use the tab key to cycle through suggestions by configuring `company-tng-configure-default`.Mode Specificity
Company Mode can be enabled or disabled in specific major modes. By default, it is enabled in all major modes, but you can specify a list of modes where it should be enabled or disabled using the `company-global-modes` variable.Completion Triggers
Users can configure how completion candidates are inserted. The `company-insertion-on-trigger` option allows you to specify characters or predicates that trigger the insertion of the selected candidate. For example, you can set it to insert the candidate when a space, period, or other specified characters are typed.Ease of Use
The interface is generally intuitive, especially for users familiar with other autocompletion tools. The ability to use the tab key for cycling through suggestions makes it more accessible for those accustomed to similar functionality in other programs.Overall User Experience
The overall user experience with Company Mode in Emacs is enhanced by its ability to reduce typing errors and increase productivity. Instant suggestions and customizable triggers make the coding process more efficient. However, some users may need to adjust the default settings to achieve the desired level of responsiveness and usability.Conclusion
In summary, Company Mode in Emacs offers a user-friendly and highly customizable interface for autosuggestions and autocompletions, making it a valuable tool for coders looking to streamline their workflow. Emacs with Company Mode - Key Features and Functionality
Emacs with Company Mode
Company Mode is a powerful text and code completion framework that offers several key features and functionalities, making it a valuable tool for developers and writers.Installation and Activation
To use Company Mode, you need to install the package via Emacs package archives. This can be done by executing the command `M-x package-install RET company RET`. Once installed, you can activate Company Mode using the command `M-x company-mode`, which toggles the mode on and off. To enable it for all future sessions, add `(global-company-mode)` to your Emacs configuration file.Auto-Completion
Company Mode auto-starts suggesting completion candidates as you type. These candidates are retrieved based on the characters you enter and the default configurations. You can manually initiate completion using the command `M-x company-complete`.Key Bindings
Company Mode comes with predefined key bindings for selecting and managing completion candidates. For example:- `C-n` and `C-p` are used to select the next and previous candidates, respectively.
- `
` completes the selected candidate. - `
` completes the common part of all candidates. - `M-(digit)` quickly completes with one of the first 10 candidates.
- `C-s`, `C-r`, and `C-o` allow you to search through the completions.
Backends and Frontends
Company Mode is highly extensible through its pluggable backends and frontends. Backends retrieve completion candidates, while frontends display them. It includes various backends such as `Clang`, `Ispell`, `CMake`, `BBDB`, `Yasnippet`, and more. The `CAPF` backend integrates with the standard completion-at-point-functions facility, making it compatible with any major mode that uses this protocol.Documentation and Source Display
For the selected candidate, you can display its documentation using `C-u F1` or `C-u C-h`, which toggles between temporary and persistent display. The source location of the candidate can be shown using `M-.` or a custom key binding.Customization
Company Mode allows extensive customization. You can customize the list of enabled backends using `M-x customize-variable RET company-backends`. Additionally, you can adjust other aspects of its behavior through `M-x customize-group RET company`.AI Integration
While Company Mode itself does not inherently integrate AI, it can be extended with AI-driven backends. For example, you could develop or use a backend that leverages AI for more sophisticated completion suggestions. However, the core functionality of Company Mode is based on predefined rules, syntax analysis, and existing text within the buffer, rather than AI algorithms.User-Friendly Output
To make the most of Company Mode, you can use commands like `M-x describe-keymap RET company-active-map` to get a user-friendly output of the predefined key bindings. This helps in quickly familiarizing yourself with the available commands and their bindings.Conclusion
In summary, Company Mode in Emacs is a versatile and customizable completion framework that enhances productivity through auto-completion, flexible key bindings, and extensible backends, although it does not natively integrate AI for its core functionalities. Emacs with Company Mode - Performance and Accuracy
Performance
Company Mode is generally well-regarded for its performance, but there are some configuration options and best practices that can optimize its behavior.
Idle Delay and Prefix Length
Adjusting the company-idle-delay and company-minimum-prefix-length variables can significantly impact performance. Setting company-idle-delay to 0 makes Company react immediately to typed input, while adjusting company-minimum-prefix-length can control how many characters need to be typed before completion candidates are displayed.
Backend Configuration
The order and selection of backends in the company-backends list can affect performance. Ensuring that fast and relevant backends are loaded first can improve responsiveness. For example, keeping the “capf” backend at the top is recommended for integration with Emacs’ default completion-at-point facility.
Custom Settings
Users can tweak settings such as company-tooltip-limit, company-show-numbers, and delays to balance between responsiveness and resource usage. For instance, setting company-idle-delay and company-echo-delay to 0 can make completions appear quickly, but may impact performance if not managed carefully.
Accuracy
Company Mode’s accuracy is largely dependent on its backends and how well they are configured.
Backend Quality
The accuracy of completions depends on the quality and relevance of the backends used. For example, using backends like Jedi for Python or Clang for C/C can provide highly accurate completions because they leverage specific language servers and tools.
Context Awareness
Company Mode can be configured to be context-aware, meaning it can adjust its behavior based on the current editing context. For instance, the company-in-string-or-comment predicate can be used to adjust the company-idle-delay based on whether the cursor is in a string or comment.
Customization
Users can customize which major modes Company Mode is enabled for using company-global-modes, ensuring that completions are only offered where they are most relevant and accurate.
Limitations and Areas for Improvement
While Company Mode is highly customizable and performant, there are some limitations and areas where improvements can be made:
Backend Compatibility
Ensuring that all backends are loaded correctly and function as expected can sometimes be challenging. This is particularly true for backends that require specific setup or autoloads, such as Jedi or Clang.
Resource Usage
Aggressive settings for immediate completion can impact Emacs’ overall performance, especially if the system resources are limited. Finding a balance between responsiveness and resource usage is crucial.
Interoperability with Other Modes
There can be issues with Company Mode interacting with other Emacs modes, such as LSP Mode. Users may need to restart Emacs or adjust configurations to resolve these issues.
In summary, Company Mode in Emacs offers strong performance and accuracy, especially when properly configured. However, it requires careful tuning of its settings and backends to achieve optimal results. By understanding and adjusting these configurations, users can enhance their coding experience significantly.
Emacs with Company Mode - Pricing and Plans
Pricing Structure
The pricing structure for Emacs with Company Mode does not involve any specific tiers or plans, as Emacs and Company Mode are free and open-source software.
Key Points
Emacs
Emacs is a free and open-source text editor, and there are no costs associated with using it.
Company Mode
Company Mode is a package for Emacs that provides auto-completion features. It is also free and open-source, distributed through Emacs package archives.
Features and Usage
Installation
Company Mode can be installed using the Emacs package manager with the command `M-x package-install RET company RET`.
Customization
It offers various customization options, including the ability to enable it globally or in specific major modes, and to adjust settings like the minimum prefix length and idle delay.
Cost
There are no subscription fees or any monetary costs involved in using Company Mode or Emacs.
Conclusion
In summary, both Emacs and Company Mode are free to use, with no pricing tiers or plans. They are entirely open-source tools available for anyone to download and use without any cost.
Emacs with Company Mode - Integration and Compatibility
Emacs with Company Mode
Company Mode is a versatile text completion framework that integrates well with a variety of tools and maintains a high level of compatibility across different platforms and devices.Integration with Other Tools
Company Mode is highly modular and uses pluggable back-ends and front-ends to retrieve and display completion candidates. This modularity allows it to integrate seamlessly with various tools and libraries. Here are some examples:Back-ends
- Back-ends: Company Mode comes with several pre-configured back-ends such as Elisp, Clang, Semantic, Eclim, Ropemacs, Ispell, CMake, BBDB, Yasnippet, dabbrev, etags, gtags, and more. These back-ends enable completion for different programming languages, IDE features, and even email and contact management systems.
CAPF Back-end
- CAPF Back-end: The `company-capf` back-end provides a bridge to the standard `completion-at-point-functions` facility, allowing it to work with any major mode that defines a proper completion function. This makes Company Mode compatible with a wide range of Emacs modes.
Yasnippet
- Yasnippet: Company Mode can be integrated with Yasnippet, a snippets system for Emacs, enhancing the completion capabilities with snippet expansions.
Compatibility Across Platforms and Devices
Company Mode is part of the Emacs ecosystem, which is known for its cross-platform compatibility.Emacs Compatibility
- Emacs Compatibility: Since Company Mode is an Emacs package, it runs on any platform that supports Emacs. This includes Windows, macOS, and various Linux distributions.
Device Independence
- Device Independence: Given that Emacs is a text-based editor, Company Mode does not have specific device dependencies. It can be used on any device that can run Emacs, from desktops and laptops to servers and even some mobile devices with terminal access.
Customization and Configuration
To ensure smooth integration and compatibility, Company Mode offers extensive customization options:Backend Configuration
- Backend Configuration: Users can customize the list of enabled back-ends using `M-x customize-variable RET company-backends`. This allows for fine-tuning the completion behavior based on the specific tools and modes being used.
Global Mode
- Global Mode: To enable Company Mode in all buffers, users can add `(global-company-mode)` to their Emacs initialization file. This ensures consistent completion behavior across different modes and buffers.
Emacs with Company Mode - Customer Support and Resources
Installation and Basic Usage
To get started, you can install Company Mode using the Emacs package manager by executing the command M-x package-install RET company RET.
Once installed, you can enable Company Mode with M-x company-mode or set it to be enabled globally by adding (global-company-mode) to your Emacs initialization file.
Customization
Company Mode offers extensive customization options. You can access these by using M-x customize-group RET company, which allows you to adjust various settings such as the delay before completion candidates are shown, the characters that trigger completion, and more.
Key Bindings and Commands
Users can customize key bindings to suit their preferences. For example, you can set TAB to complete or indent using (global-set-key (kbd "TAB") #'company-indent-or-complete-common) or manually trigger completions with M-TAB.
The default key bindings include C-n and C-p for selecting the next or previous candidate, and F1 to display the documentation for the selected candidate.
Documentation and Diagnostics
For detailed documentation, you can use M-x describe-function RET company-mode or M-x describe-keymap RET company-active-map to see the full list of default key bindings.
If you encounter issues, the M-x company-diag command can help diagnose missing or wrong completions.
Community and Feedback
Company Mode is an open-source project that welcomes contributions and feedback. Users can report issues or submit feature requests through the issue tracker on the project’s repository. Additionally, the project encourages community participation and provides a Contributing file with ideas on how to get involved.
Additional Resources
The official Company Mode manual and documentation provide comprehensive guides on setup, usage, and customization. These resources are accessible through the Emacs help system or the project’s website.
By leveraging these support options and resources, users can optimize their use of Company Mode and address any issues that may arise, ensuring a productive coding experience within Emacs.
Emacs with Company Mode - Pros and Cons
When Considering Emacs with Company Mode
When considering Emacs with Company Mode as a coding tool, there are several key advantages and disadvantages to be aware of.
Advantages
- Speed and Efficiency: Emacs itself is known for its speed, although some users may not find it significantly faster than other editors like Atom or VS Code.
- Extensive Package Ecosystem: Emacs has a large number of packages available, including Company Mode, which enhances the editing experience with auto-completion features. Company Mode can draw completion data from multiple sources, including language modes and LSP (Language Server Protocol) modes if available.
- Customization: Company Mode is highly customizable, allowing users to configure various settings such as the delay before completion candidates are displayed, the characters that trigger completion, and the display of completion candidates.
- Multi-Language Support: Company Mode supports completion in various programming languages, including Emacs Lisp, C, R, and others, by integrating with different completion sources.
- Keyboard-Centric: Emacs encourages a keyboard-centric workflow, which can increase productivity once users are accustomed to it. Company Mode integrates well with this workflow, providing auto-completion suggestions as you type.
- Literate Programming: When combined with Org-mode, Emacs offers powerful tools for literate programming, allowing users to interweave code and documentation seamlessly.
Disadvantages
- High Learning Curve: One of the most significant drawbacks of Emacs is its steep learning curve. It can take a considerable amount of time to become proficient, especially for new users.
- Pair Programming Challenges: The extensive customizability of Emacs can make pair programming difficult, as different users may have different configurations that can confuse or hinder collaboration.
- Documentation Issues: While some users find the documentation for Emacs and its packages comprehensive, others may find it scattered and sometimes out of date. However, much of the documentation is accessible directly within Emacs.
- Technical Issues: Some users have reported technical issues such as Emacs crashing or being clunky to use, especially outside of a controlled classroom environment.
- Package Management: Although the package ecosystem is extensive, managing multiple package repositories (like elpa.gnu and Melpa) can be confusing for some users.
Conclusion
In summary, Emacs with Company Mode offers a powerful and highly customizable editing environment, but it requires a significant investment of time to learn and may present some challenges in terms of documentation and technical stability.
Emacs with Company Mode - Comparison with Competitors
When Comparing Emacs with Company Mode to Other AI-Driven Coding Tools
Emacs with Company Mode
- Company Mode is an auto-completion package for Emacs that can work both with and without Language Server Protocol (LSP) modes. It draws completion data from the language mode or LSP server, providing a popup UI for completion targets that is independent of Emacs’ standard completion at point system.
- Customization: Company Mode can be highly customized, allowing users to bind completion commands to specific keys (e.g., `M-/` or `M-TAB`) and to enable or disable auto-completion as needed.
- Integration: It integrates well with other Emacs features, making it a powerful tool within the Emacs ecosystem.
AI-Driven Coding Tools
Tabnine
- AI-Powered Completion: Tabnine uses deep learning algorithms to provide intelligent code completion, supporting several programming languages like Java, Python, and C .
- Integration: Tabnine can be integrated into various IDEs and text editors, including Visual Studio Code, IntelliJ, and Sublime Text.
- Cost: It offers paid plans starting from $12/month per seat.
CodeT5
- Open-Source: CodeT5 is an open-source AI code generator that supports languages such as Java, Python, and JavaScript. It has both online and offline versions for data security.
- Free: It is free to use.
- Functionality: It helps developers create reliable and bug-free code quickly.
Polycoder
- Open-Source Alternative: Polycoder is an open-source alternative to OpenAI Codex, trained on a large codebase in 12 programming languages. It is well-regarded for generating code quickly for various applications.
- Free: It is free to use.
- Support: It supports web applications, machine learning, and natural language processing.
DeepCode
- AI Code Analysis: DeepCode is a cloud-based AI tool that scans codebases to identify potential bugs and vulnerabilities. It supports multiple languages including Java, Python, and JavaScript.
- Accuracy: It is known for its accurate bug detection.
Unique Features and Alternatives
- Emacs Ecosystem: One of the unique features of Emacs with Company Mode is its deep integration within the Emacs ecosystem, making it highly customizable and extensible. This is particularly beneficial for users already invested in the Emacs environment.
- General Purpose Editors: For those not committed to the Emacs ecosystem, alternatives like Visual Studio Code (VSC) and VSCodium offer extensive support for auto-completion through various extensions and integrations with AI-driven tools. These editors are highly extensible and customizable, with built-in support for multiple languages and frameworks.
- Specialized AI Tools: If the focus is solely on AI-driven code completion and analysis, tools like Tabnine, CodeT5, and DeepCode provide specialized functionalities that might not be fully replicable within the Emacs environment alone.
Conclusion
In summary, while Emacs with Company Mode offers a powerful and customizable auto-completion solution within the Emacs ecosystem, other AI-driven tools like Tabnine, CodeT5, and DeepCode provide specialized features that can be integrated into a variety of coding environments. The choice between these tools depends on the user’s specific needs and preferences regarding integration, customization, and the type of coding support required.
Emacs with Company Mode - Frequently Asked Questions
How do I install Company Mode in Emacs?
To install Company Mode in Emacs, you need to use the package manager. You can do this by executing the command `M-x package-install RET company RET` in Emacs. This will install the Company package from the Emacs package archives.How do I activate Company Mode in Emacs?
To activate Company Mode, you can use the command `M-x company-mode`, which toggles the mode on and off. When activated, the mode line will indicate its presence with an indicator ‘`company`’.How can I enable Company Mode automatically for all Emacs sessions?
To have Company Mode enabled automatically for all future sessions, you need to add the line `(global-company-mode)` to your Emacs configuration file (usually `~/.emacs` or `~/.emacs.d/init.el`).How do I customize the key bindings in Company Mode?
Company Mode allows you to customize key bindings to suit your preferences. You can define new key bindings using `define-key` within the `company-active-map`. For example, to assign the `TAB` key to `company-complete-common-or-cycle`, you can use: “`elisp (with-eval-after-load ‘company (define-key company-active-map (kbd “TAB”) #’company-complete-common-or-cycle)) “` You can also use `M-x describe-keymap RET company-active-map` to see the current key bindings.How can I configure Company Mode to work only in specific major modes?
You can configure Company Mode to be enabled only in specific major modes by setting the `company-global-modes` variable. For example, to enable Company Mode only in `python-mode` and `java-mode`, you can set: “`elisp (setq company-global-modes ‘(python-mode java-mode)) “` To disable it in certain modes, you can use a list starting with `not`, such as: “`elisp (setq company-global-modes ‘(not erc-mode message-mode eshell-mode)) “` This will disable Company Mode in the listed modes.How do I manually initiate completion in Company Mode?
To initiate completion manually, you can use the command `M-x company-complete`. You can also use key bindings like `C-n` and `C-p` to select the next or previous completion candidates.How can I display documentation or the definition of a selected candidate in Company Mode?
To display the documentation for the selected candidate, use the command `M-x company-show-doc-buffer`. For the definition, use `M-x company-show-location`. With a prefix argument (`C-u C-h` or `C-u F1`), the documentation buffer will be kept up-to-date whenever the selection changes.How do I adjust the delay before Company Mode starts suggesting completion candidates?
You can adjust the delay by setting the `company-idle-delay` variable. For example, to set a delay of 0.3 seconds unless you are in a string or comment, you can use: “`elisp (setq company-idle-delay (lambda () (if (company-in-string-or-comment) nil 0.3))) “` This setting controls how long Company Mode waits before starting to look up completion candidates.How can I change the trigger characters for inserting the selected candidate in Company Mode?
You can configure the trigger characters by setting the `company-insertion-triggers` and enabling or disabling `company-insertion-on-trigger`. For example, you can set: “`elisp (setq company-insertion-triggers ‘(” ” “.”)) (setq company-insertion-on-trigger t) “` This will insert the selected candidate when you type one of the specified characters. Emacs with Company Mode - Conclusion and Recommendation
Final Assessment of Emacs with Company Mode
Emacs with Company Mode is a powerful and versatile text and code completion framework that can significantly enhance the coding experience for a wide range of users.Key Features and Benefits
- Modular and Configurable: Company Mode uses pluggable back-ends and front-ends, allowing users to customize the completion candidates and display methods to suit their needs. It comes with numerous back-ends such as Clang, Ispell, CMake, Yasnippet, and more.
- Performance and Responsiveness: The framework is designed to be fast and responsive. Users can tweak settings like `company-idle-delay` and `company-echo-delay` to optimize performance. Asynchronous back-ends further improve the responsiveness of the completion process.
- Extensive Customization: Users can configure various aspects of Company Mode, including the list of enabled back-ends, tooltip settings, and key bindings. This customization allows for a highly personalized experience.
- Integration with Other Tools: Company Mode integrates well with other Emacs packages and modes, such as Yasnippet, Helm, and the default Emacs completion-at-point facility (`company-capf`).
Who Would Benefit Most
- Experienced Emacs Users: Those already familiar with Emacs will find Company Mode to be a natural extension of their existing workflow. The ability to customize and integrate it with other Emacs packages makes it particularly appealing to power users.
- Developers and Coders: Developers working in various programming languages can benefit from the specific back-ends available, such as Clang for C/C or Jedi for Python. The framework’s support for multiple languages and its ability to provide context-aware completions make it a valuable tool for coding tasks.
- Technical Writers and Editors: Even non-coders, such as technical writers or editors, can benefit from the general text completion features provided by back-ends like Ispell or Files.
Overall Recommendation
Emacs with Company Mode is highly recommended for anyone looking to enhance their text and code completion capabilities within the Emacs ecosystem. Here are some key points to consider:- Ease of Installation: It is relatively easy to install and set up, especially since it is part of GNU ELPA, allowing for straightforward installation via `M-x package-install RET company RET`.
- Community Support: The project has an active community and welcomes contributions, ensuring continuous improvement and support.
- Customization: The extensive customization options make it adaptable to various workflows and preferences, which is a significant advantage for users who value personalization.