Emacs
I’ve written about Emacs here since 2018: how I configure it, how I tame its windows and buffers, Org mode and Magit, and the small packages I wrote along the way. It has been quite the journey to survive for this long, but the joy I get from using this piece of modifiable software was absolutely not foreseeable!
A few places to start:
- My Zettelkasten talk at EmacsConf 2025
- Introducing quake-frame.el: a terminal visor, but running Emacs.
- My compilation window display settings via
display-buffer-alist - How to profile slow scrolling in Emacs
- Custom Org mode links to open my external Zettelkasten app
The Emacs Carnival is still going strong, too!
Posts on Emacs
Watch My EmacsConf Talk: Zettelkasten for Regular Emacs Hackers
The recording of my EmacsConf 2025 talk on building a thinking environment in Emacs, plus the Q&A and the script to follow along.
Emacs Mistakes and Misconceptions That Held Me Back in 2019
When I started to use Emacs, I was just an innocent, overwhelmed computer programmer searching for a way to manage tasks and projects. Look where this got me.
I want to get books on my Supernote and notes off it, so in my desperation I began to write scripts and make tools to help.
Emacs Complete: Feedback Loops in Emacs, Feedback Loops in Computing
If it is representable as text, it can be moved into Emacs. And if Emacs renders as text, it can be moved into other processes to interpret the result, like snapshot tests, e.g. for automated regression testing. The loop is fully closed.
Introducing quake-frame.el: My Take on a Terminal Visor, But Running Emacs
I used Claude Code to create an Emacs GUI window (frame) package. Press a key. Get Emacs. Press again. It's gone.
Emacs Carnival 2026-01: “This Year, I’ll ...”
I’m hosting this month’s Emacs Carnival. Submit your blog posts on the topic “This Year, I’ll ...”, Emacs-related new-year resolutions in January to participate.
The People Who Got Me into Emacs
An end-of-the-year appreciation post for the Emacs community and the people who got me started.
Join the All-Virtual EmacsConf December 6 and 7 and Check out My Zettelkasten Talk
Announcing my EmacsConf talk for Sunday, and reminding you that EmacsConf is in four days!
Rsync File Copying from Dired with Transient Menu
Instead of async dired file copies, try rsync file copies with a bit of transient menu convenience.
Be Honest When Claude Code Writes Your Software
Change the commit author to your LLM/coding agent to make your git log history more honest and tell a story about collaboration.
Moving my computing needs into Emacs has this weird effect that spending maintenance time in Emacs, I can improve both how I do stuff with the computer, and also what stuff I work on itself.
Redirect Output to Buffers from Emacs Eshell
In Eshell, you can call Emacs functions, and redirect output to buffers instead of files. Here is a particularly convenient way.
Clickable Swift Testing Failure Messages in Emacs compile-mode
The swift test command-line invokation does not print unambiguous filenames for test failures, so we need to attempt to patch this from the console output ourselves like true hackers.
Emacs Elevator Pitch (August Blog Carnival)
This month’s entry for the Emacs Carnival is how I'd talk someone into using Emacs at the workplace I do not have.
I had a ten-year break from Emacs as a terminal-based text editor until I learned about what you could really do with this program. Then it stuck.
Emacs Carnival 2025-06: Take Two
I’m hosting this month’s Emacs Carnival. Submit your blog posts on the topic “Take Two” in June to participate!
Insert Cc and Bcc Mail Headers Conditionally in Emacs message-mode
Using a function to insert some mail composition headers only if they don’t already exist, because some mail servers won’t accept the email otherwise.
My Current Compilation Window Display Settings in Emacs via display-buffer-alist
My current display-buffer-alist settings for compilation output.
Keep .org File Outline Items Sorted Alphabetically
Use org-sort and before-save-hook to keep a file sorted at all times.
Test, Save, and Execute HTTP Requests with Hurl (or restclient.el)
Impersonate your browser to send HTTP requests directly from your text editor, or executable documentation!
Preview Mass Text Replacements with Emacs 30.1 replace-regexp-as-diff
Performing text replacements on large documents or multiple files is annoying: you get false-positive results all too quickly; stepping through each and every match interactively is cumbersome, too. What about previewing changes as a diff, though?
Using 2 Editors Because Xcode Is Dumb
Xcode 16 doesn’t support working on a Package and a Demo app at the same time. But other editors do.
Org-Mode Emphasis Keymap with Mnemonics
I do not like how org-mode’s emphasis function works, requiring knowledge about the syntax to apply bold and italic and inline code style correctly. Here’s a solution that uses ‘b’ for bold etc.
Embark: Display Buffer in Dedicated Side Window
Show any buffer in a side-window (aka a sidebar, but also potentially at the bottom) of an Emacs frame. Includes Embark key bindings to do this from a buffer list.
Create Journal Note For a Previous Day in denote.el
TLDR: Customize denote-prompts. The longer version shows you how to discover this based on the code on your own if you're in a similar situation.
Fold Search Results Away in rg.el
Whenever you want to fold away content in an Emacs mode that doesn't support this out of the box, consider using outline-minor-mode. Here’s how I did that to make rg.el
Have You Ever Sent an Email with a File Attachment that is Located on a Server?
This is a tale of convergence of Embark, TRAMP, and email to brainlessly just send a file from somewhere to someone.
ChatGPT Shell: Confirm Before Closing and Split Compose Buffer
Tweaks to my chatgpt-shell configuration.
Emacs sqlite-mode to Open .sqlite Files Automatically
.sqlite files render “graphically” in Emacs, but only if you open them manually with the equivalent of a file picker dialog; that is unacceptable, and I propose a solution that opens the graphical view for SQLite database files when you visit the files automatically.
I found ISO dates to be lacking in context in notes that represent timelines. So I am trying out something a tad different, like [2024-01-01 Mon].
Update for modus-themes v4 and mlscroll.el Colors
The mlscroll Emacs package got an update that makes styling it even simpler.
Kill Unsaved Emacs Buffers UX: Replacing Yes/No/Save with Meaningful Options
Since Emacs 29, I'm being asked if I want to save or discard an unsent mail in a very confusing way. I found a fix.
Display a Random Inspiring Quote for Journaling or Shell Prompts
How to Use SF Symbols in Emacs (for Tab Numbers)
Early 2022, I shared how I used circled digit unicode in tabs; here's how to use SF Symbols on macOS to get even better-looking results.
Use System File Open Dialog for File Actions in Emacs (Just Once!)
Replacing zoom-window with winner-mode to Temporarily Change Window Splits in Emacs
Shift-Click in Emacs to Select – A Simple Change With a Complex History
Magit's Killer Feature #1: Commit Text Completion Based on the Diff
Split Window in Emacs and Resize and Recenter Frame to Make Room
Add Numbers to Emacs tab-bar-mode Tab Titles for Quick Access
I'm adding CIRCLED DIGIT unicode characters to my tabs in Emacs to select them by number.
Use macOS System Selection Colors in LIN for Emacs Line-Selection UIs
Two Improvements to Open macOS Finder Window in Emacs Dired + Automator Quick Action Downloads
Multi-Monitor Compatible Code to Center Emacs Frames on Screen
Automatically Center New Emacs Windows (Aka Frames) on Screen
Change Case of Word at Point in Emacs, But for Real This Time
Emacs Org-Mode: Automatic Item TODO/DOING/DONE State Transitions for Checkbox Changes
Create Custom Org-Mode Links to Open My External Zettelkasten App
How to Profile Slow Scrolling (And Other Performance Bottlenecks) in Emacs
Export Day One (macOS) Journals to Emacs org-mode Diary Entries
Delete the Next Word or the Current Selection in Emacs with the Same Shortcut
Native macOS Notifications for Emacs Org Tasks and Appointments
Prevent Emacs Compilation Window From Displaying Other Content
Quit and Close Emacs Special Windows Like Help and Compilation Results
Add Blog Post Text Template Expansion to Emacs with Org Babel