I have been coding Python primarily in Visual Studio Code with Vim key bindings. I just installed Arch Linux and I'd like to experiment with my options.
As a rather biased (Neo)Vim user there's no alternative for me. Tried Emacs a couple times and I get why people like it, but I find it too bloated and convoluted - having builtin features ranging from web browsers up to chatbots and video games is a cool gimmick but probably not relevant for 80% of the userbase, and just makes everything more complicated (and slower) than necessary.
In the end it's a personal choice and both programs are excellent - try both extensively and see what works best for you.
I've used Spacemacs then Doom Emacs then Vim and now Neovim. Tbh just experiment and choose what suits you. I spent too much time looking for the "best editor" but, spoiler alert there's not such thing. I've seen people make awesome things with either Vim or Emacs. Just experiment, choose one, stick to it (at least try to master it) and don't get too religious about it.
People who ask point-blank questions whose answers are as varied
and voluminous as the gigabytes of readily googleable prose exhausted on the
subject are either high schoolers or programmers who seek quick, facile
solutions. Emacs's free-wheeling complexity is decidedly not for these people.
I agree with your sentiment in general. But. It's difficult to draw the line: when do you ask for a personal opinion vs a google search. I sort of ended up not talking to anyone.
In any case, OP knows about Emacs and that there's Vim and Neovim, so some prior research has been done.
That's cool. I wonder if there's some parallel between various Emacs distributions and Linux distributions. Does vi world have something similar?
In a roundabout way, do the various distributions (of linux and emacs) indicate that they are more flexible pieces of software than single-version software projects?
Considering you are working with Python here is my personal experience and of course YMMV.
I use SpaceMacs as my daily driver (never had the want for doom emacs). And programming python was good. I had no "problems" to speak of and I could use emacs commands just fine when I didn't want to use vim-fu.
Vim/Neovim -> I have used both and they worked just as good as emacs when I had the plugins setup to my liking. I found SpaceVim to be more of my style instead of the manual setup though. However, learn the varieties of vim (there's graphical and terminal versions as well as other differences).
TLDR; emacs/vim -> time spent on learning the software and customizing it leads to productivity. If you were used to all the plugins and auto setup of VSCode and you really want to experiment with emacs/vim do it when you have free time and don't mind spending it.
In the end it's a personal choice and both programs are excellent - try both extensively and see what works best for you.
I tried Space/Doom Emacs, and they were ok, but you end up living in this weird space where you have to learn both sets of bindings.
I migrated to Neovim + CoC and have no regrets. CoC and Vim was problematic, but it works amazingly well in Neovim.
In any case, OP knows about Emacs and that there's Vim and Neovim, so some prior research has been done.
Never, unless the "personal opinion" requested is for a private matter. Any broad, technical question such as OP's is always LMGTFY.
In a roundabout way, do the various distributions (of linux and emacs) indicate that they are more flexible pieces of software than single-version software projects?
Personally I used vim and then vim keybindings on SublimeText, and now vim keybindings on VS Code. I prefer vs code but you may prefer vim.
Personally I use nvim with NErdtree for Python, but for Angular stuff I stick to VSCode because the Intellisense is incredibly useful.
I use SpaceMacs as my daily driver (never had the want for doom emacs). And programming python was good. I had no "problems" to speak of and I could use emacs commands just fine when I didn't want to use vim-fu.
Vim/Neovim -> I have used both and they worked just as good as emacs when I had the plugins setup to my liking. I found SpaceVim to be more of my style instead of the manual setup though. However, learn the varieties of vim (there's graphical and terminal versions as well as other differences).
TLDR; emacs/vim -> time spent on learning the software and customizing it leads to productivity. If you were used to all the plugins and auto setup of VSCode and you really want to experiment with emacs/vim do it when you have free time and don't mind spending it.