Most IDEs let you set a hotkey to run the current file through an external program (I generally use Ctrl-Shift-V to open in Vim) as well as a setting to automatically detect and reload a file that's been changed outside the IDE. It's not perfect integration, but it works pretty well once you're used to the workflow.
That would not enable you to use editor features like autocompletion, context awareness, etc. Now, you could also implement them in the external editors, but then you'd be at step one again and re-implement an IDE in vim.
Re:The problem with vim
by gradstudent on Saturday August 24, 2013 @06:35AM
(#6268268)
Sorry, what? Why do you want "editor features"? vim is the final word in editors.
I think it would be better for developers to allow their programs to launch external editors. That way users can pick whichever editor they like. All the developer has to do is create a temporary file, run a command to open it, and watch for changes.
(Thanks to vimperator, I am using vim to write this.)