8 EMacs Books That Separate Experts from Amateurs

The methods Debra Cameron and her coauthors developed while exploring the GNU Emacs environment offer you a practical pathway from basic text editing to advanced customization and programming within Emacs. This book walks you through everything from managing buffers and windows to writing macros that streamline repetitive tasks, making it a solid choice whether you're new or transitioning from another Emacs variant. With dedicated chapters on integrating Emacs with version control systems and using it as an IDE for languages like Java and Perl, you'll gain concrete skills that extend beyond simple editing. If you're ready to deepen your Unix text processing capabilities with a well-structured guide, this book matches that need without overwhelming you with jargon.

Harley Hahn's decades of experience as a writer and computer expert shine through in this approachable guide to Emacs, designed for programmers, students, and everyday users alike. The book starts by placing Emacs in context, explaining not just what it is but why mastering it matters for working efficiently across Linux, BSD, Mac OS X, and Windows. You'll learn practical skills such as customizing Emacs with your own .emacs file, navigating buffers and windows, and harnessing powerful search techniques including regular expressions. Hahn's clear explanations make complex concepts accessible, although this book suits those ready to invest time in truly understanding Emacs rather than casual users.

This tailored book explores the full spectrum of Emacs mastery, matching your current experience and goals with focused content that deepens understanding and sharpens skills. It covers essential features, advanced customization, and practical workflows, all assembled to reflect your unique interests and background. By synthesizing core expert knowledge with your personal learning path, the book reveals how to harness Emacs’ power efficiently and creatively. It examines text editing techniques, Emacs Lisp scripting, Org mode integration, and productivity enhancements tailored specifically to your needs. This personalized guide brings clarity to Emacs’ complexities and invites you to build confidence through targeted exploration and practice.

When Richard M. Stallman, the founder of the Free Software Foundation and the GNU Project, wrote this manual, he aimed to provide a definitive guide to mastering GNU Emacs. You gain a deep understanding of Emacs' powerful editing capabilities, customization options, and scripting environment, enabling you to tailor the editor precisely to your workflow. The manual delves into complex features like keyboard macros, buffer management, and Emacs Lisp programming, making it invaluable for users ready to move beyond basics. If you want a thorough, authoritative resource to confidently navigate and extend Emacs, this book suits your needs perfectly.

When Carsten Dominik wrote this manual, he drew on his deep involvement in the Emacs community and his expertise in project organization. You’ll learn how to harness Org mode’s capabilities for managing tasks, agendas, and notes using plain text, outlining, and scheduling features. The book guides you through integrating these tools seamlessly into your Emacs workflow, improving your productivity and task tracking. Whether you’re a developer, writer, or planner who uses Emacs regularly, this manual gives you the know-how to organize complex projects effectively.

Jason Blevins offers a detailed dive into the markdown-mode package for Emacs, aiming to clarify both basic and advanced features beyond typical online help. You’ll find practical insights on installation, configuration, and commands for editing and navigation, alongside tips for integrating markdown-mode with other Emacs packages like Flyspell and Pandoc. Notably, the book dedicates chapters to advanced topics such as subtree editing and custom CSS stylesheets, which will interest users looking to tailor their setup. This guide suits Emacs users who want to deepen their markdown workflow and explore the package’s full capabilities without wading through scattered documentation.

This tailored book explores a structured yet flexible path to enhancing your Emacs proficiency in just one month. It focuses on your specific interests and current skill level, delivering daily steps that demystify complex features and streamline your workflow. By concentrating on practical actions customized to your goals, it reveals how to integrate powerful Emacs tools and shortcuts into your routine effectively. Covering everything from basic navigation to advanced customization, this personalized guide examines core Emacs concepts and workflows relevant to your needs. It makes mastering Emacs approachable and efficient by matching expert knowledge with your unique background, ensuring that each chapter builds directly on what matters most to you.

Bil Lewis, along with Dan LaLiberte and Richard Stallman, brings decades of experience in programming and Emacs Lisp to this detailed manual. You gain a deep understanding of Emacs Lisp as a full-fledged programming language tailored for text editing tasks, including handling buffers, subprocesses, and displays. The book guides you through foundational Lisp concepts before advancing into Emacs-specific features, making it ideal if you're comfortable with Emacs basics and want to extend its capabilities programmatically. For example, chapters explore how editing commands double as Lisp functions and how customization variables integrate with Emacs's core. This manual suits programmers aiming to master Emacs customization or develop complex editor extensions, though casual users may find its depth daunting.

Debra Cameron brings her expertise in emerging technologies to this concise guide aimed at users who want to harness the full power of GNU Emacs for UNIX text processing. The book distills complex commands into an accessible tabular format, making it easier for you to quickly reference and utilize Emacs features without getting overwhelmed. It complements introductory texts by focusing on practical command usage rather than broad tutorials, helping intermediate users deepen their command-line editing skills. Chapters cover essentials like buffer management and search commands, ideal if you're looking to streamline your workflow within Emacs. This pocket reference suits those who already have some exposure to Emacs and want a handy manual to boost productivity.

After founding the Free Software Foundation and initiating the GNU operating system, Richard M. Stallman crafted this manual as a definitive guide to harnessing the full capabilities of GNU Emacs beyond just a text editor. You learn how to leverage Emacs’ integrated debugging, project management, and multilingual text editing features, along with its powerful scripting and version control integrations. The book dives into specialized modes for 25 programming languages and shows how to use Emacs for email, web browsing, and even calendar management. If you’re ready to move past basics and explore Emacs as a complete workflow environment, this manual offers deep insights with detailed appendices for various operating systems.