Show HN: Rhun, an open-source code editor written in assembly
Rhun is an ambitious new open-source code editor, built remarkably in assembly, that aims for speed and minimalism by offloading heavy tasks to AI. Its audacious choice of assembly for a cross-platform editor, combined with modern features like AI integration and Vim mode, piques the interest of performance-focused developers. This project resonates with Hacker News's appreciation for low-level programming, efficient tooling, and the "build your own" ethos, while also embracing contemporary AI trends.
The Lowdown
Vladyslav Shvedov introduces Rhun, an ambitious open-source code editor designed for minimalism and speed, eschewing the bloat of modern IDEs like VS Code and even Vim for a more focused experience. The striking aspect is its foundation: a significant portion of the editor, including its pixel renderer, is written directly in assembly language.
- Core Philosophy: Rhun champions a "less weight, more flow" development experience, offering a lean toolset for programmers who feel overwhelmed by feature-rich editors.
- Low-Level Implementation: The editor's core and pixel renderer are built in x86-64 assembly, a highly unusual and technically demanding choice aimed at maximizing performance and minimizing footprint.
- Cross-Platform Support: Despite its low-level origins, Rhun is designed to run on Linux, Windows, and Apple Silicon Macs. For Apple Silicon, a build-time translator converts the x86-64 core to AArch64.
- Essential Features: It includes core editor functionalities such as tabs, syntax highlighting, fuzzy search, an integrated terminal, Git diffs, and an optional Vim mode.
- Intelligent AI Integration: Rather than becoming bloated, Rhun integrates AI for specific heavy-lifting tasks, like drafting commit messages using local Ollama models or external Claude Code/Codex subscriptions.
- Project Status: Rhun is an early-stage, solo, open-source project released under the MIT license.
Rhun stands out as a unique endeavor, challenging conventional editor design by prioritizing raw performance and a small footprint through assembly-level programming, while intelligently integrating powerful AI assistance. It offers a fresh perspective on developer tooling for those who value efficiency and minimalism.