# alevchuk/vim-clutch

A hardware pedal for improved text editing in Vim

Repository: https://github.com/alevchuk/vim-clutch
Canonical: https://ross.abutalabs.com/products/vim-clutch
License Family: other
Last push: 2021-10-21T17:49:04+00:00

## Health v2 (maintenance only)
Score: 32/100 (v2, computed 2026-09-03T02:20:16.233290+00:00)
- activity 0, release rhythm 35, longevity 100
- inputs: {"age_days": 5485, "days_push": 1777, "days_rel": null, "gap_med": null, "n_releases_24m": 0}
- flags: no_releases, no_license
- formula: round(0.45*activity + 0.35*rhythm + 0.20*longevity); archived -> min(score, 10)

## Adoption (not part of the score)
Stars 3596, forks 53 (observed 2026-08-28T04:08:11.341895+00:00)

## What it is
VIM Clutch is a DIY hardware project that turns a cheap USB foot pedal into a Vim mode-switching controller: pressing the pedal sends 'i' to enter Insert Mode and releasing it sends Esc to return to Normal Mode. The repository documents how to build the pedal by combining two PC Sensor USB foot switches with a simple physical modification.

## Use cases
- switch vim insert mode with a foot pedal
- build a hardware pedal for text editing
- hands-free vim mode switching
- repurpose a cheap USB foot switch for vim
- improve typing ergonomics while editing in vim

## When to choose
- you want a fun DIY hardware hack to speed up Vim editing
- you already own or can cheaply buy PC Sensor USB foot pedals
- you want step-by-step instructions for wiring dual pedals into one enclosure

## When to avoid
- you want a ready-made, purchasable product rather than a DIY project
- you need programmable pedal-down and pedal-up events without hardware modification
- you don't use Vim or a similar modal editor

## Facets
- artifact type: application
- maturity: maintenance
- function: developer-tools, cli
- domain: developer-tools, text-editors, hardware
- platform: windows, cross-platform
- tags: vim, foot-pedal, hardware-hack, diy, usb-hid, text-editing, linux, macos

## Member repositories
- alevchuk/vim-clutch (main) score 32

## Provenance
- Observed fields: from GitHub, fetched 2026-08-28T04:08:11.341895+00:00.
- Health v2: computed from the inputs above; adoption is never an input.
- Inferred fields (summary, facets, guidance): AI-extracted, prompt v1, taxonomy v1, on 2026-08-29T18:33:47.469975+00:00, confidence not recorded.
  - readme: https://github.com/alevchuk/vim-clutch (fetched 2026-08-28T04:08:11.341895+00:00, sha 50a52d133f74)
- Data as of 2026-08-30T08:39:29.467469+00:00.