[celrod]

Is including batteries the main reason helix seems to have started taking off, while kakoune hasn't?

I use kakoune, because I like the client/server architecture for managing multiple windows, which helix can't do. The less configuring I do the better, but I've hardly done any in the past year. It's nice to have the option.

I do use kakoune-lsp and kak-tree-sitter.