View source for Vim (text editor)

{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2020}}
{{short description|Improved version of the Vi keyboard-oriented text editor}}
{{Infobox software
| name = Vim
| logo = Vimlogo.svg
| screenshot = Vim-(logiciel)-console.png
| caption = Vim running in a [[terminal emulator]]
| author = [[Bram Moolenaar]]
| developer = <!--  -->
| released = {{start date and age|{{wikidata|property|P571}}}}
| latest release version = {{wikidata|property|edit|reference|P348|P548=Q2804309}}
| latest release date = {{start date and age|{{wikidata|qualifier|P348|P548=Q2804309|P577}}}}
| programming language = [[C (programming language)|C]], [[#Vim script|Vim script]]
| operating system = [[Unix]], [[Linux]], [[Windows NT]], [[MS-DOS]], [[macOS]], [[iOS]], [[Android (operating system)|Android]], [[Haiku (operating system)|Haiku]], [[AmigaOS]], [[MorphOS]]
| genre = [[Text editor]]
| license = Vim<ref>{{cite web|url=https://github.com/vim/vim/blob/master/LICENSE|title=vim/LICENSE|website=github.com|date=20 October 2021|access-date=5 July 2021|archive-date=16 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210816052103/https://github.com/vim/vim/blob/master/LICENSE|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://spdx.org/licenses/Vim.html|title=Vim License|website=spdx.org|access-date=5 July 2021|archive-date=29 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210729175125/https://spdx.org/licenses/Vim.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="uganda.txt">{{cite web|url=https://vimhelp.org/uganda.txt.html#license|title=Vim: uganda.txt|website=vimhelp.org|access-date=13 January 2019|archive-date=13 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190113232236/https://vimhelp.org/uganda.txt.html#license|url-status=live}}</ref>
| website = <!-- Imported from Wikidata -->
}}{{for|the original vi editor|Vi (text editor)|}}
'''Vim''' ({{IPAc-en|v|ɪ|m|audio=en-us-vim.oga}};<ref name="pronounc">[https://vimhelp.org/intro.txt.html Vim documentation: intro] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190113232259/https://vimhelp.org/intro.txt.html |date=13 January 2019 }}: "Vim is pronounced as one word, like Jim, not vi-ai-em.  It's written with a capital, since it's a name, again like Jim."</ref> ''vi improved'') is a [[free and open-source]], [[screen-based text editor]] program. It is an improved [[Clone (computing)|clone]] of [[Bill Joy]]'s [[vi (text editor)|vi]]. Vim's author, [[Bram Moolenaar]], derived Vim from a port of the [[Stevie (text editor)|Stevie]] editor for [[Amiga]]<ref>{{multiref
|The original interview: {{cite interview |language=cs |last=Moolenaar |first=Bram |interviewer-last=Zapletal |interviewer-first=Lukáš |date=18 April 2005 |title=Rozhovor: Bram Moolenaar |trans-title=Interview: Bram Moolenaar |magazine=LinuxEXPRES |url=http://www.linuxexpres.cz/rozhovor/rozhovor-bram-moolenaar |access-date=3 January 2024 |at=question 2 |archive-date=28 December 2023 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20231228143808/https://www.linuxexpres.cz/rozhovor/rozhovor-bram-moolenaar |url-status = live}}
| Translation: {{cite web| url=https://moolenaar.net/interv_czech_en.html| author=Bram Moolenaar <!--Author from page source--> |date=n.d. |title=Interview with Bram Moolenaar, as published in the Czech magazine LinuxEXPRES, English version. |website=Bram Moolenaar's website |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160107114945/http://www.moolenaar.net/interv_czech_en.html |archive-date=7 January 2016}}
}}</ref> and released a version to the public in 1991. Vim is designed for use both from a [[command-line interface]] and as a standalone application in a [[graphical user interface]].<ref name=":2">{{Cite book |last=McDonnell |first=Mark |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/897466496 |title=Pro vim |date=2014 |isbn=978-1-4842-0250-0 |location=[Berkeley] |oclc=897466496}}</ref>
Since its release for the Amiga, [[cross-platform]] development has made it available on [[#Availability|many other systems]]. In 2018, it was voted the most popular editor amongst ''[[Linux Journal]]'' readers;<ref>{{Cite web |title=Best Editor {{!}} Linux Journal |url=https://www.linuxjournal.com/content/best-editor-0 |access-date=2023-04-20 |website=www.linuxjournal.com}}</ref> in 2015 the [[Stack Overflow]] developer survey found it to be the third most popular text editor,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://insights.stackoverflow.com/survey/2015#tech-editor |title=Stack Overflow Developer Survey 2015 § IV. Text Editor |publisher=Stack Overflow |access-date=25 July 2016 |archive-date=4 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190504144447/https://insights.stackoverflow.com/survey/2015#tech-editor |url-status=live }}</ref> and in 2019 the fifth most popular development environment.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://insights.stackoverflow.com/survey/2019#development-environments-and-tools |title=Stack Overflow Developer Survey 2019 Results |publisher=Stack Overflow § VII. Development Environments |access-date=20 July 2019 |archive-date=7 March 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200307082721/https://insights.stackoverflow.com/survey/2019#development-environments-and-tools |url-status=live }}</ref>

== History ==
Vim's forerunner, [[Stevie (text editor)|Stevie (ST Editor for VI Enthusiasts)]], was created by Tim Thompson for the [[Atari ST]] in 1987<ref name=stevie>{{cite web |first=Tim |last=Thompson |date=2000-03-26 |url=http://nosuch.com/tjt/stevie/ |title=Stevie |access-date=2010-12-27 |archive-date=4 January 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160104222833/http://nosuch.com/tjt/stevie/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="stevie-usenet">{{cite newsgroup |title=A mini-vi for the ST |author=Tim Thompson |date=1987-06-28 |newsgroup=comp.sys.atari.st |message-id=129@glimmer.UUCP |url=http://groups.google.com/group/comp.sys.atari.st/msg/8db96f888d778a32?dmode=source |access-date=2010-12-27 |archive-date=9 November 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121109202954/http://groups.google.com/group/comp.sys.atari.st/msg/8db96f888d778a32?dmode=source |url-status=live }}</ref> and further developed by Tony Andrews<ref name=stevie/><ref name="v15i026">{{cite newsgroup |title=v15i037: Stevie, an "aspiring" VI clone for Unix, OS/2, Amiga |author=Tony Andrews |date=1988-06-06 |newsgroup=comp.sources.unix |message-id=893@fig.bbn.com |url=http://groups.google.com/group/comp.sources.unix/msg/1fccf6a82259beed?dmode=source |access-date=2010-12-27 |archive-date=9 November 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121109202944/http://groups.google.com/group/comp.sources.unix/msg/1fccf6a82259beed?dmode=source |url-status=live }}</ref> and G.R. (Fred) Walter.<ref>{{cite web|author1=Vim|title=intro.txt|url=https://vimhelp.appspot.com/intro.txt.html|website=Vim Help|publisher=Vim|access-date=9 July 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160709041643/https://vimhelp.appspot.com/intro.txt.html |language=en|date=20 January 2015|archive-date=9 July 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=vim(1)|url=http://linux.die.net/man/1/vim|website=die.net|publisher=Vim|access-date=9 July 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160709133642/http://linux.die.net/man/1/vim |archive-date=9 July 2016|date=11 April 2006|quote=Vim is based on Stevie, worked on by: Tim Thompson, Tony Andrews and G.R. (Fred) Walter. Although hardly any of the original code remains.}}</ref> It was one of the first popularized clones of [[Vi (text editor)|Vi]], and did not use Vi's source code. The source code for Vi used the [[Ed (text editor)|Ed]] text editor developed under AT&T, and therefore Vi could only be used by those with an AT&T source license.{{Citation needed|date=July 2023}} Basing Vim on the source code for Stevie meant the program could be distributed without requiring the AT&T source license.

Basing his work on Stevie, [[Bram Moolenaar]] began working on Vim for the [[Amiga]] computer in 1988, with the first public release (Vim v1.14) in 1991.<ref>{{cite web |last=Moolenaar |first=Bram |date=10 October 2000 |title=The continuing story of Vim |url=http://moolenaar.net/vimstory.pdf |url-status=live |website=moolenaar.net |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120418061526/http://moolenaar.net/vimstory.pdf |archive-date=18 April 2012 |access-date=19 September 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://jovicailic.org/2014/06/the-history-of-vim/|title=The history of Vim – Jovica Ilic|date=5 June 2014|access-date=25 January 2020|archive-date=25 January 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200125113304/https://jovicailic.org/2014/06/the-history-of-vim/|url-status=live}}</ref>{{better source needed|date=January 2020}}

At the time of its first release, the name "Vim" was an acronym for "Vi IMitation", but this changed to "'Vi IMproved" late in 1993.<ref name="vile-FAQ">{{cite web |url=https://invisible-island.net/vile/vile.faq.html#clone_began |title=VILE (Vi Like Emacs) – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) |access-date=7 September 2019 |archive-date=31 August 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190831142828/https://invisible-island.net/vile/vile.faq.html#clone_began |url-status=live }}</ref>

=== Release history ===
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="width:60%;"
! style="width:13%;" | Date
! style="width:6%;" | Version
! style="width:81%;" | Changes and additions
|-
| June, 1987
| N/A
| Tim Thompson releases Stevie (ST editor for VI enthusiasts), a limited vi clone for the [[Atari ST]], posting the source on [[Usenet]].<ref name=stevie /><ref name="stevie-usenet" />
|-
| June, 1988
| N/A
| Tony Andrews improves Stevie, and ports it to Unix and [[OS/2]], releasing version 3.10 on [[Usenet]].<ref name=stevie/><ref name="v15i026"/>

|-
| 1988
| 1.0
| Bram Moolenaar creates '''Vi IMitation''' for the Amiga, based on Stevie, never publicly released
|-
| 2 November 1991
| 1.14<ref name="history">{{cite web |first=Bram |last=Moolenaar |date=2002-01-15 |url=http://www.free-soft.org/FSM/english/issue01/vim.html |title=Vim, an open-source text editor |access-date=2005-10-24 |archive-date=7 August 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110807042854/http://www.free-soft.org/FSM/english/issue01/vim.html |url-status=live }}</ref>|| First public release for the [[Amiga]] on [[Fred Fish]] disk #591<ref>{{cite web|url=http://cd.textfiles.com/fredfish/v1.6/FF_Disks/571-600/FF_591/Contents|title=Textfiles.com|access-date=2 October 2009|archive-date=16 July 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716093932/http://cd.textfiles.com/fredfish/v1.6/FF_Disks/571-600/FF_591/Contents|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
| 1992
| 1.22<ref name="history"/>
| Port to Unix, never publicly released.<ref name="vile-FAQ"/> Vim now competes with ''[[Vi (text editor)|vi]]''.
|-
| 14 December 1993
| 2.0<ref name="filewatcher">{{cite web |title=Filewatcher |url=http://www.filewatcher.com/b/ftp/ftp.twaren.net/pub/Unix/Editors/Vim/old.0.0.html |access-date=26 February 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110711001335/http://www.filewatcher.com/b/ftp/ftp.twaren.net/pub/Unix/Editors/Vim/old.0.0.html |archive-date=11 July 2011 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}</ref>
| This is the first release using the name '''Vi IMproved'''.<ref name="vile-FAQ"/>
|-
| 12 August 1994
| 3.0<ref name="history"/>
| Support for multiple windows
|-
| 29 May 1996
| 4.0<ref name="history"/><ref>{{cite web |date=2004-03-12 |url=http://www.vim.org/htmldoc/version4.html |title=Official Vim Manual, Version 4 summary |access-date=2008-08-06 |archive-date=18 August 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080818035456/http://www.vim.org/htmldoc/version4.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
| [[Graphical user interface]]
|-
| 19 February 1998
| 5.0<ref name="history"/><ref>{{cite web |date=2004-01-17 |url=http://www.vim.org/htmldoc/version5.html |title=Official Vim Manual, Version 5 summary |access-date=2008-08-06 |archive-date=21 August 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080821072351/http://www.vim.org/htmldoc/version5.html |url-status=live }}</ref>|| [[Syntax highlighting]], basic [[Scripting language|scripting]] (user defined functions, commands, etc.)
|-
| 6 April 1998
| 5.1
| [[Software bug|Bug]] fixes, various improvements
|-
| 27 April 1998
| 5.2
| Long line support, file browser, dialogs, popup menu, select mode, session files, user defined functions and commands, [[Tcl]] interface, etc.
|-
| 31 August 1998
| 5.3
| Bug fixes, etc.
|-
| 25 July 1999
| 5.4
| Basic file encryption, various improvements
|-
| 19 September 1999
| 5.5
| Bug fixes, various improvements
|-
| 16 January 2000
| 5.6
| New syntax files, bug fixes, etc.
|-
| 24 June 2000
| 5.7
| New syntax files, bug fixes, etc.
|-
| 31 May 2001
| 5.8
| New syntax files, bug fixes, etc.
|-
| 26 September 2001
| 6.0<ref name="history"/><ref>{{cite web |date=2004-03-12 |url=http://www.vim.org/htmldoc/version6.html |title=Official Vim Manual, Version 6 summary |access-date=2008-08-06 |archive-date=11 June 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080611081758/http://www.vim.org/htmldoc/version6.html |url-status=live }}</ref>|| [[Folding editor|Folding]], [[Plug-in (computing)|plugins]], multi-language, etc.
|-
| 24 March 2002
| 6.1
| Bug fixes
|-
| 1 June 2003
| 6.2
| GTK2 and libgnome2 support, Arabic language support, :try command, minor features, bug fixes
|-
| 7 June 2004
| 6.3
| Bug fixes, translation updates, mark improvements
|-
| 15 October 2005
| 6.4
| Bug fixes, updates to Perl, Python, and Ruby support
|-
| 7 May 2006
| 7.0<ref>{{cite web |date=2016-07-17 |url=https://vimhelp.org/version7.txt.html |title=Vim Reference Manual, Version 7 |access-date=2019-01-13 |archive-date=13 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190113232305/https://vimhelp.org/version7.txt.html |url-status=live }}</ref>|| [[Spell checker|Spell checking]], [[Autocomplete|code completion]], tab pages (multiple viewports/window layouts), current line and column highlighting, undo branches, and more
|-
| 12 May 2007
| 7.1
| Bug fixes, new syntax and runtime files, etc.
|-
| 9 August 2008
| 7.2<ref>{{cite web|url=http://groups.google.com/group/vim_announce/browse_thread/thread/2c89671dd928812f|title=Google Groups|website=groups.google.com|access-date=11 August 2008|archive-date=6 November 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121106114342/http://groups.google.com/group/vim_announce/browse_thread/thread/2c89671dd928812f|url-status=live}}</ref>|| Floating point support in scripts, refactored screen drawing code, bug fixes, new syntax files, etc.
|-
| 15 August 2010
| 7.3
| [[Lua (programming language)|Lua]] support, Python3 support, [[Blowfish (cipher)|Blowfish]] encryption, persistent undo/redo
|-
| 10 August 2013
| 7.4<ref>[https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/vim_announce/knOQ_t_H5to Google Discussiegroepen] {{Webarchive|url=http://arquivo.pt/wayback/20110122130054/https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/vim_announce/knOQ_t_H5to |date=22 January 2011 }}. Groups.google.com. Retrieved on 2013-12-09.</ref>
| A new, faster regular expression engine.
|-
| 12 September 2016
| 8.0<ref>{{cite web |url=https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/vim_announce/EKTuhjF3ET0 |title=Vim 8.0 released! |access-date=12 September 2016 |author=Bram Moolenaar |archive-date=22 January 2011 |archive-url=http://arquivo.pt/wayback/20110122130054/https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/vim_announce/EKTuhjF3ET0 |url-status=live }}</ref>
| Asynchronous I/O support, jobs, lambdas, etc.
|-
| 18 May 2018
| 8.1<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.vim.org/vim-8.1-released.php |title=Vim 8.1 is released! |access-date=18 May 2018 |author=Bram Moolenaar |archive-date=17 May 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180517191637/https://www.vim.org/vim-8.1-released.php |url-status=live }}</ref>
| Terminal window support and terminal gdb plugin.
|-
| 13 December 2019
| 8.2<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.vim.org/vim-8.2-released.php |title=Vim 8.2 is released! |access-date=13 December 2019 |author=Bram Moolenaar |archive-date=12 December 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191212152052/https://www.vim.org/vim-8.2-released.php |url-status=live }}</ref>
| Popup windows, text properties.
|-
| 28 June 2022
| 9.0<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.vim.org/vim90.php |title=Vim 9.0 is released! |access-date=30 June 2022 |author=Bram Moolenaar |archive-date=2 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220702120512/https://www.vim.org/vim90.php |url-status=live }}</ref>
| Vim9 script
|-
| 2 January 2024
| 9.1<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.vim.org/vim-9.1-released.php |title=Vim 9.1 is released! |access-date=4 January 2024 |author=Christian Brabandt |archive-date=2 January 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240102235711/https://www.vim.org/vim-9.1-released.php |url-status=live }}</ref>
| Classes and objects support for Vim9 script, smooth scrolling, virtual text
|}

== License ==
Vim is released under the Vim [[Software license|license]], which includes some [[Careware|charityware]] clauses that encourage users who enjoy the software to consider donating to children in [[Uganda]].<ref name="uganda.txt"/> The Vim license is compatible with the [[GNU General Public License]] through a special clause allowing distribution of modified copies under the [[GNU General Public License|GNU GPL version 2.0 or later]].<ref name="uganda.txt" />

== Interface ==
[[File:Gvim-7.3-menu.png|thumb|gVim 7.3]]
Like [[Vi (text editor)|vi]], Vim's interface is not based on [[menu (computing)|menus]] or [[icon (computing)|icons]] but on commands given in a [[text user interface]]; its [[GUI]] mode, '''gVim''', adds menus and toolbars for commonly used commands but the full functionality is still expressed through its [[command line]] mode. Vi (and by extension Vim) tends to allow a typist to keep their fingers on the [[home row]], which can be an advantage for a [[Touch typing|touch typist]].<ref name=Lamb1998>{{cite book|last1=Lamb|first1=Linda|last2=Robbins|first2=Arnold|title=Learning the Vi Editor|date=1998|publisher=O'Reilly Media, Inc.|isbn=9781565924260|page=[https://archive.org/details/learningvieditor00lamb/page/305 305]|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/learningvieditor00lamb/page/305}}</ref>

Vim has a built-in [[tutorial#Computer-based tutoring|tutorial]] for beginners called vimtutor, which is usually installed along with Vim, but is a separate executable and can be run with a shell command.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://vimdoc.sourceforge.net/htmldoc/usr_01.html#tutor|title=Vim documentation: usr_01|last=Moolenaar|first=Bram|date=3 November 2010|access-date=28 August 2019|archive-date=29 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200729064500/http://vimdoc.sourceforge.net/htmldoc/usr_01.html#tutor|url-status=live}}</ref> The Vim [[User guide|Users' Manual]] details Vim's features and can be read from within Vim, or found online.<ref>[https://vimhelp.org/ Vim help files] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190113232300/https://vimhelp.org/ |date=13 January 2019 }} at vimhelp.org</ref><ref name="vimbook">{{Cite book|title=Vi IMproved (VIM)|isbn=0-7357-1001-5|first=Steve|last=Oualline|publisher=New Riders Publishers|date=April 2001|url=http://ftp.vim.org/pub/vim/doc/book/vimbook-OPL.pdf|access-date=11 October 2021|archive-date=19 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211119082135/http://ftp.vim.org/pub/vim/doc/book/vimbook-OPL.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref>

Vim also has a built-in help facility (using the <code>:help</code> command) which allows users to query and navigate through commands and features.

=== Registers ===
Vim features various special memory entries called registers (not to be confused with hardware or [[processor register]]s). When [[cut, copy, and paste|cutting, deleting, copying, or pasting]] text the user can choose to store the manipulated text in a register. There are 36 general-purpose registers associated with letters and numbers ([a-z0-9]) and a range of special ones that either contain special values (current filename, last command, etc.) or serve a special purpose.{{r|:2|page=85}}

=== Modes ===
[[File:Vim modes.svg|thumb|Vim modes]]

Like vi, vim supports multiple editing modes. Depending on the mode, typed characters are interpreted either as sequences of commands or are inserted as text. In Vim there are 14 editing modes, 7 basic modes and 7 variants:<ref>{{cite web |last1=Moolenaar |first1=Bram |title=Vim: intro.txt |url=https://vimhelp.org/intro.txt.html |website=vimhelp.org |access-date=1 September 2023}}</ref>
* '''Normal''' mode – used for editor commands. This is generally the default mode and by default hitting {{key press|ESC}} returns the editor to this mode.
* '''Insert''' mode – used for typing text in a way similar to most modern editors. In this mode, opened text in buffers can be modified with the text entered from the keyboard.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=CS107 The Vim Editor |url=https://web.stanford.edu/class/cs107/resources/vim.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230127153621/https://web.stanford.edu/class/cs107/resources/vim.html |archive-date=27 January 2023 |access-date=2023-01-27 |website=web.stanford.edu}}</ref>{{r|Lamb1998|pp=12}}
* '''Visual''' mode – used to select areas of text. Commands can be run on the selected area – moving, editing, filtering via built-in or external command, etc.
** '''Visual linewise''', a subtype of visual mode which selects one or more whole lines
** '''Visual blockwise''', another subtype which selects a rectangular block of text across one or more lines
* '''Select''' mode – similar to visual, but the commands are not interpreted, instead, highlighted text is directly replaced by input from the keyboard; similar to the selection mode used in editors on Microsoft Windows platforms
* '''Command-line''' or '''Cmdline''' mode – provides a single line input at the bottom of the Vim window. Commands (beginning with {{key press|:}}) and some other keys for specific actions (including pattern search and the filter command) activate this mode. On completion of the command, Vim returns to the previous mode.<ref name=":1" />{{r|Lamb1998|pp=12}}
* '''Ex''' mode – accepts a sequence of commands.
* '''Terminal-Job''' mode - Interacting with a job in a terminal window.

== Customization ==
Vim is highly customizable and extensible, making it an attractive tool for users who demand a large amount of control and flexibility over their text editing environment.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fastcompany.com/3037629/why-vim-an-80s-text-editor-is-still-the-ui-of-choice-for-power-users|website=FastCompany|last=Melendez|first=Steven|title=Why Vim, An '80s Text Editor, Is Still The UI Of Choice For Power Users|date=28 October 2014|access-date=5 May 2019|archive-date=6 May 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190506013107/https://www.fastcompany.com/3037629/why-vim-an-80s-text-editor-is-still-the-ui-of-choice-for-power-users|url-status=live}}</ref> Text input is facilitated by a variety of features designed to increase keyboard efficiency. Users can execute complex commands with "key bindings," which can be customized and extended. The "recording" feature allows for the creation of [[macro (computer science)#Keyboard and mouse macros|macros]] to automate sequences of keystrokes and call internal or user-defined functions and mappings. Abbreviations, similar to macros and key mappings, facilitate the expansion of short strings of text into longer ones and can also be used to correct mistakes. Vim also features an "easy" mode for users looking for a simpler text editing solution.<ref>{{cite web |title=Tips: Making Vim easy |url=https://www.linux.com/news/tips-making-vim-easy |website=Linux.com |access-date=6 May 2019 |date=2007-04-10 |archive-date=6 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190506013124/https://www.linux.com/news/tips-making-vim-easy |url-status=live }}</ref>

There are many [[plug-in (computing)|plugins]] available that extend or add new functionality to Vim. These plugins are usually written in Vim's internal scripting language, vimscript (also known as VimL),<ref>{{cite web|url=https://vimhelp.org/usr_41.txt.html#vim-script-intro|title=Vim documentation: usr_41|website=vimhelp.org|access-date=13 January 2019|archive-date=13 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190113232237/https://vimhelp.org/usr_41.txt.html#vim-script-intro|url-status=live}}</ref> but can be written in other languages as well.

There are projects bundling together complex scripts and customizations and aimed at turning Vim into a tool for a specific task or adding a major flavour to its behaviour. Examples include Cream, which makes Vim behave like a click-and-type editor, or VimOutliner, which provides a comfortable [[outliner]] for users of Unix-like systems.

== Features and improvements over vi ==
Vim has a vi compatibility mode, but when that mode is not used, Vim has many enhancements over vi.<ref name="vimhelp">Vim help system (type "<code>[https://vimhelp.org/ :help]</code>" within Vim)</ref> However even in compatibility mode, Vim is not entirely compatible with vi as defined in the [[Single UNIX Specification|Single Unix Specification]]<ref>{{citation | url = http://pubs.opengroup.org/onlinepubs/9699919799/utilities/vi.html | title = "vi&nbsp;— screen-oriented (visual) display editor", Single Unix Specification, Version 4 (IEEE Std 1003.1–2008) | author = The Open Group | access-date = 2010-12-27 | year = 2008 | archive-date = 22 January 2011 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110122015032/http://pubs.opengroup.org/onlinepubs/9699919799/utilities/vi.html | url-status = live }}</ref> and [[POSIX]] (e.g., Vim does not support vi's open mode, only visual mode). Vim's developers state that it is "very much compatible with Vi".<ref name=vimfaq>{{cite web|url=https://vimhelp.org/vim_faq.txt.html#faq-1.3|title=Vim FAQ|author1=Peppe|author2=Benji|first3=Charles|last3=Campbell|date=2004-01-02|access-date=2010-12-27|archive-date=13 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190113232234/https://vimhelp.org/vim_faq.txt.html#faq-1.3|url-status=live}} (question 1.3)</ref>

Some of Vim's enhancements include [[autocomplete|completion]] functions, [[data comparison|comparison]] and [[merge (revision control)|merging]] of files (known as vimdiff), a comprehensive integrated help system, extended [[regular expression]]s, [[scripting language]]s (both native and through alternative scripting interpreters such as Perl, Python, Ruby, Tcl, etc.) including support for [[plug-in (computing)|plugins]], a [[graphical user interface]] (gvim), limited [[integrated development environment]]-like features, [[mouse (computing)|mouse]] interaction (both with and without the GUI), [[Code folding|folding]], editing of compressed or archived files in [[gzip]], [[bzip2]], [[ZIP (file format)|zip]], and [[tar (computing)|tar]] format and files over network protocols such as [[Secure Shell|SSH]], [[File Transfer Protocol|FTP]], and [[Hypertext Transfer Protocol|HTTP]], session state preservation, [[spell checker|spell checking]], split (horizontal and vertical) and tabbed windows, [[Unicode]] and other multi-language support, [[syntax highlighting]], trans-session command, search and cursor position [[command history|histories]], multiple level and branching [[undo|undo/redo]] history which can persist across editing sessions, and visual mode.{{fact|date=March 2024}}

While running, Vim saves the user's changes in a swap file with the ".swp" [[file extension|extension]]. This file can be used to recover after a crash. If a user tries to open a file and a swap file already exists, Vim will warn the user, and if the user proceeds, Vim will use a swap file with the extension ".swo" (or, if there is already more than one swap file, ".swn", ".swm", etc.).<ref>{{cite web |title=Vim documentation: recover |url=http://vimdoc.sourceforge.net/htmldoc/recover.html |website=vimdoc.sourceforge.net |access-date=17 December 2020 |archive-date=13 December 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201213232131/http://vimdoc.sourceforge.net/htmldoc/recover.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=How to handle swapfiles in Vim |url=https://cs.longwood.edu/VimSwap.html |website=cs.longwood.edu |access-date=17 December 2020 |archive-date=7 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210507102651/https://cs.longwood.edu/VimSwap.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The feature can be disabled.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://vimhelp.org/options.txt.html#'swapfile' |title='swapfile' option |date=10 October 2020 |website=vimhelp.org |access-date=18 December 2020 |archive-date=14 December 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201214004148/https://vimhelp.org/options.txt.html#'swapfile' |url-status=live }}</ref>

== Vim script ==
'''Vim script''' (also called '''Vimscript''' or '''VimL''')<ref>{{cite web|url=https://pragprog.com/book/bkviml/the-viml-primer|access-date=25 January 2020|title=The VimL Primer: Edit Like a Pro with Vim Plugins and Scripts by Benjamin Klein &#124; The Pragmatic Bookshelf|last=Klein|first=Benjamin|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200125123547/https://pragprog.com/book/bkviml/the-viml-primer|archive-date=25 January 2020}}</ref> is the [[scripting language]] built into Vim.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://vimhelp.org/usr_41.txt.html|title=Vim documentation: usr_41|website=vimhelp.org|access-date=13 January 2019|archive-date=13 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190113232237/https://vimhelp.org/usr_41.txt.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Based on the [[Ex (text editor)|ex]] editor language of the original [[Vi (text editor)|vi]] editor, early versions of Vim added commands for control flow and function definitions. Since version 7, Vim script also supports more advanced data types such as [[List (abstract data type)|lists]] and [[Associative array|dictionaries]] and a simple form of [[object-oriented programming]]. Built-in functions such as <code>map()</code> and <code>filter()</code> allow a basic form of [[functional programming]], and Vim script has [[Anonymous function|lambda]] since version 8.0. Vim script is mostly written in an [[Imperative programming|imperative programming style]].

Vim [[Macro (computer science)|macros]] can contain a sequence of ''normal-mode'' commands, but can also invoke ex commands or functions written in Vim script for more complex tasks. Almost all extensions (called plugins or more commonly scripts) of the core Vim functionality are written in Vim script, but plugins can also utilize other languages like [[Perl]],<ref>{{cite web | url = http://vimdoc.sourceforge.net/htmldoc/if_perl.html | title = Vim documentation: if_perl | access-date = 2019-08-27 | last1 = Verdoolaege | first1 = Sven | last2 = Gerassimof | first2 = Matt | archive-date = 8 February 2012 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120208154924/http://vimdoc.sourceforge.net/htmldoc/if_perl.html | url-status = live }}</ref> [[Python (programming language)|Python]],<ref>{{cite web | url = http://vimdoc.sourceforge.net/htmldoc/if_pyth.html | title = Vim documentation: if_pyth | access-date = 2019-08-27 | last = Moore | first = Paul | archive-date = 22 August 2012 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120822072929/http://vimdoc.sourceforge.net/htmldoc/if_pyth.html | url-status = live }}</ref> [[Lua (programming language)|Lua]],<ref>{{cite web | url = http://vimdoc.sourceforge.net/htmldoc/if_lua.html | title = Vim documentation: if_lua | access-date = 2019-08-27 | last = Carvalho | first = Luis | archive-date = 30 March 2012 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120330221044/http://vimdoc.sourceforge.net/htmldoc/if_lua.html | url-status = live }}</ref> [[Ruby (programming language)|Ruby]],<ref>{{cite web | url = http://vimdoc.sourceforge.net/htmldoc/if_ruby.html | title = Vim documentation: if_ruby | access-date = 2019-08-27 | last = Maeda | first = Shugo | archive-date = 14 February 2012 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120214174436/http://vimdoc.sourceforge.net/htmldoc/if_ruby.html | url-status = live }}</ref> [[Tcl]],<ref>{{cite web | url = http://vimdoc.sourceforge.net/htmldoc/if_tcl.html | title = Vim documentation: if_tcl | access-date = 2019-08-27 | last = Wilken | first = Ingo | archive-date = 24 August 2012 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120824172051/http://vimdoc.sourceforge.net/htmldoc/if_tcl.html | url-status = live }}</ref>  or [[Racket (programming language)|Racket]].<ref>{{cite web | url = http://vimdoc.sourceforge.net/htmldoc/if_mzsch.html | title = Vim documentation: if_mzsch | access-date = 2019-08-27 | last = Khorev | first = Sergey | archive-date = 14 April 2012 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120414232343/http://vimdoc.sourceforge.net/htmldoc/if_mzsch.html | url-status = live }}</ref> These plugins can be installed manually, or through a plugin manager such as Vundle, Pathogen, or Vim-Plug.

Vim script files are stored as plain text, similarly to other code, and the filename extension is usually <code>.vim</code>. One notable exception to that is Vim's config file, <code>.vimrc</code>.

=== Examples ===
<syntaxhighlight lang="vim">
" This is the Hello World program in Vim script.
echo "Hello, world!"

" This is a simple while loop in Vim script.
let i = 1
while i < 5
  echo "count is" i
  let i += 1
endwhile
unlet i
</syntaxhighlight>

== Availability ==
While vi was originally available only on [[Unix]] operating systems, Vim has been [[porting|ported]] to many operating systems including [[AmigaOS]] (the initial target platform), [[Atari]] [[MiNT]], [[BeOS]], [[DOS]], [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]] starting from [[Windows NT 3.1]], [[OS/2]], [[OS/390]], [[MorphOS]], [[OpenVMS]], [[QNX]], [[RISC OS]], [[Linux]], [[Berkeley Software Distribution|BSD]], and [[Classic Mac OS]].<ref>"<code>[https://vimhelp.org/#sys-file-list :help sys-file-list]</code>"<br />{{cite web |url=http://www.vim.org/download.php |title=Vim Online: Downloads |access-date=2007-01-07 |archive-date=8 January 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070108142446/http://www.vim.org/download.php |url-status=live }}</ref>  Also, Vim is shipped with [[Apple Inc.|Apple]] [[macOS]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Mac OS X Manual Page For vim(1) |work=developer.apple.com |publisher=Apple Inc. |url=https://developer.apple.com/library/mac/#DOCUMENTATION/Darwin/Reference/ManPages/man1/vim.1.html |access-date=2010-01-12 |archive-date=9 June 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120609170929/http://developer.apple.com/library/mac/#DOCUMENTATION/Darwin/Reference/ManPages/man1/vim.1.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

Independent ports of Vim are available for [[Android (operating system)|Android]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://github.com/momodalo/vimtouch|access-date=2015-08-09|title=VimTouch, the development has stalled on this app|website=[[GitHub]]|archive-date=29 December 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151229012338/https://github.com/momodalo/vimtouch|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://github.com/shiftrot/droidvim|access-date=2017-03-05|title=DroidVim, under active development|website=[[GitHub]]|archive-date=27 June 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180627111225/https://github.com/shiftrot/droidvim|url-status=live}}</ref> and [[iOS]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://applidium.com/en/applications/vim/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120120032008/http://applidium.com/en/applications/vim/|url-status=dead|archive-date=2012-01-20|access-date=2015-08-11|title=Vim – Applidium, mobile agency in Paris}}</ref>

== Neovim ==
{{primary sources section|find=neovim |find2=text editor |date=October 2020}}
{{Infobox software
| name = Neovim
| logo = Neovim-logo.svg
| screenshot = Neovim v0.9.0-dev intro screen.png
| other_names = NVim
| released = {{start date and age|{{wikidata|property|Q28975246|P571}}}}
| latest release version = {{wikidata|property|edit|reference|Q28975246|P348|P548=Q2804309}}
| latest release date = {{start date and age|{{wikidata|qualifier|Q28975246|P348|P548=Q2804309|P577}}}}
| repo = {{wikidata|property|edit|Q28975246|P1324}}
| programming language = [[C (programming language)|C]], [[Vim script]], [[Lua (programming language)|Lua]]
| operating system = [[Microsoft Windows]] and [[Unix-like]]
| license = [[MIT License]]
| website = {{wikidata|property|edit|Q28975246|P856}}
}}

'''Neovim'''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://neovim.io/|title=Neovim: vim, out of the box|website=neovim.io|access-date=2 May 2024|archive-date=16 May 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220516140503/https://neovim.io/|url-status=live}}</ref> is a [[Fork (software development)|fork]] of Vim that strives to improve the extensibility and maintainability of Vim.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://neovim.io/charter/| title = Neovim Vision| access-date = 18 February 2016| archive-date = 26 April 2022| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220426002631/https://neovim.io/charter/| url-status = live}}</ref> Some features of the fork include built-in [[Language Server Protocol]] (LSP) support, support for [[asynchronous I/O]] by using the C library [[libuv]], and for [[Lua (programming language)|Lua]] scripting by using [[luaJIT]] language interpreter,<ref>{{cite web| url=https://neovim.io/doc/user/vim_diff.html| title=Nvim documentation: vim_diff| access-date=2 October 2019| archive-date=25 August 2019| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190825213838/https://neovim.io/doc/user/vim_diff.html| url-status=live}}</ref>{{Efn|LuaJIT is directly listed as a third-party dependency for the program build.}} allowing both plugin scripting and running scripts in headless / batch mode.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Starting - Neovim docs |url=https://neovim.io/doc/user/starting.html#-l |access-date=2025-03-31 |website=neovim.io}}</ref> The project is [[free software]] and its [[source code]] is available on [[GitHub]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://github.com/neovim/neovim|title=GitHub – neovim/neovim: Vim-fork focused on extensibility and usability|website=[[GitHub]]|date=2019-08-29|access-date=18 February 2016|archive-date=10 February 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160210002828/https://github.com/neovim/neovim|url-status=live}}</ref>

Neovim has the same configuration syntax as Vim prior to vim9script; thus the same [[configuration file]] can be used with both editors, although there are minor differences in details of options.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://arusahni.net/blog/2015/03/switching-to-neovim-part-1.html| title = Switching to NeoVim| date = 31 March 2015| access-date = 18 February 2016| archive-date = 16 February 2016| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160216025559/http://arusahni.net/blog/2015/03/switching-to-neovim-part-1.html| url-status = live}}</ref> If the added features of Neovim are not used, Neovim is compatible with almost all of Vim's features.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://veelenga.com/editors/how-to-start-using-neovim-instead-of-vim/| title=How to start using Neovim instead of Vim| access-date=18 February 2016| archive-date=4 June 2017| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170604054638/http://veelenga.com/editors/how-to-start-using-neovim-instead-of-vim/| url-status=usurped}}</ref>

The Neovim project was started in 2014, after a patch to Vim supporting multi-threading was rejected.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Vim's 25th anniversary and the release of Vim 8 [LWN.net] |author=Eddie Kovsky |work=lwn.net |date=1 February 2017 |access-date=13 June 2023 |url= https://lwn.net/Articles/713114/ }}</ref> Neovim had a successful fundraising in March 2014, supporting at least one full-time developer.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://vimcasts.org/blog/2014/03/support-neovim/| title = Vimcasts.org blog post| access-date = 18 February 2016| archive-date = 17 August 2021| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210817071909/http://vimcasts.org/blog/2014/03/support-neovim/| url-status = live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=23 March 2014|title=Neovim|url=https://www.bountysource.com/teams/neovim/fundraiser|access-date=2021-03-20|website=[[Bountysource]]|archive-date=5 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210105163307/https://www.bountysource.com/teams/neovim/fundraiser|url-status=live}}</ref>

Several frontends are under development which make use of Neovim's capabilities.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://github.com/rhysd/NyaoVim|title=NyaoVim frontend|website=[[GitHub]]|date=2019-08-29|access-date=18 February 2016|archive-date=30 April 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220430094112/https://github.com/rhysd/NyaoVim|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://github.com/rogual/neovim-dot-app|title=Mac OS X frontend|website=[[GitHub]]|date=2019-08-29|access-date=18 February 2016|archive-date=17 April 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220417165446/https://github.com/rogual/neovim-dot-app|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://github.com/equalsraf/neovim-qt|title=Neovim-Qt frontend|website=[[GitHub]]|date=2020-07-21|access-date=17 July 2019|archive-date=16 September 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190916231726/https://github.com/equalsraf/neovim-qt|url-status=live}}</ref>

With the 0.5 release of Neovim on 2 July 2021, it gained built-in support for the [[Language Server Protocol|LSP]], [[Tree-sitter (parser generator)|Tree-sitter]], and more complete Lua support – including the support for configuration scripts written in Lua instead of VimL.<ref>{{cite web |title=New features in Neovim 0.5 [LWN.net] |author=Ayooluwa Isaiah |work=lwn.net |date=3 August 2021 |access-date=13 June 2023 |url= https://lwn.net/Articles/864712/ }}</ref>

{{Clear}}

=== Gallery ===
<gallery mode="packed">
File:Neovim being used to edit its own configuration file.png|Neovim featuring configured statusbar and dark colorscheme.
File:Neovim v0.9.0-dev-a0a1125 Material Theme.png|Tweaked v0.9.0-dev version.
</gallery>

== See also ==
{{Portal|Free and open-source software|Computer programming}}
* ''[[Learning the vi and Vim Editors]]'', a tutorial book for vi and vim, published by O'Reilly Media
* [[Editor war]] – the rivalry between users of the [[Emacs]] and vi (Vim) text editors
* [[List of text editors]]
* [[Comparison of text editors]]
* [[Vimperator]]

== Notes ==
{{Notelist}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Wikibooks|Learning the vi Editor|Vim}}
{{Commons category|Vim}}
* {{Official website}}
* {{YouTube|ayc_qpB-93o|TechTalk by Bram Moolenaar held on 25th Anniversary of first vim release}}

{{FLOSS}}
{{HTML editors}}
{{Integrated development environments}}

{{Authority control}}

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