158 lines
7.0 KiB
Markdown
158 lines
7.0 KiB
Markdown
# [](https://www.vim.org)
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[](https://github.com/vim/vim/actions?query=workflow%3A%22GitHub+CI%22)
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[](https://ci.appveyor.com/project/chrisbra/vim)
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[](https://cirrus-ci.com/github/vim/vim)
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[](https://codecov.io/gh/vim/vim?branch=master)
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[](https://scan.coverity.com/projects/vim)
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[](https://buildd.debian.org/vim)
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[](https://repology.org/metapackage/vim)
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[](https://fossies.org/linux/test/vim-master.tar.gz/codespell.html)
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If you find a bug or want to discuss the best way to add a new feature, please
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[open an issue](https://github.com/vim/vim/issues/new/choose).
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If you have a question or want to discuss the best way to do something with
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Vim, you can use [StackExchange](https://vi.stackexchange.com/)
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or one of the [Maillists](https://www.vim.org/community.php).
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## What is Vim?
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Vim is a greatly improved version of the good old UNIX editor
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[Vi](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vi_(text_editor)). Many new
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features have been added: multi-level undo, syntax highlighting, command line
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history, on-line help, spell checking, filename completion, block operations,
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script language, etc. There is also a Graphical User Interface (GUI)
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available. Still, Vi compatibility is maintained, those who have Vi "in the
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fingers" will feel at home.
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See [`runtime/doc/vi_diff.txt`](runtime/doc/vi_diff.txt) for differences with
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Vi.
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This editor is very useful for editing programs and other plain text files.
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All commands are given with normal keyboard characters, so those who can type
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with ten fingers can work very fast. Additionally, function keys can be
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mapped to commands by the user, and the mouse can be used.
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Vim also aims to provide a (mostly) POSIX-compatible vi implementation, when
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compiled with a minimal feature set (typically called vim.tiny), which is used
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by many Linux distributions as the default vi editor.
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Vim runs under MS-Windows (7, 8, 10, 11), macOS, Haiku, VMS and almost all
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flavours of UNIX. Porting to other systems should not be very difficult.
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Older versions of Vim run on MS-DOS, MS-Windows 95/98/Me/NT/2000/XP/Vista,
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Amiga DOS, Atari MiNT, BeOS, RISC OS and OS/2. These are no longer maintained.
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For Vim9 script see [README_VIM9](README_VIM9.md).
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## Distribution
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You can often use your favorite package manager to install Vim. On Mac and
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Linux a small version of Vim is pre-installed, you still need to install Vim
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if you want more features.
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There are separate distributions for Unix, PC, Amiga and some other systems.
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This `README.md` file comes with the runtime archive. It includes the
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documentation, syntax files and other files that are used at runtime. To run
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Vim you must get either one of the binary archives or a source archive.
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Which one you need depends on the system you want to run it on and whether you
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want or must compile it yourself. Check https://www.vim.org/download.php for
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an overview of currently available distributions.
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Some popular places to get the latest Vim:
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* Check out the git repository from [GitHub](https://github.com/vim/vim).
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* Get the source code as an [archive](https://github.com/vim/vim/tags).
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* Get a Windows executable from the
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[vim-win32-installer](https://github.com/vim/vim-win32-installer/releases) repository.
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## Compiling
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If you obtained a binary distribution you don't need to compile Vim. If you
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obtained a source distribution, all the stuff for compiling Vim is in the
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[`src`](./src/) directory. See [`src/INSTALL`](./src/INSTALL) for instructions.
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## Installation
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See one of these files for system-specific instructions. Either in the
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[READMEdir directory](./READMEdir/) (in the repository) or
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the top directory (if you unpack an archive):
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```
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README_ami.txt Amiga
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README_unix.txt Unix
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README_dos.txt MS-DOS and MS-Windows
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README_mac.txt Macintosh
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README_haiku.txt Haiku
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README_vms.txt VMS
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```
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There are other `README_*.txt` files, depending on the distribution you used.
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## Documentation
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The Vim tutor is a one hour training course for beginners. Often it can be
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started as `vimtutor`. See `:help tutor` for more information.
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The best is to use `:help` in Vim. If you don't have an executable yet, read
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[`runtime/doc/help.txt`](./runtime/doc/help.txt).
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It contains pointers to the other documentation files.
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The User Manual reads like a book and is recommended to learn to use
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Vim. See `:help user-manual`.
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## Copying
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Vim is Charityware. You can use and copy it as much as you like, but you are
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encouraged to make a donation to help orphans in Uganda. Please read the file
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[`runtime/doc/uganda.txt`](./runtime/doc/uganda.txt)
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for details (do `:help uganda` inside Vim).
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Summary of the license: There are no restrictions on using or distributing an
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unmodified copy of Vim. Parts of Vim may also be distributed, but the license
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text must always be included. For modified versions, a few restrictions apply.
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The license is GPL compatible, you may compile Vim with GPL libraries and
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distribute it.
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## Sponsoring
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Fixing bugs and adding new features takes a lot of time and effort. To show
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your appreciation for the work and motivate developers to continue working on
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Vim please send a donation.
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The money you donated will be mainly used to help children in Uganda. See
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[`runtime/doc/uganda.txt`](./runtime/doc/uganda.txt). But at the same time
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donations increase the development team motivation to keep working on Vim!
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For the most recent information about sponsoring look on the Vim web site:
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https://www.vim.org/sponsor/
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## Contributing
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If you would like to help make Vim better, see the
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[CONTRIBUTING.md](./CONTRIBUTING.md) file.
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## Information
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If you are on macOS, you can use [MacVim](https://macvim.org).
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The latest news about Vim can be found on the Vim home page:
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https://www.vim.org/
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If you have problems, have a look at the Vim documentation or tips:
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https://www.vim.org/docs.php
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https://vim.fandom.com/wiki/Vim_Tips_Wiki
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If you still have problems or any other questions, use one of the mailing
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lists to discuss them with Vim users and developers:
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https://www.vim.org/maillist.php
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If nothing else works, report bugs directly to the vim-dev mailing list:
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`<vim-dev@vim.org>`
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## Main author
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Most of Vim was created by Bram Moolenaar `<Bram@vim.org>`
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[Bram-Moolenaar](https://vimhelp.org/version9.txt.html#Bram-Moolenaar)
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Send any other comments, patches, flowers and suggestions to the vim-dev mailing list:
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`<vim-dev@vim.org>`
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This is `README.md` for version 9.1 of Vim: Vi IMproved.
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