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https://github.com/vim/vim

The official Vim repository
https://github.com/vim/vim

c cross-platform text-editor vim

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The official Vim repository

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README 

        
# [![Vim The editor](https://github.com/vim/vim/raw/master/runtime/vimlogo.gif)](https://www.vim.org)



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If you find a bug or want to discuss the best way to add a new feature, please

[open an issue](https://github.com/vim/vim/issues/new/choose).

If you have a question or want to discuss the best way to do something with

Vim, you can use [StackExchange](https://vi.stackexchange.com/)

or one of the [Maillists](https://www.vim.org/community.php).



## What is Vim?



Vim is a greatly improved version of the good old UNIX editor

[Vi](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vi_(text_editor)).  Many new

features have been added: multi-level undo, syntax highlighting, command line

history, on-line help, spell checking, filename completion, block operations,

script language, etc.  There is also a Graphical User Interface (GUI)

available.  Still, Vi compatibility is maintained, those who have Vi "in the

fingers" will feel at home.

See [`runtime/doc/vi_diff.txt`](runtime/doc/vi_diff.txt) for differences with

Vi.



This editor is very useful for editing programs and other plain text files.

All commands are given with normal keyboard characters, so those who can type

with ten fingers can work very fast.  Additionally, function keys can be

mapped to commands by the user, and the mouse can be used.



Vim runs under MS-Windows (7, 8, 10, 11), macOS, Haiku, VMS and almost all

flavours of UNIX.  Porting to other systems should not be very difficult.

Older versions of Vim run on MS-DOS, MS-Windows 95/98/Me/NT/2000/XP/Vista,

Amiga DOS, Atari MiNT, BeOS, RISC OS and OS/2.  These are no longer maintained.



For Vim9 script see [README_VIM9](README_VIM9.md).



## Distribution



You can often use your favorite package manager to install Vim.  On Mac and

Linux a small version of Vim is pre-installed, you still need to install Vim

if you want more features.



There are separate distributions for Unix, PC, Amiga and some other systems.

This `README.md` file comes with the runtime archive.  It includes the

documentation, syntax files and other files that are used at runtime.  To run

Vim you must get either one of the binary archives or a source archive.

Which one you need depends on the system you want to run it on and whether you

want or must compile it yourself.  Check https://www.vim.org/download.php for

an overview of currently available distributions.



Some popular places to get the latest Vim:

* Check out the git repository from [GitHub](https://github.com/vim/vim).

* Get the source code as an [archive](https://github.com/vim/vim/tags).

* Get a Windows executable from the

[vim-win32-installer](https://github.com/vim/vim-win32-installer/releases) repository.



## Compiling



If you obtained a binary distribution you don't need to compile Vim.  If you

obtained a source distribution, all the stuff for compiling Vim is in the

[`src`](./src/) directory.  See [`src/INSTALL`](./src/INSTALL) for instructions.



## Installation



See one of these files for system-specific instructions.  Either in the

[READMEdir directory](./READMEdir/) (in the repository) or

the top directory (if you unpack an archive):



```

README_ami.txt		Amiga

README_unix.txt		Unix

README_dos.txt		MS-DOS and MS-Windows

README_mac.txt		Macintosh

README_haiku.txt	Haiku

README_vms.txt		VMS

```



There are other `README_*.txt` files, depending on the distribution you used.



## Documentation



The Vim tutor is a one hour training course for beginners.  Often it can be

started as `vimtutor`.  See `:help tutor` for more information.



The best is to use `:help` in Vim.  If you don't have an executable yet, read

[`runtime/doc/help.txt`](./runtime/doc/help.txt).

It contains pointers to the other documentation files.

The User Manual reads like a book and is recommended to learn to use

Vim.  See `:help user-manual`.



## Copying



Vim is Charityware.  You can use and copy it as much as you like, but you are

encouraged to make a donation to help orphans in Uganda.  Please read the file

[`runtime/doc/uganda.txt`](./runtime/doc/uganda.txt)

for details (do `:help uganda` inside Vim).



Summary of the license: There are no restrictions on using or distributing an

unmodified copy of Vim.  Parts of Vim may also be distributed, but the license

text must always be included.  For modified versions, a few restrictions apply.

The license is GPL compatible, you may compile Vim with GPL libraries and

distribute it.



## Sponsoring



Fixing bugs and adding new features takes a lot of time and effort.  To show

your appreciation for the work and motivate developers to continue working on

Vim please send a donation.



The money you donated will be mainly used to help children in Uganda.  See

[`runtime/doc/uganda.txt`](./runtime/doc/uganda.txt).  But at the same time

donations increase the development team motivation to keep working on Vim!



For the most recent information about sponsoring look on the Vim web site:

	https://www.vim.org/sponsor/



## Contributing



If you would like to help make Vim better, see the

[CONTRIBUTING.md](./CONTRIBUTING.md) file.



## Information



If you are on macOS, you can use [MacVim](https://macvim.org).



The latest news about Vim can be found on the Vim home page:

	https://www.vim.org/



If you have problems, have a look at the Vim documentation or tips:

	https://www.vim.org/docs.php

	https://vim.fandom.com/wiki/Vim_Tips_Wiki



If you still have problems or any other questions, use one of the mailing

lists to discuss them with Vim users and developers:

	https://www.vim.org/maillist.php



If nothing else works, report bugs directly to the vim-dev mailing list:

	``



## Main author



Most of Vim was created by Bram Moolenaar ``

[Bram-Moolenaar](https://vimhelp.org/version9.txt.html#Bram-Moolenaar)



Send any other comments, patches, flowers and suggestions to the vim-dev mailing list:

	``



This is `README.md` for version 9.1 of Vim: Vi IMproved.