Vi

Vi is a text editor. Although it first was popularized on unix, there are now implementations for a wide range of operating systems.

Vi is often used by programmers and supports programming with features like automatic wrapping, easy indentation, reformatting of text and source code, tabs expansion, and syntax coloring (some implementations of vi may lack a few of those features but you get the idea).

Some implementations of vi include graphical user interface features such as menus and cutting and pasting with a mouse, but vi works well on a keyboard and text terminal.

Implementations

There are a vast number of editors which have at least some vi compatibility and several which are compatible enough to be considered a "real" vi implementation. Two of the most popular are VIM and nvi.

There is no particularly concise way to describe how vi implementations differ; even if we made a list of features, it would be in danger of going out of date with new versions. If you are new to vi, just pick whatever implementation is easiest to obtain; you can worry about the fine points later.

Mailing lists and newsgroups

For mailing lists specific to the VIM implementation, see the VIM web site below.

The newsgroup for vi is comp.editors. It includes other editors as well, but there is more discussion there concerning vi than any other editor.

Getting vi

I suppose we need to make an explicit disclaimer that the distributions listed below are not supported by Cyclic. In most cases we are just mentioning a distribution provided by someone else, and didn't even help write any of it.

Most linux distributions include VIM or nvi or both.

Most unix operating systems include an implementation of vi.

For other operating systems, see the VIM page below (as far as we know, VIM has been ported more widely than nvi).

For more information

A Practical Guide to Linux is a large book covering many aspects of linux. It contains a chapter on vi.

We have a page of vi logos for you to use in vi-related contexts.

The Vi page from Sven Guckes has vi information which is not specific to any particular vi implementation, including a long and detailed list of vi implementations.

The vi coffee mug is useful, and not just for holding your coffee, because the sides of the mug contain a quick reference to vi commands.

The vi reference card contains a quick reference to vi commands.

For VIM, see the official VIM site, which includes documentation, development of VIM, a list of VIM users, sample .vimrc configuration files, related software, screen shots, and more.

For nvi see the nvi page from Keith Bostic, the author.

Whatis.com has a vi page which includes a slightly longer description of vi than we have here and links to a few comparisons of vi with other editors.