Guide: Install Vim on Mac

Vim is one of the most highly configurable text editors built to work with text on a Terminal/Console.

Installing Vim on Mac

1. Open the Terminal Application on your Mac using Spotlight Search.
2. Now type the below command to install Vim using brew,
   brew install vim
3. You would see the installation logs something like the below,
   ==> Fetching dependencies for vim: libsodium, lua, ncurses, berkeley-db, gdbm, perl, libyaml and ruby
   ==> Fetching vim
   ==> Downloading https://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core/vim/manifests/9.0.1450
   ##################### 100.0%
   ==> Downloading https://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core/vim/blobs/sha256:7295xx48
   ==> Downloading from https://pkg-containers.githubusercontent.com/ghcr1/blobs/sha256:7295xx4cb
   ==> Installing vim
   ==> Pouring vim--9.0.1450.arm64_ventura.bottle.tar.gz
   🍺 /opt/homebrew/Cellar/vim/9.0.1450: 2,146 files, 38.4MB
   ==> Running `brew cleanup vim`...
   
4. Now type in vim in your Terminal to open the editor.
5. You can check the version and more details by typing the command,

   % vim --version
   VIM - Vi IMproved 9.0 (2022 Jun 28, compiled Dec 16 2022 23:29:16)
   macOS version - arm64
   Included patches: 1-981
   Compiled by root@apple.com
   Normal version without GUI.  Features included (+) or not (-):
   +acl               +file_in_path      +mouse_urxvt       -tag_any_white
   -arabic            +find_in_path      +mouse_xterm       -tcl
   +autocmd           +float             +multi_byte        +termguicolors
   +autochdir         +folding           +multi_lang        +terminal
   -autoservername    -footer            -mzscheme          +terminfo
   -balloon_eval      +fork()            +netbeans_intg     +termresponse
   -balloon_eval_term -gettext           +num64             +textobjects
   -browse            -hangul_input      +packages          +textprop
   ++builtin_terms    +iconv             +path_extra        +timers
   +byte_offset       +insert_expand     -perl              +title
   +channel           +ipv6              +persistent_undo   -toolbar
   +cindent           +job               +popupwin          +user_commands
   -clientserver      +jumplist          +postscript        -vartabs
   +clipboard         -keymap            +printer           +vertsplit
   +cmdline_compl     +lambda            -profile           +vim9script
   +cmdline_hist      -langmap           -python            +viminfo
   +cmdline_info      +libcall           -python3           +virtualedit
   +comments          +linebreak         +quickfix          +visual
   +conceal           +lispindent        +reltime           +visualextra
   +cryptv            +listcmds          -rightleft         +vreplace
   +cscope            +localmap          -ruby              +wildignore
   +cursorbind        -lua               +scrollbind        +wildmenu
   +cursorshape       +menu              +signs             +windows
   +dialog_con        +mksession         +smartindent       +writebackup
   +diff              +modify_fname      -sodium            -X11
   +digraphs          +mouse             -sound             -xfontset
   -dnd               -mouseshape        +spell             -xim
   -ebcdic            +mouse_dec         +startuptime       -xpm
   -emacs_tags        -mouse_gpm         +statusline        -xsmp
   +eval              -mouse_jsbterm     -sun_workshop      -xterm_clipboard
   +ex_extra          +mouse_netterm     +syntax            -xterm_save
   +extra_search      +mouse_sgr         +tag_binary        
   -farsi             -mouse_sysmouse    -tag_old_static    
      system vimrc file: "$VIM/vimrc"
        user vimrc file: "$HOME/.vimrc"
    2nd user vimrc file: "~/.vim/vimrc"
         user exrc file: "$HOME/.exrc"
          defaults file: "$VIMRUNTIME/defaults.vim"
     fall-back for $VIM: "/usr/share/vim"