1`README.md` for version 7.4 of Vim: Vi IMproved. 2[](https://travis-ci.org/vim/vim) 3[](https://coveralls.io/github/vim/vim?branch=master) 4[](https://ci.appveyor.com/project/chrisbra/vim) 5 6 7## What is Vim? ## 8 9Vim is an almost compatible version of the UNIX editor Vi. Many new features 10have been added: multi-level undo, syntax highlighting, command line history, 11on-line help, spell checking, filename completion, block operations, etc. 12There is also a Graphical User Interface (GUI) available. See 13`runtime/doc/vi_diff.txt` for differences with Vi. 14 15This editor is very useful for editing programs and other plain text files. 16All commands are given with normal keyboard characters, so those who can type 17with ten fingers can work very fast. Additionally, function keys can be 18defined by the user, and the mouse can be used. 19 20Vim runs under Amiga DOS, MS-DOS, MS-Windows (95, 98, Me, NT, 2000, XP, Vista, 217), Atari MiNT, Macintosh, BeOS, VMS, RISC OS, OS/2 and almost all flavours of 22UNIX. Porting to other systems should not be very difficult. 23 24 25## Distribution ## 26 27You can often use your favorite package manager to install Vim. On Mac and 28Linux a small version of Vim is pre-installed, you still need to install Vim 29if you want more features. 30 31There are separate distributions for Unix, PC, Amiga and some other systems. 32This `README.md` file comes with the runtime archive. It includes the 33documentation, syntax files and other files that are used at runtime. To run 34Vim you must get either one of the binary archives or a source archive. 35Which one you need depends on the system you want to run it on and whether you 36want or must compile it yourself. Check http://www.vim.org/download.php for 37an overview of currently available distributions. 38 39 40## Documentation ## 41 42The vim tutor is a one hour training course for beginners. Mostly it can be 43started as `vimtutor`. See `:help tutor` for more information. 44 45The best is to use `:help` in Vim. If you don't have an executable yet, read 46`runtime/doc/help.txt`. It contains pointers to the other documentation 47files. The User Manual reads like a book and is recommended to learn to use 48Vim. See `:help user-manual`. 49 50 51## Copying ## 52 53Vim is Charityware. You can use and copy it as much as you like, but you are 54encouraged to make a donation to help orphans in Uganda. Please read the file 55`runtime/doc/uganda.txt` for details (do `:help uganda` inside Vim). 56 57Summary of the license: There are no restrictions on using or distributing an 58unmodified copy of Vim. Parts of Vim may also be distributed, but the license 59text must always be included. For modified versions a few restrictions apply. 60The license is GPL compatible, you may compile Vim with GPL libraries and 61distribute it. 62 63 64## Sponsoring ## 65 66Fixing bugs and adding new features takes a lot of time and effort. To show 67your appreciation for the work and motivate Bram and others to continue 68working on Vim please send a donation. 69 70Since Bram is back to a paid job the money will now be used to help children 71in Uganda. See `runtime/doc/uganda.txt`. But at the same time donations 72increase Bram's motivation to keep working on Vim! 73 74For the most recent information about sponsoring look on the Vim web site: 75 http://www.vim.org/sponsor/ 76 77 78## Compiling ## 79 80If you obtained a binary distribution you don't need to compile Vim. If you 81obtained a source distribution, all the stuff for compiling Vim is in the 82`src` directory. See `src/INSTALL` for instructions. 83 84 85## Installation ## 86 87See one of these files for system-specific instructions: 88 89 README_ami.txt Amiga 90 README_unix.txt Unix 91 README_dos.txt MS-DOS and MS-Windows 92 README_os2.txt OS/2 93 README_mac.txt Macintosh 94 README_vms.txt VMS 95 96There are more `README_*.txt` files, depending on the distribution you used. 97 98 99## Contributing ## 100 101If you would like to help making Vim better, see the [CONTRIBUTING.md](https://github.com/vim/vim/blob/master/CONTRIBUTING.md) file. 102 103 104## Information ## 105 106The latest news about Vim can be found on the Vim home page: 107 http://www.vim.org/ 108 109If you have problems, have a look at the Vim documentation or tips: 110 http://www.vim.org/docs.php 111 http://vim.wikia.com/wiki/Vim_Tips_Wiki 112 113If you still have problems or any other questions, use one of the mailing 114lists to discuss them with Vim users and developers: 115 http://www.vim.org/maillist.php 116 117If nothing else works, report bugs directly: 118 Bram Moolenaar <[email protected]> 119 120 121## Main author ## 122 123Send any other comments, patches, flowers and suggestions to: 124 Bram Moolenaar <[email protected]> 125
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