Vi vs Vim | Choosing the Right Tool for Your Workflow

Vi vs Vim: Choose the right Linux text editor for your workflow. Learn differences, features, and which tool suits your needs best. Explore now!

Updated: 03 Feb, 25 by jean lou 10 Min

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Two popular text editors on Linux are Vi and Vim. In this blog post, we’re going to talk about these options and mention their differences. After reading this blog post, you’re able to choose the best option based on your needs. These text editors are available in the Linux command line. Generally, Vi enables you to edit text files on any version of Linux. However, Vim is the improved version of Vi. Unlike Vi, Vim is not available on all UNIX-like systems. So, let’s explore more details about Vi vs Vim. 

The first Unix text editor was “ed”. It was very basic and had limited options but it was the start of the big text editors which we use now. The more advanced text editor after ed is Vi which was created by a smart student named “Bill Joy” in 1970. The Bil’s goal was to make editing and seeing text easier so he added more features to this text editor. After years in 1991, another clever person named “Bram Moolenaar” wasn’t happy with Vi. So, he decided to create Vim (Vi Improved), which is the improved version of Vi. At first, he made a copy of Vi. But soon, he found opportunities to add more features and go beyond Vi. Over time, a growing community started adding new and powerful features. As a result, Vim is a popular and strong text editor among programmers and writers. 

Before anything, you should know that Vi stands for visual interface. It is the standard text editor for command-line in Unix-based systems. Today, it is one of the most popular and commonly used text editors which is the advanced version of “ed”. Vi has different modes each offers specific benefits. For example, two important modes of Vi are the Command mode and the Insert mode. Command mode enables you to go around the document, cut, copy, paste, and do other editing tasks. And with the Insert mode, you can input text into the document directly. 

How to use Vi

You can type the following command in the terminal to open a file in Vi:

To open a file in Vi, use the following command in the terminal:

vi /path/to/file

Instead of `/path/to/file`, you need to use the actual path of the file you’re going to open. For example, if your file’s name is “myfile.txt”, use this command:

vi myfile.txt

After running this command, Vi opens that file and you can edit it. If this file doesn’t exist, it will create a new file with that name. 

Remember that when you open a file in Vi, you’re in Command mode so you can’t start typing. To do that, you should switch to Insert mode using this command:

i

After editing the file, you can come back to Command mode by pressing “Esc”. 

If your editing is done, you need to exit. This command saves your changes before exiting it:

:wq

Press Enter. 

This command exits without saving your changes:

:q

Vim which is short for “Vi Improved", is the improved version of Vi. It has extra features and capabilities that you can use. So, for those looking for a solution for easier and more effective editing, Vim is a better option. Unlike Vi, Vim is not pre-installed in all Unix systems.

How to use Vim 

Before using Vim, you should ensure that it is installed on your system. If yes, you can follow the same steps as with Vi. There’s no difference between opening a file in Vi and Vim. The only difference is the extra features of Vim that you can use.  

So, now you know what Vi and Vim are generally. Both of them have specific features which we’ve compared in the following table:

Key features of Vi

Key features of Vim

  • Command-Line Based
  • Switches between different modes for different tasks. (Command, Insert, and Visual)
  • Works on almost all Unix and Linux systems.
  • Uses minimal system resources, making it fast and efficient.
  • Controlled entirely with keyboard shortcuts for quick editing.
  • Follows POSIX standards, ensuring broad compatibility across systems.
  • Allows fast movement within text without leaving the keyboard.
  • Offers basic editing tools for editing lines, words, and characters.
  • Pre-installed on most Unix-based systems.
  • Work on multiple files or sections side-by-side.
  • Syntax highlighting and color-coded text for easier reading of code.
  • Automate repetitive tasks with custom commands.
  • Multiple Undo and Redo for going back and forth through changes easily.
  • Command-Line history to access previously used commands quickly.
  • Pattern matching to find and replace text with advanced search patterns.
  • Autocomplete words for faster typing.

No different if you work with Linux commands, you’re a programmer, or just engage in text editing. In all these cases, you should know the differences between Vi and Vim commands. Knowing their differences, you can choose the best one for your work purposes. Let’s see the main differences. 

1- Unlimited Undo and Redo

Vi enables you to only undo the last change. On the other hand, using Vim, you can go back to any changes you made, as many times as you want. This is one of the best features of Vim that gives you more flexibility. For example, imagine you accidentally delete 4 lines in a row. With Vi, you can only undo the last thing you deleted. But with Vim, you can undo each deletion separately. But that is not all! Vim also includes a redo capability. This means you can undo an undo, restoring modifications you thought you'd removed. In this case, you won’t worry about losing what you’ve done. 

2- Syntax Highlighting

It is so much easier to read different parts of codes when they’re highlighted with different colors. This is exactly what syntax highlighting is! Using this feature, you can highlight keywords with specific colors, and the strings with another one. Programmers love this feature because they can understand the code’s structure faster and easier as well as spot errors. In Vim, syntax highlighting is available for different programming languages, including Python, JavaScript, and C++. Vi doesn’t have this feature! 

3- GUI / Visual Operations

Vim offers more flexibility as it can be used in these 2 ways. If you prefer a minimal interface or you’re working on servers, the command line of Vim is a better option. It enables you to use Vim directly in your terminal. But what about people who want a more visual experience? For those people, Vim offers a GUI to navigate and use a mouse for drag-and-drop. Using GUI, you can use scroll bars and buffer splitting. On the other hand, Vi only offers a text-based interface

4- Portable Configurations

If you like to customize things, Vim is a better option for you. Vim enables you to change everything in a way that you like. For example, you can change fonts, colors, and even keyboard shortcuts on Vim. Also, you can carry your custom settings because once you set up Vim on one computer, then you can set it up on any other computer. For developers who work with different computers, this option can come in handy. As a result, no matter whether you work with a laptop, PC, or a remote server, you can have the same experience as Vim.

5- Plugin Support

Due to its plugins, Vim offers more useful extra features than Vi does. For example, you can find plugins for syntax highlighting, different programming languages, and tools for managing different projects. It’s easy to install and manage these plugins. The plugins made Vim a suitable choice for complex tasks. 

6- Flexible Insert Mode

One of the things that users found annoying about Vi is that after you begin typing, you are unable to move around the document using the arrow keys. To quit Insert mode, you need to stop typing and press the Esc key before navigating with the arrow keys. This can disrupt your workflow and slow you down.  However, Vim solved this problem as it allows you to use the arrow keys while typing. This makes editing a lot easier and more efficient eliminating unnecessary interruptions. 

After talking about the additional features that Vim has, you may think the best option is always Vim. But if we want to be more realistic, we should consider what we need. If you want to do simple text-editing tasks, both Vi and Vim work the same. Even Vi can be a better option in this situation as it is available on many systems. On the other hand, for people who need to work with complex and large codebases or projects, it is obvious that Vim is a better option because of its extra useful features. As a result, if you want a basic text editor that is easier to learn and easier to work with, choose Vi. However, mastering Vim can be worthwhile for programmers and users who need more features. 

Conclusion

Both Vi and Vim are excellent text editors, yet they have unique strengths. Vi is basic and easy to locate, however Vim is more powerful and adaptable. While learning either one can be difficult at first, mastering Vim can increase your productivity, especially if you are a programmer. There are also alternative versions of Vi and Vim, such as Neovim, that provide additional functionalities.

The easiest way to pick between Vi and Vim is to test both and discover which one you like. Consider your needs and ability level before selecting the editor that best suits you.

Vi is a pre-installed basic text editor in Unix systems. Vim, on the other hand, is the advanced version of Vi which is not pre-installed in all systems and has additional features such as syntax highlighting, unlimited undo/redo, and plugin support.

No different which one to choose for simple tasks. But for complex tasks that need more features, Vim is a better option as it has enhanced capabilities.

Yes! As Vim has additional features it needs more system resources than Vi.

Yes, if you need more features and modern enhancements, there are other alternatives like Neovim. Also, if you want a user-friendly interface with Vimā€™s core functionalities, there are other alternatives like vim-gtk.