Master Vim: Essential Configurations, Plugins, and Productivity Hacks

Basic Configuration

Vim settings are stored in ~/.vimrc. If the file does not exist, create it:

cd ~
 touch .vimrc

Typical initial settings:

set nocompatible "disable vi compatibility mode
set number "show line numbers
set nowrap "no line wrapping
set showmatch "highlight matching brackets
set scrolloff=3 "keep 3 lines visible above/below cursor
set encoding=utf-8 "file encoding
set fenc=utf-8 "file encoding
set mouse=a "enable mouse
set hlsearch "highlight search results
syntax on "enable syntax highlighting

Add PEP8 support for Python files:

au BufNewFile,BufRead *.py \
    set tabstop=4 "tab width
    set softtabstop=4
    set shiftwidth=4
    set textwidth=79 "max line length
    set expandtab "convert tabs to spaces
    set autoindent "automatic indentation
    set fileformat=unix "unix line endings

Window Splitting

Use the following commands to split windows: :vs or :vsplit – vertical split :vs filename – open file in a new vertical split :sp, :sv or :split – horizontal split :sp filename – open file in a new horizontal split :new – new file with vertical split :vnew – new file with horizontal split

To open new windows on the right or bottom, add:

set splitbelow
set splitright

Switch between windows with: Ctrl-w-j – move to the window below Ctrl-w-k – move to the window above Ctrl-w-l – move to the window on the right Ctrl-w-h – move to the window on the left

Map these to single keys if desired:

nnoremap <C-J> <C-W><C-J>
nnoremap <C-K> <C-W><C-K>
nnoremap <C-L> <C-W><C-L>
nnoremap <C-H> <C-W><C-H>

Code Folding

Enable folding based on indentation:

set foldmethod=indent
set foldlevel=99

Use zc to create a fold and za to toggle it. Map space to za for convenience:

nnoremap <space> za

One‑Click Python Execution

Map F5 to run the current Python buffer:

map <F5> :call RunPython()<CR>
func! RunPython()
  if &filetype == 'python'
    exec "!time python2.7 %"
  endif
endfunc

Plugins

The most common plugin manager is Vundle, which uses Git to manage other plugins.

Vundle Installation

Clone Vundle:

git clone https://github.com/VundleVim/Vundle.vim.git ~/.vim/bundle/Vundle.vim

If ~/.vim/bundle does not exist, create it:

cd ~
mkdir .vim
cd .vim
mkdir bundle

Add the following to the top of .vimrc:

set nocompatible "required
filetype off "required
set rtp+=~/.vim/bundle/Vundle.vim
call vundle#begin()
" List plugins between begin() and end()
Plugin 'VundleVim/Vundle.vim'
" ... other Plugin lines ...
call vundle#end() "required
filetype plugin indent on "required

Install a plugin (e.g., indentpython.vim) by adding: Plugin 'vim-scripts/indentpython.vim' Then run :PluginInstall inside Vim or from the command line:

vim +PluginInstall +qall

YouCompleteMe

YouCompleteMe provides powerful auto‑completion but requires compilation. Install dependencies on Ubuntu:

sudo apt-get install build-essential cmake
sudo apt-get install python3-dev python3

Add to .vimrc: Plugin 'Valloric/YouCompleteMe' Compile:

cd ~/.vim/bundle/YouCompleteMe
./install.py --clang-completer

Typical YCM options:

let g:ycm_min_num_of_chars_for_completion = 2
let g:ycm_python_binary_path = 'python'
let g:ycm_seed_identifiers_with_syntax = 1
let g:ycm_autoclose_preview_window_after_completion=1

Toggle YCM auto‑trigger:

let g:ycm_auto_trigger = 0 "off
let g:ycm_auto_trigger = 1 "on

Lightweight Completion (completor.vim)

Install: Plugin 'maralla/completor.vim' Install jedi for Python: pip install jedi Configure:

let g:completor_python_binary = '/path/to/python'

Indentation Plugin

Install indentpython.vim for automatic Python indentation:

Plugin 'vim-scripts/indentpython.vim'

Syntax Checking (syntastic + flake8)

Install:

Plugin 'vim-syntastic/syntastic'
Plugin 'nvie/vim-flake8'

Run :F7 to invoke flake8 checks.

Color Schemes

Solarized (dark or light): Plugin 'altercation/vim-colors-solarized' Enable:

syntax enable
set background=light "or dark
colorscheme solarized

Switch based on GUI mode:

if has('gui_running')
  set background=light
else
  set background=dark
endif

Zenburn alternative: Plugin 'jnurmine/Zenburn' Toggle between Solarized and Zenburn:

if has('gui_running')
  set background=light
  colorscheme solarized
else
  set background=dark
  colorscheme Zenburn
endif

NerdTree

File explorer tree: Plugin 'scrooloose/nerdtree' Toggle with Ctrl‑n: map <C-n> :NERDTreeToggle<CR> Ignore temporary files: let NERDTreeIgnore=['~$','\.pyc$','\.swp$'] Add Git status support: Plugin 'Xuyuanp/nerdtree-git-plugin' Use tabs for NerdTree:

Plugin 'jistr/vim-nerdtree-tabs'

vim‑powerline

Status line enhancement:

Plugin 'Lokaltog/vim-powerline'

IndentLine

Show vertical indentation guides: Plugin 'Yggdroot/indentLine' Toggle with :IndentLinesToggle.

vim‑autopep8

Automatic PEP8 formatting:

$ pip install autopep8
Plugin 'tell-k/vim-autopep8'

Map F8 to format:

autocmd FileType python noremap <buffer> <F8> :call Autopep8()<CR>

auto‑pairs

Auto‑close brackets and quotes:

Plugin 'jiangmiao/auto-pairs'

ctrlp.vim

Fuzzy file finder (press Ctrl‑p in normal mode):

Plugin 'kien/ctrlp.vim'

ag.vim

Search using The Silver Searcher:

apt-get install silversearcher-ag   "or brew install the_silver_searcher
Plugin 'rking/ag.vim'

Search with:

:Ag [options] {pattern} [{directory}]

vim‑fugitive

Git integration inside Vim:

Plugin 'tpope/vim-fugitive'