Ubuntu Linux install vim using apt
The procedure is as follows:
- Open terminal application. You can also press CTRL+ALT+T keyboard shortcut
- Update package database by typing the sudo apt update command
- Search for vim packages run: sudo apt search vim
- Install vim on Ubuntu Linux, type: sudo apt install vim
- Verify vim installation by typing the vim --version command
Let us see all steps in details to install vim on Ubuntu system.
How to install full version of Vim on Ubuntu
First open the terminal application and then update package database using the apt command or apt-get command:
sudo apt update
Hit:1 http://us-central1.gce.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu focal InRelease Hit:2 http://us-central1.gce.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu focal-updates InRelease Hit:3 http://us-central1.gce.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu focal-backports InRelease Hit:4 http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu focal-security InRelease Hit:5 http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu focal InRelease Reading package lists... Done Building dependency tree Reading state information... Done All packages are up to date.
Apply all patches on Ubuntu Linux:
sudo apt upgrade
Search for vim package
Run any one of the following command:
sudo apt search vim
sudo apt-cache search vim
sudo apt-cache search vim | grep editor
vim - Vi IMproved - enhanced vi editor vim-tiny - Vi IMproved - enhanced vi editor - compact version elvis-tiny - Tiny vi compatible editor for the base system formiko - reStructuredText and MarkDown editor and live previewer kakoune - Vim-inspired, selection-oriented code editor libghc-yi-keymap-vim-dev - Vim keymap for Yi editor libghc-yi-keymap-vim-doc - Vim keymap for Yi editor; documentation libghc-yi-keymap-vim-prof - Vim keymap for Yi editor; profiling libraries python3-editor - programmatically open an editor, capture the result - Python 3.x vim-addon-manager - manager of addons for the Vim editor vim-athena - Vi IMproved - enhanced vi editor - with Athena GUI vim-editorconfig - EditorConfig Plugin for Vim vim-gtk - Vi IMproved - enhanced vi editor (dummy package) vim-gtk3 - Vi IMproved - enhanced vi editor - with GTK3 GUI vim-nox - Vi IMproved - enhanced vi editor - with scripting languages support vis - Modern, legacy free, simple yet efficient vim-like editor
You don’t have to install above vim packages. Typically we eiter install vim or vim-tiny on Ubuntu Linux.
Get info about vim package of your choice
Use the apt as follows:
apt show vim-tiny
apt show vim
Package: vim Version: 2:8.1.2269-1ubuntu5 Priority: optional Section: editors Origin: Ubuntu Maintainer: Ubuntu Developers Original-Maintainer: Debian Vim Maintainers Bugs: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+filebug Installed-Size: 3111 kB Provides: editor Depends: vim-common (= 2:8.1.2269-1ubuntu5), vim-runtime (= 2:8.1.2269-1ubuntu5), libacl1 (>= 2.2.23), libc6 (>= 2.29), libcanberra0 (>= 0.2), libgpm2 (>= 1.20.7), libpython3.8 (>= 3.8.2), libselinux1 (>= 1.32), libtinfo6 (>= 6) Suggests: ctags, vim-doc, vim-scripts Homepage: https://www.vim.org/ Task: server, cloud-image, lubuntu-desktop Download-Size: 1238 kB APT-Sources: http://us-central1.gce.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu focal/main amd64 Packages Description: Vi IMproved - enhanced vi editor Vim is an almost compatible version of the UNIX editor Vi. . Many new features have been added: multi level undo, syntax highlighting, command line history, on-line help, filename completion, block operations, folding, Unicode support, etc. . This package contains a version of vim compiled with a rather standard set of features. This package does not provide a GUI version of Vim. See the other vim-* packages if you need more (or less).
Installing vim text editor on Ubuntu
Open a terminal and/or login to the remote Ubuntu server using the ssh client. Type the following apt-get command to install vim text editor (when promoted type your own password):
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install vim
OR
sudo -s
sudo apt-get update
apt-get install vim
Sample outputs:
Reading package lists... Done Building dependency tree Reading state information... Done The following additional packages will be installed: libasound2 libasound2-data libcanberra0 libltdl7 libogg0 libpython3.8 libtdb1 libvorbis0a libvorbisfile3 vim-common vim-runtime Suggested packages: libasound2-plugins alsa-utils libcanberra-gtk0 libcanberra-pulse ctags vim-doc vim-scripts The following NEW packages will be installed: libasound2 libasound2-data libcanberra0 libltdl7 libogg0 libpython3.8 libtdb1 libvorbis0a libvorbisfile3 vim vim-common vim-runtime 0 upgraded, 12 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded. Need to get 9412 kB of archives. After this operation, 42.9 MB of additional disk space will be used. Do you want to continue? [Y/n] y Get:1 http://us-central1.gce.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu focal/main amd64 vim-common all 2:8.1.2269-1ubuntu5 [85.1 kB] Get:2 http://us-central1.gce.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu focal/main amd64 libasound2-data all 1.2.2-2.1 [19.0 kB] .... .. ... Unpacking libpython3.8:amd64 (3.8.2-1ubuntu1.1) ... Selecting previously unselected package vim-runtime. Preparing to unpack .../10-vim-runtime_2%3a8.1.2269-1ubuntu5_all.deb ... Adding 'diversion of /usr/share/vim/vim81/doc/help.txt to /usr/share/vim/vim81/doc/help.txt.vim-tiny by vim-runtime' Adding 'diversion of /usr/share/vim/vim81/doc/tags to /usr/share/vim/vim81/doc/tags.vim-tiny by vim-runtime' Unpacking vim-runtime (2:8.1.2269-1ubuntu5) ... Selecting previously unselected package vim. Preparing to unpack .../11-vim_2%3a8.1.2269-1ubuntu5_amd64.deb ... Unpacking vim (2:8.1.2269-1ubuntu5) ... Setting up libogg0:amd64 (1.3.4-0ubuntu1) ... Setting up libtdb1:amd64 (1.4.2-3build1) ... Setting up libasound2-data (1.2.2-2.1) ... Setting up vim-common (2:8.1.2269-1ubuntu5) ... Setting up libpython3.8:amd64 (3.8.2-1ubuntu1.1) ... Setting up libvorbis0a:amd64 (1.3.6-2ubuntu1) ... Setting up libltdl7:amd64 (2.4.6-14) ... Setting up libasound2:amd64 (1.2.2-2.1) ... Setting up vim-runtime (2:8.1.2269-1ubuntu5) ... Setting up libvorbisfile3:amd64 (1.3.6-2ubuntu1) ... Setting up libcanberra0:amd64 (0.30-7ubuntu1)
Verify vim installation
Run the following command:
vim --version
How do I edit file with vim
You can now use vim text editor:
$ vi file.c
$ vim file.c
$ sudo vim /etc/sysctl.conf
Sample outputs:
Fig.01: Vim in action on Ubuntu
Conclusion
In this tutorial, you learned how to install vim text editor on Ubuntu Linux using the apt-get command or apt command. For more information read the apt-get(8) man page and see vim page here.
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Hi.
I also use this ultimate vimrc for vim (with many plugins, color schemes, etc.): https://github.com/amix/vimrc
regards
As far as why vim is not installed by default in Ubuntu, I’d say it’s because Ubuntu is geared towards a non-technical crowd that: a) will not ever use a command-line text editor; and b:) will figure out how to get it installed easily enough if they want it.
Some other things that don’t ship with Ubuntu by default are dev tools (gcc, make, etc.) or ssh server. Most Linux distros ship with these pre-installed, but I assume these are also absent because of what Canonical perceives as Ubuntu’s target audience.
I LOVE VIM
hey i’ve tried the first two commands but i still have problem it gives the following output:
root@cbitlab1:/home/cbitlib1# sudo -s
root@cbitlab1:/home/cbitlib1# apt-get install vim
Reading package lists… Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information… Done
Package vim is not available, but is referred to by another package.
This may mean that the package is missing, has been obsoleted, or
is only available from another source
E: Package ‘vim’ has no installation candidate
HELP ME!
Hi Karthik, I’ve the same problem, do you solve this?
Thank’s.
Run the following command and past its output:
Karthik & Heisenberg,
Try to install vim-nox instead and see what happens:
apt-get install vim-nox
If that still doesn’t work, search for vim in your repositories like so:
apt-cache search vim
And see what “vim” packages you have available to install.
Run the following command and past its output:
lsb_release -awhen i install vim or vim-nox, system showed the following output? What I do now?
E: Could not open lock file /var/lib/dpkg/lock – open (13: Permission denied)
E: Unable to lock the administration directory (/var/lib/dpkg/), are you root?
user@user-HP-2000-Notebook-PC:~
@mir islam, that means you have another application open that can install or update applications.
Check to see if you have Software Update, Ubuntu Software Center, Synaptic Package Manager, or another Terminal tab open that is installing or updating. Close any and all of these that you may have open, and then run the commands again. It should work this time.
how to check what programs are running in background? I don’t have any other application running
Hey,
i tried your given command but i got the output as below
rupesh123@ubuntu:~$ sudo apt-get install vim
[sudo] password for rupesh123:
Reading package lists… Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information… Done
Package vim is not available, but is referred to by another package.
This may mean that the package is missing, has been obsoleted, or
is only available from another source
E: Package ‘vim’ has no installation candidate
i don’t know what to do here….. and for your kind information i’m using ubuntu with VMWARE in my windows 8 PC
plz must do reply
i too have the same problem as Rupesh .
Plz reply me the solution soon
I met the problem too , please kindly reply me if you have resolved it.
Can you state the version of your Ubuntu software? Try:
sudo apt-get updatesudo apt-get install vim
I was operated Ubuntu 14.10 with VMware Workstation
after use your command ,it just show that some index files failed to download. They have been ignored ,or older ones used instead.
No. You can’t ignore those. You need correct entries in /etc/apt/sources.list. Here is my working file (backup your existing file before modification):
HI,Vivek Gite
before got your reply, someone told me use command :
apt-get remove vim-common
apt-get install vim
But it still can’t work out and I cannot use vi either
Could you tell me how to modify the sources.list without vi ,thanks a lot.
oh,I find a solution to resolve it .I am a newbie of Linux and there are too much things to learn for me ,thanks anyway. If you don’t mind ,I want got your WeChat number and talk to you.
firstly install all the required updates
than try the command
sudo apt-get install vim
i don’t know what to do here….. and for your kind information i’m using ubuntu with VMWARE in my windows 8 PC
plz must do reply as soon as posible.
Thanks leaman crews…
VIM is not installed in Ubuntu by default, but VI is.
Hello, what’s the official/trusted ppa repository to get vim updates?
I have vim 7.3, I’d like to update to 7.4 so I can use blowfish2 encryption.
Thanks for any help.