vimrc file, and then it scans all directories in ~/.vim for plugins contained in pack/*/start.īy default, your ~/.vim directory (if you even have one) has no such file structure, so set that up with: $ mkdir -p ~ /.vim /pack /vendor /start When you start Vim, it first processes your. (The examples below use the generic name vendor to indicate that the plugins are obtained from an entity that is not you.) By default, your Vim settings are contained in ~/.vim, so that's where Vim looks for plugins when you launch it. Install plugins manually (Vim 8 and above)Ī Vim package is a directory containing one or more plugins. You can use a package manager regardless of what version you run (including releases older than 8.x), which makes the install process easier than maintaining updates yourself.īoth the manual and automated methods are worth knowing, so keep reading to learn about both. You may encounter old instructions online or in project README files, but as long as you're running Vim 8 or greater, you should install according to Vim's official plugin install method or with a Vim package manager.

As of the Vim 8.x series, however, there's a structure around how plugins are intended to be installed and loaded. Vim is extensible through plugins, but for a long time, there was no official method for installing them.

You can customize your theme, and you can add syntax highlighting, code linting, version trackers, and much much more. With the right mix of plugins, you can take control of your life and forge your own unique Vim experience. At least, that's what it would be without plugins, which build upon Vim and add extra features to make it so much more than just a window for typing text. While Vim is fast and efficient, by default, it is but a mere text editor.

Windows plugin update pack