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CLI Open source 13,873 installs/mo

vim for Mac

Vi 'workalike' with many additional features

Quick answer: vim is a command-line tool for macOS. Install it with brew install vim. It is distributed under the Vim licence. It has 13,873 Homebrew installs in the last 30 days.

What vim is

vim is a command-line tool for macOS: vi 'workalike' with many additional features.

It is distributed as a Homebrew formula, which builds or pours a binary and puts it on your PATH. It is distributed under the Vim licence.

How to install vim

  1. Open Terminal (press ⌘ + Space and type “Terminal”).
  2. If Homebrew is not installed yet, run the installer below once.
  3. Run brew install vim.

Homebrew installer, if you need it:

Prefer a graphical installer? Download it from the official site. MacPicks never hosts or mirrors binaries — the Homebrew command always pulls from the vendor's own release.

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Frequently asked questions

How do I install vim on Mac?

Run brew install vim in Terminal. This requires Homebrew; if you do not have it, install it first with the command below.

Is vim open source?

Yes — Homebrew distributes it under the Vim licence.

Does vim run on Apple silicon?

Homebrew publishes this formula for macOS. If upstream does not ship an Apple silicon build, Rosetta 2 handles the Intel binary.

How popular is vim?

It was installed 13,873 times in the last 30 days according to Homebrew analytics, ranking #153 in this catalogue.

What version of vim is current?

The latest packaged version is 9.2.1200.