Installation & First Steps

Installation on Different Platforms

macOS

Install via Homebrew:

brew install vim

Linux

Ubuntu/Debian:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install vim

Windows

Recommended to install gVim or use the native Linux version within WSL2.

First Contact: Hello World

Open your terminal and type the following to create a new file:

vim hello.txt

You will see a near-empty screen with tildes ~ on the left. At this point, DO NOT press random keys!

1. How does it work?

Vim starts in Normal Mode by default. In this mode, keys are treated as commands (e.g., pressing j moves the cursor down) instead of typing characters.

2. Start Typing (Insert)

Our goal is to type "Hello Vim".

1. Press the lowercase letter i.
   • Notice the bottom-left corner of the screen; it should say -- INSERT --.
2. Now you can type like in a regular notepad. Type: Hello Vim.

3. Save & Quit

This is where beginners often get stuck. Follow these steps exactly:

1. Press the Esc key.
   • The -- INSERT -- should disappear, meaning you are back in Normal Mode.
2. Type a colon :.
   • You will see the cursor jump to the very bottom line.
3. Type wq.
   • w stands for write (save).
   • q stands for quit.
4. Press Enter.

Congratulations! You have successfully completed your first Vim edit. Don't worry about remembering everything yet; we'll explain the logic in the next chapter, "Four Modes".