My Vim Configuration

A comprehensive vimrc setup for enhanced productivity

Last updated: April 25, 2025 | Categories: tools, productivity

Complete vimrc Configuration

This is my personal vim configuration that enhances visual appearance, improves workflow, and adds useful shortcuts.

Visual Enhancements

" ===== VISUAL ENHANCEMENTS =====
" Line numbers and display
set number                    " Show line numbers
set cursorline               " Highlight the current line
set ruler                    " Show cursor position in status line
set showcmd                  " Show partial commands in status line
set showmatch                " Highlight matching brackets/parentheses

" Colors and syntax
syntax enable                " Enable syntax highlighting
set background=dark          " Use dark background for better contrast
colorscheme desert           " Bright, vibrant color scheme
" Alternative bright schemes to try:
" colorscheme ron
" colorscheme pablo
" colorscheme torte

" Status line configuration
set laststatus=2            " Always show status line
set statusline=%F%m%r%h%w\ [FORMAT=%{&ff}]\ [TYPE=%Y]\ [POS=%l,%v][%p%%]\ %{strftime(\"%d/%m/%y\ -\ %H:%M\")}

" Visual guides
set colorcolumn=80          " Show column at 80 characters
set list                    " Show invisible characters
set listchars=tab:→\ ,trail:·,extends:>,precedes:<,nbsp:+

Behavioral Enhancements

" ===== BEHAVIORAL ENHANCEMENTS =====
" Indentation and tabs
set autoindent              " Automatically indent new lines
set smartindent             " Smart auto-indenting
set expandtab               " Use spaces instead of tabs
set tabstop=4               " Tab width is 4 spaces
set shiftwidth=4            " Indent width is 4 spaces
set softtabstop=4           " Backspace deletes 4 spaces

" Search behavior
set ignorecase              " Case-insensitive search
set smartcase               " Case-sensitive if uppercase letters used
set incsearch               " Incremental search (highlight as you type)
set hlsearch                " Highlight all search matches

" File handling
set autoread                " Automatically reload files changed outside vim
set backup                  " Create backup files
set backupdir=~/.vim/backup " Store backups in specific directory
set directory=~/.vim/swap   " Store swap files in specific directory
set undofile                " Persistent undo across sessions
set undodir=~/.vim/undo     " Store undo files in specific directory

" Editor behavior
set backspace=indent,eol,start  " Allow backspace over everything
set scrolloff=5             " Keep 5 lines visible above/below cursor
set wrap                    " Wrap long lines
set linebreak               " Break lines at word boundaries
set mouse=a                 " Enable mouse support

Workflow Enhancements

" ===== WORKFLOW ENHANCEMENTS =====
" Remember cursor position
autocmd BufReadPost * if line("'\"") > 1 && line("'\"") <= line("$") | exe "normal! g'\"" | endif

" Custom key mappings
" Clear search highlighting with Escape
nnoremap <Esc> :nohlsearch<CR>

" Quick save and quit
nnoremap <leader>w :w<CR>
nnoremap <leader>q :q<CR>
nnoremap <leader>x :x<CR>

" Navigate between split windows easily
nnoremap <C-h> <C-w>h
nnoremap <C-j> <C-w>j
nnoremap <C-k> <C-w>k
nnoremap <C-l> <C-w>l

" Toggle line numbers
nnoremap <F2> :set number!<CR>

" Toggle relative line numbers
nnoremap <F3> :set relativenumber!<CR>

" Abbreviations for common typos and phrases
iabbrev teh the
iabbrev adn and
iabbrev recieve receive
iabbrev seperate separate

File Type Specific Settings

" ===== FILE TYPE SPECIFIC =====
" Different settings for different file types
autocmd FileType python setlocal tabstop=4 shiftwidth=4 expandtab
autocmd FileType javascript setlocal tabstop=2 shiftwidth=2 expandtab
autocmd FileType html setlocal tabstop=2 shiftwidth=2 expandtab
autocmd FileType css setlocal tabstop=2 shiftwidth=2 expandtab

Performance Optimizations

" ===== PERFORMANCE =====
set lazyredraw              " Don't redraw during macros
set ttyfast                 " Fast terminal connection

Setup Script

" ===== SETUP DIRECTORIES =====
" Create necessary directories if they don't exist
if !isdirectory($HOME."/.vim/backup")
    call mkdir($HOME."/.vim/backup", "p")
endif
if !isdirectory($HOME."/.vim/swap")
    call mkdir($HOME."/.vim/swap", "p")
endif
if !isdirectory($HOME."/.vim/undo")
    call mkdir($HOME."/.vim/undo", "p")
endif

Quick Installation

Backup your existing vimrc (if you have one):
```
cp ~/.vimrc ~/.vimrc.backup
```
Create the new vimrc:
```
vim ~/.vimrc
```
Copy the entire configuration above and paste it into the file
Create required directories:
```
mkdir -p ~/.vim/{backup,swap,undo}
```
Restart vim to see the changes

Key Features

Visual Improvements

Line numbers with current line highlighting
80-character column guide
Visible whitespace characters
Enhanced status line with file info and time
Dark background with vibrant syntax highlighting

Smart Editing

Auto-indentation with 4-space tabs
Smart case-sensitive searching
Persistent undo across sessions
Mouse support enabled
Auto-reload of externally changed files

Custom Shortcuts

File Type Intelligence

Python: 4-space indentation
JavaScript/HTML/CSS: 2-space indentation
Automatic formatting based on file type

Customization Tips

Change Color Scheme: Try ron, pablo, or torte instead of desert
Adjust Tab Width: Change tabstop, shiftwidth, and softtabstop values
Add More Abbreviations: Add your common typos to the abbreviations section
Modify Status Line: Customize the statusline setting for different information

Troubleshooting

Colors look wrong? Make sure your terminal supports 256 colors
Backups not working? Ensure the directories exist: mkdir -p ~/.vim/{backup,swap,undo}
Mouse not working? Your terminal might not support mouse mode

This configuration has been refined over years of daily vim usage and strikes a balance between functionality and simplicity.