vimrc

vimrc is the configuration file used by the Vim editor. It contains Vimscript commands that customize options, key mappings, autocommands, and plugin initialization. When Vim starts, it reads one or more vimrc files and applies the settings before opening files, shaping the editing environment for the session.

Locations and loading order vary by platform. In Unix-like environments the per-user vimrc is typically ~/.vimrc, while a system-wide vimrc may be found at /etc/vimrc or another distribution-specific path. On Windows, the user file is usually _vimrc in the home directory, with additional system-wide configuration in the Vim installation. Neovim uses a different file, init.vim, usually located in ~/.config/nvim/init.vim (and a Windows equivalent). Vim can also source additional files from within a vimrc using the source command.

Contents and syntax. A vimrc sets options with the set command (for example, set number to show line numbers, set relativenumber for relative numbers, set tabstop=4, set shiftwidth=4, set expandtab, set encoding=utf-8). It can enable features such as syntax highlighting (syntax on) and filetype plugin support (filetype plugin on). It may define key mappings (for example, nnoremap <leader>w :w<CR>) and automatic commands (autocmd) to react to events like opening or saving files. Global variables (let g:...) and plugin initializations are also common in vimrc.

Security and management. Because vimrc is executed at startup, it should come from trusted sources. Users often maintain their vimrc under version control and use plugin managers to load extensions. vimrc can be modular, with separate files sourced from the main configuration to organize settings and keep customization maintainable.