Neovim Defaults For Vim

Sets options in Vim to the sames as Neovim's defaults.

Status

I no longer use or maintain this plugin. I've found Neovim alternative use-cases sufficient, and am no longer using Vim. If you need help or a fix, I'll gladly help, time permitting, esp. if you submit a PR. See alternatives at bottom.

Features

• Sources ~/.config/nvim/init.vim and sets $MYVIMRC to it.
• runtimepath and other paths extended for Neovim directory structure
• set default values similar to Neovim's
• Neovim default mappings, including Q
• Default plugins (Man, matchit, syntax)
• Stdpath() function equivalent to Neovim's stdpath()
• True color support in Tmux with termguicolors
• Set $XDG_* values

But Why?

• When remoting into a server that doesn't have nvim installed
• Prefer to use Vim, but want more sensible defaults

(See Alternatives section at bottom)

Installation

Run in the terminal:

cd ~
mkdir -p .config/nvim
mv .vimrc .config/nvim/init.vim
curl -LO https://raw.githubusercontent.com/mikeslattery/nvim-defaults.vim/master/plugin/.vimrc

Alternate ways to install

If using gVim for Windows, run in PowerShell:

cd ~
mkdir -p $LOCALAPPDATA/nvim
mv .vimrc $LOCALAPPDATA/nvim/init.vim
wget https://raw.githubusercontent.com/mikeslattery/nvim-defaults.vim/master/plugin/.vimrc

You can install as a plugin with vim-plug. This may not work as well.

Plug 'mikeslattery/nvim-defaults.vim'
runtime! plugin/.vimrc

Editor Commands

• UpdateDefaults - To get updates
• MapQ - For full support of Q mapping.

More Details

Caveats

In summary, I can't make Vim into Neovim.

• Make use of if has('nvim') to conditionally skip code in your configuration that only will work in Neovim.
• Lua is not supported.
• Plugins written specifically to only work for Neovim, will continue to not work for Vim.
• This is not tested with Windows.

Reporting Issues and Contributing

• Please do! I'd love improvments in the README.md.
• If you report a good issue, I'll likely turn it around quickly. I use this project daily.
• The scope of this project is limited to making stock Vim 7, 8 more like nightly Neovim. No more; no less.
• I do not test in environments other than Linux + Tmux. I may need assistance with tickets specific to other environments.
• If you notice no commits in a while, run nvim-diff.sh to see if options need to be added. Write an issue or pull request.

Alternatives

I have found I can use Neovim everwhere I want with my personal config, even in restricted environments. If I don't need Vim, then I don't need this plugin. In list below, my most preferred are at top, and most preferred by paranoid corporate policy writers are at bottom.

• AppImage. Doesn't require root to install. Easy to download and run.
• Exploded AppImage. For when AppImage can't mount. It's just a set of user-owned files.
• Real-time remote sync. Edit files locally. There are various tools that will synchronize directories over ssh.
• Neovim and netrw support browsing and editing files over ssh. No need to install anything.
• Vim. If I really have to, I'll use it. It's not even that big of deal, if infrequent. I have a stripped-down version of my .vimrc for important mappings.

References and Technical Notes

• https://github.com/noahfrederick/vim-neovim-defaults
• https://github.com/noahfrederick/vim-neovim-defaults/blob/master/plugin/neovim_defaults.vim
• https://neovim.io/doc/user/starting.html#startup
• https://neovim.io/doc/user/vim_diff.html
• https://github.com/vim/vim/blob/master/runtime/defaults.vim
• https://github.com/neovim/neovim/blob/master/src/nvim/os/stdpaths.c
• Options were partially determined by running nvim-diff.sh
• If you want to install nvim on a Linux server, install-nvim.sh is supplied as an example.