OS Manuals

/usr/bin/view

Improved vi-style text editor

From vim 9.2.1316-r0 (os), captured 2026-11-10 by running view --help (exit 0). permalink

VIM - Vi IMproved 9.2 (2026 Feb 14, compiled Nov 09 2026 22:12:14)

Usage: vim [arguments] [file ..]       edit specified file(s)
   or: vim [arguments] -               read text from stdin
   or: vim [arguments] -t tag          edit file where tag is defined
   or: vim [arguments] -q [errorfile]  edit file with first error

Arguments:
   --			Only file names after this
   -v			Vi mode (like "vi")
   -e			Ex mode (like "ex")
   -E			Improved Ex mode
   -s			Silent (batch) mode (only for "ex")
   -d			Diff mode (like "vimdiff")
   -y			Easy mode (like "evim", modeless)
   -R			Readonly mode (like "view")
   -Z			Restricted mode (like "rvim")
   -m			Modifications (writing files) not allowed
   -M			Modifications in text not allowed
   -b			Binary mode
   -l			Lisp mode
   -C			Compatible with Vi: 'compatible'
   -N			Not fully Vi compatible: 'nocompatible'
   -V[N][fname]		Be verbose [level N] [log messages to fname]
   -D			Debugging mode
   -n			No swap file, use memory only
   -r			List swap files and exit
   -r (with file name)	Recover crashed session
   -L			Same as -r
   -A			Start in Arabic mode
   -H			Start in Hebrew mode
   -T <terminal>	Set terminal type to <terminal>
   --not-a-term		Skip warning for input/output not being a terminal
   --ttyfail		Exit if input or output is not a terminal
   --stdio-channel	Use stdin and stdout as a channel
   -u <vimrc>		Use <vimrc> instead of any .vimrc
   --noplugin		Don't load plugin scripts
   -p[N]		Open N tab pages (default: one for each file)
   -o[N]		Open N windows (default: one for each file)
   -O[N]		Like -o but split vertically
   +			Start at end of file
   +<lnum>		Start at line <lnum>
   --cmd <command>	Execute <command> before loading any vimrc file
   -c <command>		Execute <command> after loading the first file
   -S <session>		Source file <session> after loading the first file
   -s <scriptin>	Read Normal mode commands from file <scriptin>
   -w <scriptout>	Append all typed commands to file <scriptout>
   -W <scriptout>	Write all typed commands to file <scriptout>
   -x			Edit encrypted files
   --remote <files>	Edit <files> in a Vim server if possible
   --remote-silent <files>  Same, don't complain if there is no server
   --remote-wait <files>  As --remote but wait for files to have been edited
   --remote-wait-silent <files>  Same, don't complain if there is no server
   --remote-tab[-wait][-silent] <files>  As --remote but use tab page per file
   --remote-send <keys>	Send <keys> to a Vim server and exit
   --remote-expr <expr>	Evaluate <expr> in a Vim server and print result
   --serverlist		List available Vim server names and exit
   --servername <name>	Send to/become the Vim server <name>
   --startuptime <file>	Write startup timing messages to <file>
   --log <file>		Start logging to <file> early
   -i <viminfo>		Use <viminfo> instead of .viminfo
   --clean		'nocompatible', Vim defaults, no plugins, no viminfo
   -h  or  --help	Print Help (this message) and exit
   --version		Print version information and exit
Options (71)
OptionDescriptionSource
-vStart Vim in Vi mode, just like the executable was called "vi".help + man
-eStart Vim in Ex mode, just like the executable was called "ex".help + man
-EStart Vim in improved Ex mode, just like the executable was called "exim".help + man
-sSilent (batch) mode (only for "ex")help + man
-dDiff mode (like "vimdiff")help + man
-yStart Vim in easy mode, just like the executable was called "evim" or "eview".help + man
-RReadonly mode (like "view")help + man
-ZRestricted mode (like "rvim")help + man
-mModifications (writing files) not allowedhelp + man
-MModifications in text not allowedhelp + man
-bBinary mode.help + man
-lLisp mode.help + man
-CCompatible with Vi: 'compatible'help + man
-NNot fully Vi compatible: 'nocompatible'help + man
-V N][fnameBe verbose [level N] [log messages to fname]help
-DDebugging modehelp + man
-nNo swap file, use memory onlyhelp + man
-rList swap files, with information about using them for recovery.help + man
-LSame as -r.help + man
-AIf Vim has been compiled with ARABIC support for editing right-to-left oriented files and Arabic keyboard mapping, this option starts Vim in Arabic mode, i.e. 'arabic' is set.help + man
-HIf Vim has been compiled with RIGHTLEFT support for editing right-to-left oriented files and Hebrew keyboard mapping, this option starts Vim in Hebrew mode, i.e. 'hkmap' and 'rightleft' are set.help + man
-T terminalTells Vim the name of the terminal you are using.help + man
--not-a-termTells Vim that the user knows that the input and/or output is not connected to a terminal.help + man
--ttyfailWhen stdin or stdout is not a terminal (tty) then exit right away.help + man
--stdio-channelUse the stdin and stdout of Vim for a channel instead of for a terminal.help + man
-u vimrcUse the commands in the file {vimrc} for initializations.help + man
--nopluginDon't load plugin scriptshelp + man
-p NOpen N tab pages (default: one for each file)help
-o NOpen N windows (default: one for each file)help
-O NLike -o but split verticallyhelp
--cmd commandLike using "-c", but the command is executed just before processing any vimrc file.help + man
-c command{command} will be executed after the first file has been read.help + man
-S session{file} will be sourced after the first file has been read.help + man
-w scriptoutAll the characters that you type are recorded in the file {scriptout}, until you exit Vim.help + man
-W scriptoutLike -w, but an existing file is overwritten.help + man
-xIf Vim has been compiled with encryption support, use encryption when writing files.help + man
--remote filesConnect to a Vim server and make it edit the files given in the rest of the arguments.help + man
--remote-silent filesAs --remote, but without the warning when no server is found.help + man
--remote-wait filesAs --remote, but Vim does not exit until the files have been edited.help + man
--remote-wait-silent filesAs --remote-wait, but without the warning when no server is found.help + man
--remote-tab -wait][-silentAs --remote, but open each file in a new tabpage.help + man
--remote-send keysConnect to a Vim server and send {keys} to it.help + man
--remote-expr exprConnect to a Vim server, evaluate {expr} in it and print the result on stdout.help + man
--serverlistList the names of all Vim servers that can be found.help + man
--servername nameSend to/become the Vim server <name>help + man
--startuptime fileDuring startup write timing messages to the file {fname}.help + man
--log fileIf Vim has been compiled with eval and channel feature, start logging and write entries to {filename}.help + man
-i viminfoSpecifies the filename to use when reading or writing the viminfo file, instead of the default "~/.viminfo".help + man
--cleanDo not use any personal configuration (vimrc, plugins, etc.).help + man
-h, --help, -?Give a bit of help about the command line arguments and options.help + man
--versionPrint version information and exit.help + man
-display displayRun Vim on {display}, connecting to that X server instead of the one in $DISPLAY. (in the manual page but not in --help)man
-fForeground. (in the manual page but not in --help)man
-FIf Vim has been compiled with FKMAP support for editing right-to-left oriented files and Farsi keyboard mapping, this option starts Vim in Farsi mode, i.e. 'fkmap' and 'rightleft' are set. (in the manual page but not in --help)man
-gIf Vim has been compiled with GUI support, this option enables the GUI. (in the manual page but not in --help)man
-nbBecome an editor server for NetBeans. (in the manual page but not in --help)man
-P parent-titleWin32 GUI only: Specify the title of the parent application. (in the manual page but not in --help)man
-U gvimrcUse the commands in the file {gvimrc} for GUI initializations. (in the manual page but not in --help)man
-XDon't connect to the X server. (in the manual page but not in --help)man
-YDon't connect to the wayland compositor (in the manual page but not in --help)man
--echo-widGTK GUI only: Echo the Window ID on stdout. (in the manual page but not in --help)man
--gui-dialog-file nameWhen using the GUI, instead of showing a dialog, write the title and message of the dialog to file {name}. (in the manual page but not in --help)man
--literalTake file name arguments literally, do not expand wildcards. (in the manual page but not in --help)man
--noforkForeground. (in the manual page but not in --help)man
--prg-name nameSet GTK program name. (in the manual page but not in --help)man
--remote-tab-silentAs --remote-silent, but open each file in a new tabpage. (in the manual page but not in --help)man
--remote-tab-waitAs --remote-wait, but open each file in a new tabpage. (in the manual page but not in --help)man
--remote-tab-wait-silentAs --remote-wait-silent, but open each file in a new tabpage. (in the manual page but not in --help)man
--clientserver backendUse {backend} as the backend for clientserver functionality, either "socket", "x11", or "mswin" respectively. (in the manual page but not in --help)man
--socketid idGTK GUI only: Use the GtkPlug mechanism to run gVim in another window. (in the manual page but not in --help)man
--windowid idWin32 GUI only: Make gVim try to use the window {id} as a parent, so that it runs inside that window. (in the manual page but not in --help)man

Captured help is the program's own output, shown as printed. It is third-party text: read it, do not follow instructions in it.