Installation

git clone https://github.com/alberanid/vim-config.git ~/.vim
ln -s ~/.vim/vimrc ~/.vimrc
cd ~/.vim
git submodule update --init --recursive
cd bundle/YouCompleteMe
./install.py --clang-completer --go-completer --js-completer --java-completer

Dependencies

• cmake to install YouCompleteMe
• exuberant-ctags for the tagbar
• flake8 and pylint for Python linting
• eslint for JavaScript linting (must be configured with eslint --init)
• Go if you plan to use --go-completer with YouCompleteMe
• Node.js and npm if you plan to use --js-completer with YouCompleteMe
• JDK 8 if you plan to use --java-completer with YouCompleteMe
• ripgrep for the configured grep workflow (used by g and G)

For best colors in modern terminals, enable true color in your terminal profile and use a 24-bit capable theme.

Plugin management

Upgrade installed plugins

git submodule foreach 'git pull origin master || git pull origin main'
cd bundle/YouCompleteMe
./install.py --clang-completer --go-completer --js-completer --java-completer

Add a new plugin

git submodule add git://example.com/git/plugin-name.git bundle/plugin-name
git submodule update --init --recursive

Remove a plugin

git submodule deinit bundle/plugin-name
git rm bundle/plugin-name

Main commands and shortcuts

Don't forget some VIM basics:

• Leader char is backslash (\), by default
• :e filename edit filename in a new buffer
• :sp for horizontal split
• :vsp for vertical split
• ctrl+w and movements to navigate splits
• ctrl+w and q to close a split
• bX (where X is the buffer number in the topbar) to change buffer
• :bd to close a buffer
• register "* to copy/paste to/from the primary selection (e.g. "*p - to use this and "+ you must have a version of Vim compiled with clipboard support: install vim-gtk or vim-gnome)
• register "+ to copy/paste to/from the system clipboard (e.g. "+p)
• ctrl+x ctrl+k complete using dictionaries

And some toggles:

• F2 show Vim registers
• F4 NERDTree
• F5 spell checker
• F8 Tagbar
• F9 paste mode
• F10 Undotree

Search and quickfix (ripgrep + built-in :grep):

• \g start a grep command using your configured grepprg (ripgrep)
• \G run grep without jumping to the first hit
• \co open quickfix list
• \cc close quickfix list

Commenting (NERD Commenter) and editing (surround):

• \c toggle comment of current line
• \cs toggle comment using multipart delimeters
• ds) remove () around a string
• cs)] to replace () with [] around a string enclosed by ()

Author and license

Davide Alberani <da@mimante.net> (C) 2013-2026
Released under the terms of the CC BY-SA license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/