sensible.vim

Think of sensible.vim as one step above 'nocompatible' mode: a universal set of defaults that (hopefully) everyone can agree on.

• If you're new to Vim, you can install this as a starting point, rather than copying some random vimrc you found.
• If you're pair programming and you can't agree on whose vimrc to use, this can be your neutral territory.
• If you're administrating a server with an account that's not exclusively yours, you can scp this up to make things a bit more tolerable.
• If you're troubleshooting a plugin and need to rule out interference from your vimrc, having this installed will ensure you still have some basic amenities.

Installation

Install using your favorite package manager, or use Vim's built-in package support:

mkdir -p ~/.vim/pack/tpope/start
cd ~/.vim/pack/tpope/start
git clone https://tpope.io/vim/sensible.git

Features

See the source for the authoritative list of features. (Don't worry, it's mostly :set calls.) Here's a taste:

• 'backspace': Backspace through anything in insert mode.
• 'incsearch': Start searching before pressing enter.
• 'listchars': Makes :set list (visible whitespace) prettier.
• 'scrolloff': Always show at least one line above/below the cursor.
• 'autoread': Autoload file changes. You can undo by pressing u.
• runtime! macros/matchit.vim: Load the version of matchit.vim that ships with Vim.

FAQ

How can I see what this plugin actually does?

The source is authoritative. Use :help 'option' to see the documentation for an option. If you install scriptease.vim, you can press K on an option (or command, or function) to jump to its documentation.

How can I override a setting?

Normally, sensible.vim loads after your vimrc, making it a bit tricky to override (although you could use after/plugin/sensible.vim). If you want to load it earlier, add the following line to your vimrc, then put your overrides below.

runtime! plugin/sensible.vim

Feel free to let me know which setting you object to, so I can reassess whether it makes sense to include it.

Contributing

I want this to be a plugin nobody objects to installing. Let me know if you have any objections to anything. There are a handful of settings I figured might be controversial, but I included anyways, just to settle the question once and for all. It won't take much persuasion for me to remove them. Everything else is negotiable.

Feel free to ask a question if you're not sure why I've set something, as I haven't put much effort into documenting that.

I'm a stickler for commit messages, so if you send me a pull request with so much as a superfluous period in the subject line, I will close it without so much as a second thought, and save my precious attention for someone who can actually follow directions.

Self-Promotion

Like sensible.vim? Follow the repository on GitHub and vote for it on vim.org. And if you're feeling especially charitable, follow tpope on Twitter and GitHub.

This pairs great with sleuth.vim.

License

Copyright Tim Pope. Distributed under the same terms as Vim itself. See :help license.