Ubuntu 26.04: Configure Vim
Install and configure Vim on Ubuntu 26.04 LTS with syntax highlighting, line numbers, and other useful settings.
May 22, 2026 • 4 min read
ubuntulinuxvimeditorconfiguration
Configure Vim for a more convenient editing experience than the default vi.
Install Vim
apt -y install vim
Configure Vim Settings
Create or edit the user-specific configuration file:
vi ~/.vimrc
Example configuration with common settings:
" use extended vim features (not compatible with vi)
set nocompatible
" character encoding
set encoding=utf-8
" file encodings
set fileencodings=utf-8
" file formats
set fileformats=unix,dos
" enable backups
set backup
" backup directory
set backupdir=~/backup
" search history size
set history=50
" ignore case in search
set ignorecase
" smart case sensitivity
set smartcase
" highlight search matches
set hlsearch
" incremental search
set incsearch
" show line numbers
set number
" visualize tabs and end-of-line
set list
" highlight matching parentheses
set showmatch
" enable auto-indent
set autoindent
" enable syntax highlighting
syntax on
" lighter comment color
highlight Comment ctermfg=LightCyan
" wrap long lines
set wrap
For system-wide settings, write the same options in /etc/vim/vimrc. Adjust parameters according to your preferences.