Resolving the "Vim Command Not Found" Error on Linux

As a new Linux user trying to use the Vim text editor, you may encounter the frustrating error:

bash: vim: command not found

This error means Vim is not yet installed on your system. While Vim ships with most Linux distributions, it is not included by default on all of them. But there is no need to fret – the solution is quite simple. We just have to install Vim using the system package manager.

In this comprehensive guide, we will cover:

• Understanding Vim and its rise in popularity
• Installing Vim on major Linux distributions
• Configuring and customizing Vim for enhance productivity
• Integrating Vim into a modern dev workflow
• Getting help and learning Vim usage effectively
• Comparison between Vim and GUI text editors
• Relevant statistics indicating Vim‘s widespread adoption

So let‘s get started on this Vim journey!

The Rise of a Legend – Understanding Vim

Vim stands for "Vi IMproved". It builds upon the original Vi editor created for Unix systems back in 1976.

So why does a 40+ year old text editor continue to thrive in the modern age?

Vim‘s superpower is providing an incredibly efficient environment for text editing. It may not seem like much on the surface, but mastering Vim can literally double a developer‘s productivity.

Let‘s break down some key aspects that explain Vim‘s prowess:

Modal Editing

Vim uses multiple editing modes for different purposes:

• Normal: for navigation and manipulation
• Insert: for entering text
• Command-line: for more advanced tasks

This modal approach keeps common tasks ergonomic via shortcut keys while still allowing access to advanced functionality.

Mnemonic Keyboard Shortcuts

Commands in Vim usually follow a predictable naming scheme. For example, d stands for delete while y stands for yank (copy).

Combined with other letters, these turn into powerful manipulation shortcuts:

• dw – delete current word
• yy – yank current line
• 3j – move down 3 lines below

These mnemonics accelerate editing once internalized through regular usage.

Extensibility and Customizability

Vim is vastly customizable through macros, key mappings, plugins and scripts written in its native Vimscript language.

Whether modifying Vim settings via .vimrc, adding plugins like file explorers or code linters, or even building entire IDE-like environments – Vim gives you total control.

This tailorability enables a personalized setup fine-tuned to your specific needs.

Ubiquity Across Systems

Vim is present by default across most Linux/Unix systems and also available for Windows and macOS.

This ubiquity allows developers to use a consistent editing environment irrespective of the system or machine they are working on.

Efficiency and Precision

Between its modal editing, composable commands and deep customization – Vim enables efficient text manipulation with surgical precision.

Complex changes across codebases, documents or data files can be applied easily in Vim compared to point-and-click interfaces.

These factors combine to give Vim enduring popularity in the developer community even today. What began as a Vi clone in 1991 continues to be many programmers‘ editor of choice in 2023.

Having understood Vim‘s capabilities, let‘s now install it on some common Linux distributions.

Installing Vim on Major Linux Distributions

Most Linux distributions ship package managers that simplify installing new software applications. We can use the appropriate package manager to set up Vim based on our Linux distribution.

Debian/Ubuntu: Using APT

On Debian, Ubuntu and related distributions, the apt command is used to manage packages.

sudo apt update
sudo apt install vim

The first command refreshes APT‘s package index. The second command installs the latest stable Vim version.

Additional options include:

• vim-gtk – Vim with GTK+ GUI support
• vim-athena – Vim with Athena widget set based GUI

RHEL/CentOS: Using YUM

On RHEL, CentOS and similar distros, YUM serves as the package manager:

sudo yum update
sudo yum install vim

Here as well, we first update package metadata using yum update before installing Vim.

Some alternatives to consider:

• vim-enhanced – feature-rich Vim package
• vim-X11 – installs client-server GUI version

Arch Linux: Using Pacman

On Arch Linux and Manjaro, Pacman handles this task:

sudo pacman -Syu  
sudo pacman -S vim

The vim package contains a sensible default configuration.

For more features, consider using:

• gvim – GUI version with X11 client
• vim-plugins – extra tools like a file explorer

openSUSE: Using Zypper

On openSUSE and related distributions, Zypper serves as the package manager:

sudo zypper refresh
sudo zypper install vim

Some other variants to look at:

• vim-enhanced – with additional interpreters and fonts
• vim-X11 – graphical Vim supporting mouse

So that covers installing basic Vim across popular Linux distros. Now let‘s customize Vim to boost productivity even further.

Configuring and Customizing Vim

A key aspect that sets Vim apart is extensive customizability. Tweaking Vim to suit your specific preferences and workflow can massively boost efficiency.

Let‘s go through some common ways to configure and extend Vim functionality.

The .vimrc File

The .vimrc file contains user-specific customizations that override Vim‘s defaults.

Vim loads this file on startup if present in the current user‘s home directory. By adding settings here, we alter Vim every time it runs.

Some examples of configurations to add:

" Show line numbers 
set number 

" Configure tab key behavior
set tabstop=4 softtabstop=0 expandtab shiftwidth=4

" Enable syntax highlighting
syntax enable

" Set color scheme 
colorscheme desert

The Vim help system serves as excellent documentation for available settings:

:help option-list

Explore and tweak .vimrc to streamline your editing flow.

Installing Plugins

Plugins extend Vim by adding new functionality or integrating external tools. They enable installing packages like:

• File explorers e.g. NERDTree
• Code completion utilities e.g. YouCompleteMe
• Git wrappers e.g vim-fugitive
• Linters and formatters e.g. ALE

I recommend using a plugin manager like Vim-Plug for easy installation and upgrades.

With the right set of plugins, Vim transforms into a customizable IDE meeting and even exceeding modern coding demands.

Key Bindings and Mapping

Vim allows modifying or adding new key bindings to fit preferred usage patterns.

Mapping keys improves efficiency by placing common functionality right at your fingertips.

Some examples of custom key bindings:

" Map jj to Esc in insert mode
inoremap jj <Esc>

" Quickly open Explorer pane
nnoremap tt :NERDTreeToggle<CR> 

" Map Shift+Enter to run Python
nmap <S-CR> :w<CR>:exec ‘!python3‘ shellescape(@%, 1)<CR>

Possibilities here are endless – tailor Vim keys to your specific needs.

Appearance Customization

Several appearance facets in Vim can be modified to your liking:

• Color Schemes: Installing colorschemes from vimcolors.com
• Font and Line Spacing: Changing in preferences
• Status Line: Configuring via .vimrc as per preference
• Graphical Vim: Using GVim or GUI plugins for added pizazz

Tweak visual elements until you have an editor colorfully optimized for long coding sessions.

With this degree of customizability, Vim adapts perfectly to developer workflows. But how exactly does Vim fit into modern dev infrastructure?

Integrating Vim into a Modern Developer Workflow

Despite its age, Vim continues to play vital roles in programmer toolchains even today:

(Image credit: Vim)

Thanks to rock-solid terminal integration and ecosystem of plugins, Vim superbly complements other dev tools:

• Using Git for version control right inside Vim via plugins
• Launching builds and test runs for Python, Node, Go or other languages from Vim terminal
• Integration with Jupyter notebooks for data science workflows
• Streaming output from dev containers and remote SSH sessions into Vim buffers
• Consuming API data, debug logs and monitoring dashboards without leaving Vim
• Automating infrastructure with Ansible/Terraform while coding modules in Vim

The list goes on. Vim ingrains itself into an agile, ever-evolving developer workflow.

In fact, 79% of StackOverflow developers reported using Vim or Emacs despite the dominance of richer IDEs – clear indication of Vim‘s relevance even today.

Now that we have set up and customized Vim, let‘s wrap up with some tips on effectively learning and using Vim.

Getting Help and Learning Vim Usage

With unusual modal editing, myriad commands and extensibility, Vim carries a steep learning curve. How can we smoothly ease into Vim mastery?

Here are my top 5 tips for getting help and discovering Vim‘s capabilities:

1. Use the built-in :help system

Vim contains excellent documentation on every feature right inside the editor:

:help user-manual
:help food
:help holy-grail

Keep the Vim help manual handy as the definitive reference guide!

2. Go through the interactive Vim Tutor

Type vimtutor from terminal and get guided through 30 minute hands-on tutorial covering the basics.

3. Read through Common Vim Recipes

The Vim FAQ contains many great examples for daily editing tasks. Bookmark your favorite ones!

4. Find Quality Vim Resources Online

Leverage ample books, tutorials and talks on picking up Vim available free online.

5. Practice, Practice, Practice!

As with riding a bike, direct experience over days and weeks slowly cultivates "Vim reflex".

Use Vim for light editing work to reinforce muscle memory without pressure. Confidence follows consistency!

With plentiful resources and commitment to practicing, conquering Vim is just a matter of time. The journey may seem intimidating to some but perseverance pays rich dividends.

Speaking of payoffs, does frequent Vim usage really provide significant ROI compared to clicking around visual editors? Let‘s crunch some numbers.

Vim Versus GUI Text Editors: by the Numbers

Like skateboards versus cars, comparisons between hardcore text editors (Vim) and user-friendly tools (VSCode) seem unfair. Or is there merit to the Vim way?

Let‘s examine editor usage stats and feedback from real developers:

• StackOverflow‘s 2021 survey found 70% preferring Visual Studio Code over 30% choosing Vim or Emacs
• But the top 16% most productive developers used Vim and were 5x more productive
• This aligns with expert claims of Vim acceleration between 2x to 10x over GUI editors!
• Still VSCode dominates recent PyPl Popularity rankings at 49% adoption versus Vim‘s 5%

So while absolute numbers favor richer tools, power users leveraging modal editing reap outsized productivity gains. The appeal becomes clear once fluent with Vim‘s expressive command language granting surgical editing precision.

Ultimately, there is a place for both editors based on personal preferences and use case context. But Vim warrants consideration from all aspiring techies – its singular focus on text makes it insanely fast if you invest the effort. Try Vim for a month before deciding whether the hockey stick learning curve is worth it!

The Bottom Line

We have covered a lot of ground in this detailed guide! To summarize key points:

• We learned how Vim builds on Vi‘s legacy providing efficient text editing using modal interaction
• We installed Vim across Debian, RHEL, Arch and openSUSE based Linux distributions
• We customized Vim substantially through .vimrc, plugins, bindings and appearance changes
• We saw how Vim firmly embeds itself into modern developer toolchains
• We went over multiple resources to smoothly pick up Vim editing fluency

While surmounting the initial learning barrier requires determination, unlocking Vim‘s speed and versatility amply rewards those who persevere.

Whether simply tweaking configuration files or coding advanced machine learning models, Vim proves itself a trusty ally across disciplines. Its responsive, time-tested and battle-hardened interface will likely remain popular for decades more!

So go install Vim, spend those 10,000 hours, and tap into text editing Nirvana one keystroke at a time. Your fingers and feeble mouse-hand will thank you later!