Question posted in 
On my Centos 8 machine I have vim and git installed. When I open vim from terminal and view version information I see a slightly different version than when git starts vim e.g. in an interactive rebase process.
The full version info is below but I try to summarize the differences between case 1 and 2:
- What do I mean with slightly different? Look at line 6, git starts vim
Small versionwhile running vim from the terminal startsHuge version - bunch of different features of vim are listed
I thought well maybe I have something weird set in my global git config, but running the following yields no output:
$ git config --global core.editor
-- No Output--
$ echo $EDITOR
-- No Output--
$ ls -ls /usr/bin/vim*
Can anybody share some insight about whats going on?
1 When starting vim from Terminal
:version
VIM - Vi IMproved 8.0 (2016 Sep 12, compiled May 11 2019 16:00:09)
Included patches: 1-1763
Modified by <[email protected]>
Compiled by <[email protected]>
Huge version without GUI. Features included (+) or not (-):
+acl -clientserver +dialog_con +find_in_path +keymap +modify_fname +multi_byte +profile +statusline +textobjects +wildignore
+arabic -clipboard +diff +float +lambda +mouse +multi_lang +python/dyn -sun_workshop +timers +wildmenu
+autocmd +cmdline_compl +digraphs +folding +langmap -mouseshape -mzscheme +python3/dyn +syntax +title +windows
-autoservername +cmdline_hist -dnd -footer +libcall +mouse_dec +netbeans_intg +quickfix +tag_binary -toolbar +writebackup
-balloon_eval +cmdline_info -ebcdic +fork() +linebreak +mouse_gpm +num64 +reltime +tag_old_static +user_commands -X11
+balloon_eval_term +comments +emacs_tags +gettext +lispindent -mouse_jsbterm +packages +rightleft -tag_any_white +vertsplit -xfontset
-browse +conceal +eval -hangul_input +listcmds +mouse_netterm +path_extra +ruby/dyn -tcl +virtualedit -xim
++builtin_terms +cryptv +ex_extra +iconv +localmap +mouse_sgr +perl/dyn +scrollbind +termguicolors +visual -xpm
+byte_offset +cscope +extra_search +insert_expand +lua/dyn -mouse_sysmouse +persistent_undo +signs +terminal +visualextra -xsmp
+channel +cursorbind +farsi +job +menu +mouse_urxvt +postscript +smartindent +terminfo +viminfo -xterm_clipboard
+cindent +cursorshape +file_in_path +jumplist +mksession +mouse_xterm +printer +startuptime +termresponse +vreplace -xterm_save
system vimrc file: "/etc/vimrc"
user vimrc file: "$HOME/.vimrc"
2nd user vimrc file: "~/.vim/vimrc"
user exrc file: "$HOME/.exrc"
defaults file: "$VIMRUNTIME/defaults.vim"
fall-back for $VIM: "/etc"
f-b for $VIMRUNTIME: "/usr/share/vim/vim80"
Compilation: gcc -c -I. -Iproto -DHAVE_CONFIG_H -O2 -g -pipe -Wall -Werror=format-security -Wp,-D_GLIBCXX_ASSERTIONS -fexceptions -fstack-protector-strong -grecord-gcc-switches -specs=/usr/lib/rpm/redhat/redhat-hardened-cc1
-specs=/usr/lib/rpm/redhat/redhat-annobin-cc1 -m64 -mtune=generic -fasynchronous-unwind-tables -fstack-clash-protection -fcf-protection -D_GNU_SOURCE -D_FILE_OFFSET_BITS=64 -I/usr/include/python3.6m -U_FORTIFY_SOURCE -D_FORTIFY_
SOURCE=1
Linking: gcc -L. -Wl,-z,relro -Wl,-z,now -specs=/usr/lib/rpm/redhat/redhat-hardened-ld -fstack-protector-strong -rdynamic -Wl,-export-dynamic -Wl,--enable-new-dtags -Wl,-z,relro -Wl,-z,now -specs=/usr/lib/rpm/redhat/redhat-ha
rdened-ld -Wl,-z,relro -Wl,-z,now -specs=/usr/lib/rpm/redhat/redhat-hardened-ld -L/usr/local/lib -Wl,--as-needed -o vim -lm -lselinux -lncurses -lacl -lattr -lgpm -ldl -Wl,--enable-new-dtags -Wl,-z,relro -Wl,-z,now
-specs=/usr/lib/rpm/redhat/redhat-hardened-ld -Wl,-z,relro -Wl,-z,now -specs=/usr/lib/rpm/redhat/redhat-hardened-ld -fstack-protector-strong -L/usr/local/lib -L/usr/lib64/perl5/CORE -lperl -lpthread -lresolv -ldl -lm -lcrypt -
lutil -lc
2 When Git starts vim
:version
VIM - Vi IMproved 8.0 (2016 Sep 12, compiled May 11 2019 15:59:32)
Included patches: 1-1763
Modified by <[email protected]>
Compiled by <[email protected]>
Small version without GUI. Features included (+) or not (-):
+acl -cindent +cursorbind -extra_search +iconv +listcmds -mouse_netterm +packages -rightleft -tag_old_static -toolbar +windows
-arabic -clientserver -cursorshape -farsi -insert_expand -localmap -mouse_sgr -path_extra -ruby -tag_any_white -user_commands +writebackup
+autocmd -clipboard -dialog -file_in_path -job -lua -mouse_sysmouse -perl +scrollbind -tcl +vertsplit -X11
-autoservername -cmdline_compl -diff -find_in_path +jumplist -menu -mouse_urxvt -persistent_undo -signs -termguicolors -virtualedit -xfontset
-balloon_eval +cmdline_hist -digraphs -float -keymap -mksession -mouse_xterm -printer -smartindent -terminal +visual -xim
-balloon_eval_term -cmdline_info -dnd -folding -lambda -modify_fname +multi_byte -profile -startuptime +terminfo -visualextra -xpm
-browse -comments -ebcdic -footer -langmap -mouse -multi_lang -python -statusline -termresponse -viminfo -xsmp
+builtin_terms -conceal -emacs_tags +fork() -libcall -mouse_dec -mzscheme -python3 -sun_workshop -textobjects -vreplace -xterm_clipboard
-byte_offset -cryptv -eval -gettext -linebreak -mouse_gpm -netbeans_intg -quickfix -syntax -timers +wildignore -xterm_save
-channel -cscope +ex_extra -hangul_input -lispindent -mouse_jsbterm -num64 -reltime +tag_binary -title -wildmenu
system vimrc file: "/etc/virc"
user vimrc file: "$HOME/.virc"
2nd user vimrc file: "~/.vim/virc"
user exrc file: "$HOME/.exrc"
defaults file: "$VIMRUNTIME/defaults.vim"
fall-back for $VIM: "/etc"
f-b for $VIMRUNTIME: "/usr/share/vim/vim80"
Compilation: gcc -c -I. -Iproto -DHAVE_CONFIG_H -O2 -g -pipe -Wall -Werror=format-security -Wp,-D_GLIBCXX_ASSERTIONS -fexceptions -fstack-protector-strong -grecord-gcc-switches -specs=/usr/lib/rpm/redhat/redhat-hardened-cc1
-specs=/usr/lib/rpm/redhat/redhat-annobin-cc1 -m64 -mtune=generic -fasynchronous-unwind-tables -fstack-clash-protection -fcf-protection -D_GNU_SOURCE -D_FILE_OFFSET_BITS=64 -I/usr/include/python3.6m -U_FORTIFY_SOURCE -D_FORTIFY_
SOURCE=1
Linking: gcc -Wl,-z,relro -Wl,-z,now -specs=/usr/lib/rpm/redhat/redhat-hardened-ld -L/usr/local/lib -Wl,--as-needed -o vim -lm -lselinux -lncurses -lacl -lattr -ldl
3 When starting vi from Terminal
:version
VIM - Vi IMproved 8.0 (2016 Sep 12, compiled May 11 2019 16:00:09)
Included patches: 1-1763
Modified by <[email protected]>
Compiled by <[email protected]>
Huge version without GUI. Features included (+) or not (-):
+acl -clientserver +dialog_con +find_in_path +keymap +modify_fname +multi_byte +profile +statusline +textobjects +wildignore
+arabic -clipboard +diff +float +lambda +mouse +multi_lang +python/dyn -sun_workshop +timers +wildmenu
+autocmd +cmdline_compl +digraphs +folding +langmap -mouseshape -mzscheme +python3/dyn +syntax +title +windows
-autoservername +cmdline_hist -dnd -footer +libcall +mouse_dec +netbeans_intg +quickfix +tag_binary -toolbar +writebackup
-balloon_eval +cmdline_info -ebcdic +fork() +linebreak +mouse_gpm +num64 +reltime +tag_old_static +user_commands -X11
+balloon_eval_term +comments +emacs_tags +gettext +lispindent -mouse_jsbterm +packages +rightleft -tag_any_white +vertsplit -xfontset
-browse +conceal +eval -hangul_input +listcmds +mouse_netterm +path_extra +ruby/dyn -tcl +virtualedit -xim
++builtin_terms +cryptv +ex_extra +iconv +localmap +mouse_sgr +perl/dyn +scrollbind +termguicolors +visual -xpm
+byte_offset +cscope +extra_search +insert_expand +lua/dyn -mouse_sysmouse +persistent_undo +signs +terminal +visualextra -xsmp
+channel +cursorbind +farsi +job +menu +mouse_urxvt +postscript +smartindent +terminfo +viminfo -xterm_clipboard
+cindent +cursorshape +file_in_path +jumplist +mksession +mouse_xterm +printer +startuptime +termresponse +vreplace -xterm_save
system vimrc file: "/etc/vimrc"
user vimrc file: "$HOME/.vimrc"
2nd user vimrc file: "~/.vim/vimrc"
user exrc file: "$HOME/.exrc"
defaults file: "$VIMRUNTIME/defaults.vim"
fall-back for $VIM: "/etc"
f-b for $VIMRUNTIME: "/usr/share/vim/vim80"
Compilation: gcc -c -I. -Iproto -DHAVE_CONFIG_H -O2 -g -pipe -Wall -Werror=format-security -Wp,-D_GLIBCXX_ASSERTIONS -fexceptions -fstack-protector-strong -grecord-gcc-switches -specs=/usr/lib/rpm/redhat/red
hat-hardened-cc1 -specs=/usr/lib/rpm/redhat/redhat-annobin-cc1 -m64 -mtune=generic -fasynchronous-unwind-tables -fstack-clash-protection -fcf-protection -D_GNU_SOURCE -D_FILE_OFFSET_BITS=64 -I/usr/include/python
3.6m -U_FORTIFY_SOURCE -D_FORTIFY_SOURCE=1
Linking: gcc -L. -Wl,-z,relro -Wl,-z,now -specs=/usr/lib/rpm/redhat/redhat-hardened-ld -fstack-protector-strong -rdynamic -Wl,-export-dynamic -Wl,--enable-new-dtags -Wl,-z,relro -Wl,-z,now -specs=/usr/lib/rpm
/redhat/redhat-hardened-ld -Wl,-z,relro -Wl,-z,now -specs=/usr/lib/rpm/redhat/redhat-hardened-ld -L/usr/local/lib -Wl,--as-needed -o vim -lm -lselinux -lncurses -lacl -lattr -lgpm -ldl -Wl,--enable
-new-dtags -Wl,-z,relro -Wl,-z,now -specs=/usr/lib/rpm/redhat/redhat-hardened-ld -Wl,-z,relro -Wl,-z,now -specs=/usr/lib/rpm/redhat/redhat-hardened-ld -fstack-protector-strong -L/usr/local/lib -L/usr/lib64/perl
5/CORE -lperl -lpthread -lresolv -ldl -lm -lcrypt -lutil -lc
2
Answers
There may be multiple versions of Vim on your system. Try
update-alternatives --display vimto see if there are others on your system.Another command that might help is
yum list installed | grep vimto see what yum thinks you have installed.Lastly,
ls -ls /usr/bin/vim*will list all binaries installed that start with vim. On my system, I have both/usr/bin/vim.tinyand/usr/bin/vim.basic. These are both the same version, but built with slightly different options.I think the last one is the difference on your system as well, with you invoking one when you run
vimfrom your shell and git invoking a different one.When you invoke Git without specifying an editor, the default is
vi. On Red Hat and CentOS systems, thevibinary is different fromvimand less capable, no matter what Vim versions you have installed. On Debian and Ubuntu systems, they are usually the same binary (via symlinks with the alternatives system) and therefore installing a more capable Vim version affectsvias well.If you’re on a Red Hat or CentOS system and you want to use a more capable version of Vim, you should use either
vim,vimx, orgvim -f, as appropriate, by setting theVISUALorEDITORenvironment variables orcore.editorin the Git configuration settings. If you’re working across systems, you may prefer to set the environment variables in your shell configuration based on what’s available.The difference between these is that
vimis a console version with no X support,vimxis a console version with X libraries so it supports the clipboard, andgvimis a graphical version. You must usegvim -fin an editor configuration forgvimso that it does not return until you’ve quit; otherwise, it will fork and exit immediately and Git will see no changes to the file.