# Install macvim with Homebrew, MacPorts, Nix, apk, dnf, pacman, zypper GUI for vim, made for macOS. Version 9.2.0321 via Homebrew; verified 2026-06-22. ## Install ```sh sudo av install brew:macvim ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install macvim ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata - MacPorts (94%): ```sh sudo port install MacVim ``` Evidence: MacPorts ports tree: editors/MacVim/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ### Linux - Nix (92%): ```sh nix profile install nixpkgs#macvim ``` Evidence: nixpkgs package indexes: macvim from https://raw.githubusercontent.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/master/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix - apk (92%): ```sh sudo apk add gvim ``` Evidence: Alpine Linux edge package indexes: gvim from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz - dnf (92%): ```sh sudo dnf install vim-X11 ``` Evidence: Fedora Rawhide package metadata: vim-X11 from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst - pacman (92%): ```sh sudo pacman -S gvim ``` Evidence: Arch Linux sync databases: gvim from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz - zypper (92%): ```sh sudo zypper install gvim ``` Evidence: openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: gvim from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:macvim - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Package manager page:** - **Version:** 9.2.0321 - **Source summary:** GUI for vim, made for macOS - **Homepage:** - **Repository:** - **Upstream docs:** - **License:** Vim - **Source archive:** - **Last updated:** 2026-06-22T14:05:25-07:00 - **Generated:** 2026-07-08T18:08:21+00:00 ## Executables - gview (cli) - gvim (cli) - gvimdiff (cli) - gvimex (cli) - gvimtutor (cli) - mview (cli) - mvim (cli) - mvimdiff (cli) - mvimex (cli) - vimex (cli) - gview (alias) - gvim (alias) - gvimdiff (alias) - gvimex (alias) - gvimtutor (alias) - mview (alias) - mvim (alias) - mvimdiff (alias) - mvimex (alias) - vimex (alias) ## Dependencies - cscope - lua - python@3.14 - ruby ## Build dependencies - gettext - libsodium ## Install behavior - Post-install hook: not defined - Bottle: available on arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, sonoma ## Freshness - Page generated: 2026-07-08 - Package-manager version: 9.2.0321 - Package-manager updated: 2026-06-22 - Local data: ok - Upstream repository: https://github.com/macvim-dev/macvim - info: No cached GitHub release or tag data was available. ## Project history and usage MacVim is the macOS GUI distribution of Vim. The project describes it as a macOS version of Vim with a graphical interface, tight platform integration, menus, dialogs, toolbars, scroll bars, full-screen modes, trackpad gestures, Touch Bar support, Command-key mappings, system services, and Mac-specific text rendering. ### Project history MacVim is maintained as a downstream fork of Vim rather than a thin wrapper. The official README says it routinely merges upstream Vim, while the maintainer wiki explains that MacVim is an intrusive fork because Vim was not designed as an embeddable editor engine and because native macOS GUI behavior requires code, runtime, and documentation changes throughout the tree. The project’s current documentation lives on macvim.org and in the GitHub wiki. The MacVim help site is generated from the MacVim source repository and presents the bundled Vim help files plus MacVim-specific help such as `gui_mac.txt`. ### Adoption history MacVim has long been the package-manager answer for developers who want Vim as a native macOS app rather than only inside Terminal. The official README documents both `brew install macvim` and the Homebrew cask `macvim-app`, and the installing wiki distinguishes the official binary release from Homebrew-managed updates. The GitHub repository shows a large public history, many releases, thousands of stars, hundreds of forks, and a wiki, which reflects MacVim’s role as a durable macOS developer tool rather than a one-off GUI port. ### How it is used After installation, MacVim can be launched from the Dock or from the terminal with `mvim`. Homebrew’s formula installs CLI entry points such as `mvim`, `gvim`, `gview`, and diff variants, letting users keep Vim workflows while opening files in a native GUI bundle. Configuration follows Vim conventions. The official help lists Unix personal initialization files such as `$HOME/.vimrc`, `$HOME/.vim/vimrc`, and `$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/vim/vimrc`; MacVim-specific help recommends keeping GUI customizations in `~/.gvimrc` rather than editing the system `gvimrc` that is overwritten on update. ### Why package nerds care MacVim is significant because it sits at the intersection of Unix editor culture and native Mac application packaging. It gives package managers a concrete artifact that is both a terminal-oriented Vim build and a macOS app bundle, with the classic tension between fast upstream Vim updates and platform-specific GUI release quality. For Homebrew users, `macvim` versus `vim` is a meaningful package distinction: the upstream Vim package generally tracks core Vim more directly, while MacVim bundles a GUI app and Mac-specific behavior. That distinction is explicitly called out in the official README. ### Timeline - Public repository: MacVim Git history includes snapshot tags and release tags in the official repository. - 2023: The official wiki home page records active maintenance by macvim-dev. - 2026: macvim.org documentation reports current generated help for MacVim r183.1 and Vim 9.2.699. - 2026: GitHub repository page lists MacVim r183 as the latest release on Apr 8, 2026. ### Related projects - MacVim is directly related to upstream Vim, from which it routinely merges. It is also related to Homebrew's `vim` formula, GUI Vim variants, and Neovim in the broader editor ecosystem, but its official docs position it specifically as the native macOS GUI for Vim. ### Sources - - - - - - - ## Security Notes narrow executable package without higher-risk signals. - **Geiger risk:** green / low - narrow executable package without higher-risk signals ## Configuration and credential file locations These source-backed paths show where this package keeps local settings or durable credentials. Automic Vault can use them as review targets for secret scanning, migration, and command approval. ## Configuration files - macOS: ~/.vimrc, ~/.vim/vimrc, $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/vim/vimrc, ~/.gvimrc ## Source Database Details - **Source Database:** Homebrew formula API - **Tap:** homebrew/core - **Full Name:** macvim - **Version Scheme:** 0 - **Revision:** 0 - **Head Version:** HEAD - **Conflicts With:** ex-vi, vim, vim-classic - **Requirements:** macos, xcode - **Bottle Stable Root URL:** - **Deprecated:** no - **Disabled:** no - **Keg Only:** no - **URL Keys:** head, stable ## Other Package-Manager Records - Nix - macvim: normalized package name match | nixpkgs package indexes: macvim from https://raw.githubusercontent.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/master/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix - MacPorts - MacVim: normalized package name match | MacPorts ports tree: editors/MacVim/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - apk - gvim - 9.2.0602-r0: installed executable or alias match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: gvim from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Improved vi-style text editor (GTK3 GUI) | https://www.vim.org/ - dnf - vim-X11 - 9.2.597-1.fc45: installed executable or alias match | Fedora Rawhide package metadata: vim-X11 from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst | The VIM version of the vi editor for the X Window System - GVim | https://www.vim.org/ - pacman - gvim - 9.2.0600-1: installed executable or alias match | Arch Linux sync databases: gvim from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz | Vi Improved, a highly configurable, improved version of the vi text editor (with advanced features, such as a GUI) | https://www.vim.org - zypper - gvim - 9.2.0398-1.3: installed executable or alias match | openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: gvim from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst | A GUI for Vi | https://www.vim.org/ ## Related links - [Terminal utility packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/terminal-utilities/) - Matched terminal and command-line workflow metadata. - [Text processing packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/text-processing-tools/) - Matched text, document, or structured-data processing metadata. - [Developer build packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/developer-build-tools/) - Matched build, compiler, generator, or developer workflow metadata. - [Networking and protocol packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/networking-protocol-tools/) - Matched network, protocol, or remote-service metadata. - [cscope](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/cscope/) - Runtime dependency declared by Homebrew. - [lua](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/lua/) - Runtime dependency declared by Homebrew. - [python@3.14](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/python-3-14/) - Runtime dependency declared by Homebrew. - [ruby](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/ruby/) - Runtime dependency declared by Homebrew. - [gettext](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/gettext/) - Build dependency declared by Homebrew. - [ex-vi](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/ex-vi/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, text-editor. - [jed](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/jed/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, text-editor. - [kakoune](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/kakoune/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, text-editor. - [micro](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/micro/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, text-editor. - [msedit](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/msedit/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, text-editor. - [nano](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/nano/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, text-editor. - [neovide](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/neovide/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, editor, gui. - [neovim](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/neovim/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, editor, vim. - [pyvim](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/pyvim/) - Both packages touch the same language runtime or ecosystem. Shared terms: cli, developer, developer-tools, editor, python. - [git-cola](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/git-cola/) - Both packages touch the same language runtime or ecosystem. Shared terms: cli, developer, developer-tools, editor, gui. - [texttest](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/texttest/) - Both packages touch the same language runtime or ecosystem. Shared terms: cli, developer, developer-tools, gui, python. ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/macvim.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/macvim.yml) ## Sources - Nucleus package database - Geiger risk classifier - package-page enrichment - curated configuration and credential file locations - curated package history - package version freshness - av.db category and tag curation - package relationship graph - external package-manager database matches - cross-ecosystem install command graph