# Install neatvi with Homebrew, apk Clone of ex/vi for editing bidirectional utf-8 text. Version 19 via Homebrew; verified 2026-05-18. ## Install ```sh sudo av install brew:neatvi ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install neatvi ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata ### Linux - apk (92%): ```sh sudo apk add neatvi ``` Evidence: Alpine Linux edge package indexes: neatvi from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:neatvi - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Package manager page:** - **Version:** 19 - **Source summary:** Clone of ex/vi for editing bidirectional utf-8 text - **Homepage:** - **Repository:** - **Upstream docs:** - **License:** ISC - **Source archive:** - **Last updated:** 2026-05-18T16:07:28Z - **Generated:** 2026-07-08T07:18:31+00:00 ## Executables - neatvi (cli) - neatvi (alias) ## Install behavior - Post-install hook: not defined - Bottle: available on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, sonoma, x86_64_linux ## Freshness - Page generated: 2026-07-08 - Package-manager version: 19 - Package-manager updated: 2026-05-18 - Local data: ok - Upstream repository: https://repo.or.cz/neatvi - info: Release/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories. ## Project history and usage neatvi is Ali Gholami Rudi's small ex/vi clone for editing UTF-8 text, with particular emphasis on bidirectional text. Its README says it supports syntax highlighting, multiple windows, right-to-left languages, and keymaps. ### Project history The upstream repo.or.cz summary describes neatvi as a small ex/vi editor and shows active maintenance through June 2026. The GitHub mirror/API reports the GitHub repository was created on May 28, 2015. The project is deliberately small but not toy-like: its README documents EXINIT startup commands, `$HOME/.neatvi`, syntax color commands, keymaps, right-to-left text direction options, Arabic/Farsi shaping, buffer/window commands, tags support, and quick-access commands. ### Adoption history neatvi's adoption is niche and enthusiast-driven. It appears in Homebrew and Alpine, and the GitHub mirror showed 394 stars and 38 forks on July 1, 2026. Homebrew Formulae listed stable version 19 and 32 installs in its 365-day analytics window. Its distinguishing adoption hook is not broad editor popularity but a rare combination: vi/ex familiarity, compact C code, UTF-8, and bidirectional/right-to-left editing support. ### How it is used Package nerds install neatvi when they want a minimal vi-like editor with Unicode and right-to-left behavior, or when they want a small C editor they can read and patch. Configuration is done through EXINIT, `$HOME/.neatvi`, and in some cases source-level changes to `conf.h` for syntax highlighting and text direction patterns. The README also notes terminal-specific behavior for VTE-based terminals and exposes options for disabling shaping, character reordering, or highlighting when performance matters. ### Why package nerds care neatvi is useful enrichment material because it is not merely another vi clone. Its package identity is tied to bidirectional UTF-8 editing, small-source maintainability, and ex-scriptable configuration. ### Timeline - {'date': '2015-05-28', 'event': 'aligrudi/neatvi repository creation date reported by the GitHub API.'} - {'date': '2026-05-17', 'event': 'repo.or.cz tag listing showed version 19 around this date.'} - {'date': '2026-06-28', 'event': 'repo.or.cz summary showed a last change on this date.'} - {'date': '2026-07-01', 'event': 'Homebrew Formulae listed stable 19 and 32 installs in the 365-day analytics window.'} ### Related projects - vi - ex - nvi - OpenBSD vi ### Sources - - - - - ## Security Notes No matching local secret-handling manifest was found for neatvi. Nucleus package metadata is still published here so future coverage has a stable package URL. ## Source Database Details - **Source Database:** Homebrew formula API - **Tap:** homebrew/core - **Full Name:** neatvi - **Version Scheme:** 0 - **Revision:** 0 - **Head Version:** HEAD - **Bottle Stable Root URL:** - **Deprecated:** no - **Disabled:** no - **Keg Only:** no - **URL Keys:** head, stable ## Other Package-Manager Records - apk - neatvi - 19-r0: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: neatvi from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Small vi/ex editor for editing UTF-8 text | https://github.com/aligrudi/neatvi - apk - neatvi-doc - 19-r0: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: neatvi-doc from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Small vi/ex editor for editing UTF-8 text (documentation) | https://github.com/aligrudi/neatvi - apk - neatvi-vi - 19-r0: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: neatvi-vi from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | neatvi vi provider | https://github.com/aligrudi/neatvi ## Related links - [Source-control packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/source-control-tools/) - Belongs to a source-control command family. - [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. - [Networking and protocol packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/networking-protocol-tools/) - Matched network, protocol, or remote-service metadata. - [ad](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/ad/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, productivity, text-editor, text-editors, vi. - [aoeui](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/aoeui/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, productivity, text-editor, text-editors. - [gedit](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/gedit/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, productivity, text-editor, text-editors. - [jove](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/jove/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, productivity, text-editor, text-editors. - [le](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/le/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, productivity, text-editor, text-editors. - [mg](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/mg/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, productivity, text-editor, text-editors. - [ne](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/ne/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, productivity, text-editor, text-editors. - [nedit](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/nedit/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, productivity, text-editor, text-editors. - [nvi](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/nvi/) - Local package facts share a topical domain. Shared terms: cli, editor, editors, ex, text. ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/neatvi.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/neatvi.yml) ## Sources - Nucleus package database - Geiger risk classifier - package-page enrichment - 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