What does Vi stand for?

Question

I was just wondering what "Vi" means in Linux (the command used for editing files)?

Solution 1

Vi is a screen editor for Linux, Unix and other Unix-like operating systems. Pronounced (vee-aye). Stands for VIsual.

_{Sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vi and http://www.techopedia.com/definition/10347/vi}

Solution 2

Wikipedia has a concise and properly cited explanation:

The name vi is derived from the shortest unambiguous abbreviation for the command visual in ex; the command in question switches the line editor ex to visual mode.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vi

Note that this does not mean that the full name of the text editor "vi" is still "visual" or, even, that "vi" currently stands for "visual" - the name of the editor is just "vi". The above quote just explains how the name originally came into being.

As Ben Voigt helpfully points out, the people (and websites) claiming that it stands for "Visual Instrument" are confusing it with another product unrelated to the text editor.

Comments

[Admin]

It's not an acronym and it shouldn't be capitalized.

[Admin]

Seems like a simple search on Wikipedia would've answered this one? en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vi

[Admin]

@slm u r right though

[Admin]

Vi = VIrtual VIM = VIrtual IMproved

[Admin]

A stupid question has earned me so many upvotes ... :in tears: :P

[Sylvain Pineau]

VI improved, just that

[evilsoup]

It should probably be noted that while it is excellent (once you know how to use it), vi/vim takes some effort to learn. It can be overwhelming the first time you have to use it; if you're not editing plain text files regularly, it's probably better to use (in the terminal) nano or (in the GUI) gedit (which lack the advanced features, flexibility and efficiency of vim, but are much more new-user-friendly).

[Iluvathar]

Wow, I always thought it's just short for "view".

[Agi Hammerthief]

You can get the VIM book from Amazon (amazon.com/Vi-iMproved-VIM-Steve-Oualline/dp/0735710015/…) or a PDF (suspect formatting) from ftp.vim.org/pub/vim/doc/book/vimbook-OPL.pdf

[avgvstvs]

Actually the amazon book is states that its available online entirely for free. Only buy it from amazon if you want to help the writer's charity.

[Ben Voigt]

The association of VI = Visual Instrument comes from LabVIEW, which has an editor for visual instruments and therefore matches searches for "VI editor". There is no connection between the Linux text editor "vi" and the acronym Visual Instrument. +1

[Ben Voigt]

VI = Visual Instrument in the context of National Instruments' LabVIEW programming environment. Not the Linux text editor. This answer erroneously suggests a relationship between the two.

[IMSoP]

I also disagree with the second half of this answer, as I've always pronounced it "vie".

[thomasrutter]

Vim stands for Vi IMproved proved really, with the "V" from "VI" and the "IM" from "IMPROVED".

[ChrisR.]

I said that and gave an example of usage.

[thomasrutter]

Your answer says it stands for "visual improved". What I'm trying to say is it stands for "vi improved", not "visual improved". The "v" is from "vi".

[thomasrutter]

I just say "vim" - nobody really uses the original vi anyway - they may type "vi" but it'll most likely actually be vim, nvi or Busybox. Or in some cases Elvis.

[David says Reinstate Monica]

@MariaMeh VIM is Vi IMproved.

[GreenAsJade]

As mentioned above - vi does not stand for "visual instrument". It is an abbreviation of "visual".

[thomasrutter]

In case people are confused, this answer previously said VI stood for "Visual Instrument" but has since been edited.

[ChrisR.]

Vi, which stands for Visual (according to the link and the old man page according the MichaelT) and IM, which stands for Improved. If the abbreviation stands for Vi Improved, then the Vi in that would still be Visual.

[thomasrutter]

I still disagree that this means you can say "vim" stands for "visual improved", sorry. Not that it really matters as it's outside the scope of the question, but I just think it's misleading to imply that the vim creator intended it to stand for "visual improved". Vim's name is clearly referring to the product vi, not the visual command whose name vi is derived from.

[Mitch]

@SylvainPineau Notice has been removed. Thanks for your help.

[IMSoP]

@AlexejMagura I stand corrected. Still, I'm going to carry on saying "vie", just as I wouldn't say "G.R.E.P." (grep being another program named after an ed command sequence) :P

[Alexej Magura]

I believe that vi stands for either: Visual edItor or Visual Interface, as contrasted by the lack of visual-ness provided by ed.

[Alexej Magura]

@IMSoP nothing wrong with that; I pronounce vim like tim, but with v instead of a t. Occasionally, I'll even catch myself saying vime, like vine but with an m instead of an n.

[IMSoP]

In case anyone wonders why a program would be named after a command in another, remember that programs under Unix can be installed under multiple names, and change their behaviour appropriately. Thus invoking ex with the name vi would start it in visual mode. vim can be started in many modes this way, including ex, exim ("ex improved"), view (read-only), rvim (restricted), evim (easy), vimdiff (compare two files) etc

[Chris Morgan]

Vim certainly does not stand for Visual Improved. Expanding acronyms multiple times is not valid—far less something that isn't even an acronym. Also, incidentally: quoting the Vim manual: "VIM stands for Vi IMproved."

[ChrisR.]

vi isn't an acronym either. It is an abbreviation, much the same that vim is. When you expand the abbreviation and it includes the original abbreviation, then it is fine in my eyes. No one is going to refer to it that way, including myself. I call "vi" "vee-eye" and "vim" "vee-eye-mmm" or pronounce it phonetically as one word.