This guide outlines the steps to set up a system-wide configuration for vim and install plugins using the plugin manager Vim-Plug. For more details on using vim-plug, other plugin managers, or individual plugins, consult their respective documentation or browse VimAwesome.
If you want to skip the instructions and use my config as-is, just go to this section.

1. Setting Up the Configuration Directories

First, ensure that the necessary directories for system-wide vim configuration exist. Create the main vim configuration directory if it doesn't exist:

mkdir -p /etc/vim
cd /etc/vim

Next, create the required subdirectories with appropriate permissions. Create directories for autoload, colors, plugins, session data, etc:

mkdir -p -m 755 autoload colors plugged session sessions

2. Installing Vim-Plug and Color Schemes

2.1. Download Vim-Plug

Vim-Plug is the plugin manager that will be used to install and manage plugins. Download it to the autoload directory:

curl -fLo /etc/vim/autoload/plug.vim https://raw.githubusercontent.com/junegunn/vim-plug/master/plug.vim

Set the appropriate permissions for the downloaded file:

chmod o+r /etc/vim/autoload/*

2.2. Install a Color Scheme (Optional)

You can pick a color scheme of your choice. Place it in the colors/ directory. For this example, we'll use the Molokai color scheme.

curl -fLo /etc/vim/colors/molokai.vim https://raw.githubusercontent.com/tomasr/molokai/refs/heads/master/colors/molokai.vim

Ensure that the color scheme file has the correct permissions:

chmod o+r /etc/vim/colors/*

3. Configuring the `vimrc`

The system-wide vimrc file location might vary depending on your Linux distribution. On Ubuntu, it is typically found at /etc/vim/vimrc. If the file doesn't exist, create it with the required permissions.

touch /etc/vim/vimrc
chmod 755 /etc/vim/vimrc
vim /etc/vim/vimrc

3.1. Set Runtime Paths

To ensure vim recognizes the autoload, plugin, and color scheme directories, add the following lines to your vimrc:

set runtimepath+=/etc/vim/autoload
set runtimepath+=/etc/vim/plugged
set runtimepath+=/etc/vim/colors

3.2. Enable Vim-Plug and Install Plugins

To initialize vim-plug and install plugins, add the following configuration to your vimrc. This specifies the plugin directory and lists the plugins you'd like to use.

" Initialize Vim-Plug
call plug#begin('/etc/vim/plugged')

" List plugins here
Plug 'rust-lang/rust.vim'      " Example plugin for Rust syntax highlighting
" Add more plugins as needed...

" End plugin section
call plug#end()

3.3. Enable Filetype Plugins and Indentation

To enable filetype-specific plugins and proper indentation, add this line to your vimrc:

filetype plugin indent on  " Enable filetype-based plugins and indentation

You can also add any other custom configurations such as tab size, line numbering, or key mappings. For a comprehensive example, refer to my vimrc.

4. Installing the Plugins

Once you've updated your vimrc, it’s time to install the plugins.

4.1. Source the `vimrc`

After saving the changes to the vimrc, source it to apply the changes:

:source %

4.2. Install Plugins

Run the following command to install the plugins specified in your vimrc:

:PlugInstall    " This command is specific to vim-plug

This will download and install all the listed plugins.

5. Done!

Once the installation is complete, your system-wide vim should be fully configured with the desired plugins and color schemes. You're now ready to enjoy a fully customized vim experience!

Shortcut

To install my config as-is, just run this as root:

mkdir -p /etc/vim/ 
cd /etc/vim/ 
git clone https://git.candifloss.cc/candifloss/vim_config.git . 
mkdir -p plugged session sessions 
chmod 755 /etc/vim/* 
chmod o+r /etc/vim/autoload/* 
chmod o+r /etc/vim/colors/*

That should work.

Troubleshooting

Permissions: Ensure that the directories and files in /etc/vim have the correct read and execute permissions for all users who need access. If plugins face file permission issues, try this:

chmod o+r -R /etc/vim/plugged/* 
chmod o+x /etc/vim/plugged/*

Plugin Conflicts: If you encounter issues with specific plugins, check their documentation for configuration options or known issues.

References

Stack-Overflow: File permissions for vimrc
Vim docs: Location of system-wide vimrc
Vim-Plug: Installation, syntax for specifying plugins, etc.
Vim-Awesome: Collection of plugins and installation guides.
vimhelp.org: Vim9-script syntax reference for vimrc config and vim scripting.

README.md Unescape Escape

System-wide vimrc Configuration with Vim-Plug