System-wide vimrc Configuration with Vim-Plug

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.

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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

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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/*

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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.

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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.

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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!

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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.