![macvim cli executable macvim cli executable](https://forum.unity.com/proxy.php?image=https%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2F8n6QibB.png)
Then, just set the alias: alias vim='mvim' The MacVim distro comes with a script called mvim that takes exactly the same arguments as vim. Open a new terminal window, $ vim file.txt should launch vim in your terminal window, just like the default /usr/bin/vim but with a lot more bells and whistles. Just add this line (customized to reflect your system) to your ~/.bashrc or ~/.profile or whatever file is run by your shell at startup: alias vim='/path/to/MacVim.app/Contents/MacOS/Vim' I think michaelmichael's answer could be a expanded a bit but the most important is said. You basically have two options: use the mvim CLI wrapper to open MacVim from the terminal or use an alias to MacVim's bundled CLI executable. `$ open -a macvim file.txt` will not work either. Once it's installed, MacVim is where you have put it, plain and simple.īecause it's a full fledged GUI app, MacVim can't really be used as a drop-in replacement for the default Vim in the terminal. It doesn't come preinstalled with your OS so you have to download it from the Internet or install it through homebrew (see michaelmichael's answer).
MACVIM CLI EXECUTABLE MAC OS X
MacVim is a native Mac OS X GUI version of Vim. This way, you can stay in CLI-land and enjoy the power of a powerful/recent/fast Vim.
![macvim cli executable macvim cli executable](https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/287744/29744387-d06eba94-8a58-11e7-85cd-2e11fcea0d4a.png)
No need to compile anything, no need to put MacVim in a special place, no need to overwrite default programs with symlinks MacVim comes with a CLI executable that you can use in place of Mac OS X's default Vim if you add a single alias to your ~/.bashrc/ ~/.profile. My answer is kind of the opposite of michaelmichael's and I've made it quite a few times: