nvi ☆

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Description:
44BSD re-implementation of vi

Type: Formula | Latest Version: 1.81.6@0 | Tracked Since: Oct 15, 2025

Links: Homepage | formulae.brew.sh

Category: Developer tools

Tags: text-editor vi terminal bsd productivity

Install: brew install nvi

About:
nvi is a modern re-implementation of the classic vi text editor, originally included in the 4.4BSD release. It provides a faithful recreation of the original 'visual' mode while incorporating significant bug fixes, performance improvements, and support for modern terminal types. The editor maintains strict adherence to traditional vi behavior, making it a reliable choice for system administration and scripting.

Key Features:

Faithful 4.4BSD vi compatibility
Extensive bug fixes and stability improvements
Support for modern terminal types
Minimal dependencies
Compact and fast

Use Cases:

System administration on minimal Unix environments
Scripting and editing configuration files
Learning or using traditional vi commands

Alternatives:

vim – Vim offers extensive features and scripting capabilities, while nvi focuses on minimalism and strict BSD vi compatibility.
elvis – Elvis is another vi clone with more visual modes and features, whereas nvi prioritizes correctness and simplicity.

Version History

Detected	Version	Rev	Change	Commit
Oct 15, 2025 5:03pm		6	VERSION_BUMP	78327523
Sep 16, 2025 4:14pm		6	VERSION_BUMP	5f81ce1b