Can M Vim Run Terminal Commands Inside Buffers?

As a Vim power user, I'm deep into workflows combining Neovim's modern terminal buffer features with tmux for seamless command-line tasks within my editor.
2025-09-03 13:48:27
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8 Answers

Best Answer
EllieRed
EllieRed
Spoiler Watcher Office Worker
If you're using Neovim 0.5+, you can open a terminal in a buffer with or . In Vim, you'd typically use for a terminal window, but it doesn't run interactively inside a regular buffer. For more of a split-screen workflow, I sometimes read on the side; it's a good way to digest dense technical stuff. I was doing that recently while also checking out a collection called 'INFINITE SHADES OF GAY: A Collection Of Raw MM Erotica'—it's episodic, so you can dip in for a short, intense story and then jump right back to your code without losing your place.
2026-08-04 22:59:08
56
Owen
Owen
Plot Detective Journalist
Practical, workflow-focused take: yes, you can run terminal commands inside MacVim, but you should pick the right tool for the task. For interactive shells run via a buffer, use :terminal (if +terminal is compiled in). For single-command output insertion use :read !command (alias :r!). For nonblocking background processes use jobstart() or termopen() with callbacks; this is great when integrating tests or compilers. For repeated build/test cycles use :make and the quickfix list — it parses errors and jumps you to files/lines automatically.

If your version lacks terminal support, the options are still strong: rely on external tmux panes and integrate with plugins like the dispatch family, or upgrade to a build of MacVim that includes terminal, or try Neovim which has robust terminal support out of the box. I personally wire up a few mappings so :make and a quick :copen are one keystroke — keeps the feedback loop tight without leaving the editor.
2025-09-04 06:45:11
14
Zayn
Zayn
Clear Answerer Teacher
I get a real kick out of integrating terminals into my editor, so here's my energetic take: mvim can absolutely run terminal commands inside buffers if the build supports Vim's terminal feature. Use :terminal to open an interactive shell buffer, or use :! and :r! to execute one-off commands and plop their output into the current file. For a more advanced setup, plugins like vim-slime or vim-dispatch, or tools like tmux, let you send code to REPLs and run tasks without breaking flow.

If you don't see :terminal working, check :version for +terminal or consider upgrading MacVim or moving to Neovim. Personally I keep a tmux pane for heavy shell work and use :term for quick demos and interactive debugging — it keeps the momentum going and makes late-night hacking feel pleasantly efficient.
2025-09-04 14:24:12
10
Victoria
Victoria
Detail Spotter Veterinarian
Oh, absolutely — and I get excited every time I poke at this because it's one of those tiny productivity wins that feels like cheating.

If you're using MacVim (the familiar 'mvim' wrapper), modern builds that include Vim 8's terminal support will let you run an interactive shell or commands inside a special terminal buffer via :terminal. Try :terminal bash or simply :terminal to drop into a shell inside a split. If your build doesn't have that feature, you can still run commands and capture their output into a regular buffer with :read !ls or :r!git status, or run a one-off command with :!make. Vim also has async job APIs (jobstart(), termopen()) for more advanced, nonblocking workflows.

Plugins and external tools broaden the options: vim-slime for sending lines to a persistent REPL, dispatch or asyncrun for builds, and tmux integrations if you prefer an external terminal multiplexer. If :version shows +terminal, you're golden; if not, consider updating MacVim or trying Neovim for even richer terminal behavior. Personally I mix :term for interactive stuff and :r! when I just want output pasted into my document — simple and fast.
2025-09-05 13:19:18
3
Benjamin
Benjamin
Bibliophile Office Worker
On my slower, cozy setup I like to keep things simple: check whether your MacVim has terminal features by running :version or mvim --version from the terminal and looking for +terminal. If it's there, :terminal opens an interactive buffer where commands run right inside the window.

Without that, :read !command brings command output straight into whatever file I'm editing, which is lifesaving for quick logs, command outputs, or sculpting a draft from script results. For asynchronous needs Vim 8's jobstart and termopen APIs let you spawn processes without freezing the UI. It isn't always flashy, but it keeps me productive and avoids context switching to another app.
2025-09-06 10:07:40
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How do I run wq in vim from the terminal noninteractively?

3 Answers2025-09-07 13:26:30
Okay, quick practical trick that I use all the time when I need Vim to save-and-exit from a shell script without any interactive prompts. The most straightforward is to use Ex mode or Vim’s silent mode. For classic Vim you can run: vim -E -s -c 'wq' filename Notes and variations that matter in real runs: if the file might be read-only, use 'wq!' instead of 'wq'. To avoid loading your vimrc (which can produce messages), add -u NONE -N. To skip swap-file checks and avoid prompts about swap you can add -n. A more bulletproof command I often drop into scripts is: vim -E -s -u NONE -N -n -c 'wq!' -- filename < /dev/null >/dev/null 2>&1 That redirects stdin so Vim won’t accidentally read from a pipe or terminal, silences output, forces write/quit, and skips user config and swap. If you’re using Ex directly (which is tiny and exact for this job): ex -s +'wq' filename works nicely. For Neovim, use headless mode: nvim --headless -c 'wq' filename or nvim --headless +'wq' filename. Finally, check the exit code ($?) after the command if you need to know whether the save actually succeeded; scripts should always verify that. I prefer the small, explicit commands above so my CI jobs never hang on a stray prompt.

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4 Answers2025-09-03 06:57:19
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3 Answers2025-07-15 15:56:30
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Does m vim support Lua configuration for speed?

4 Answers2025-09-03 11:19:50
Totally doable — and honestly, if you care about startup speed and responsiveness, moving Lua into your editor config is one of the cleanest moves I’ve made. I switched much of my setup to a Lua-first workflow (using Neovim) and noticed two big wins: faster plugin startup because plugin managers written in Lua can lazy-load better, and less overhead in your config because Lua is just faster than complex Vimscript. If you’re asking about "m vim" specifically (like MacVim or an ordinary Vim build called mvim), it comes down to how that binary was compiled. Vim can support Lua or LuaJIT if it was built with +lua or +luajit; Neovim, on the other hand, has first-class Lua from 0.5 onward and feels designed around it. Practical tip: check vim --version for +lua or +luajit, or just try :lua print('hi') inside the editor. If you want the smoothest, fastest Lua experience, I recommend trying Neovim and using an init.lua plus a Lua plugin manager like packer.nvim or lazy.nvim. Also profile startup with --startuptime and trim autocommands — that’s where speed really shows. It made editing feel snappier for me, especially when juggling many plugins.

how to save and quit vim in multiple open buffers?

3 Answers2025-07-14 19:30:29
I remember the first time I had multiple buffers open in Vim and panicked because I didn't know how to exit properly. After some trial and error, I figured out a straightforward method. To save all changes and quit Vim with multiple buffers, I use ':wqa'. This command writes all modified buffers and closes Vim. If any buffer is unsaved, Vim will prompt you to save it before quitting. For cases where I want to discard changes in all buffers, ':qa!' does the trick. It forces quitting without saving any buffer. I find these commands super handy when juggling multiple files during coding sessions.

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