If you look at the options used to build the various packages (in debian/rules), you'll see
OPTFLAGS+=--with-features=huge
...
NOINTERPFLAGS:=--disable-luainterp
NOINTERPFLAGS+=--disable-mzschemeinterp
NOINTERPFLAGS+=--disable-perlinterp
ifeq ($(DEB_VENDOR),Ubuntu)
NOINTERPFLAGS+=--enable-pythoninterp --with-python-config-dir=$(shell python-config --configdir)
else
NOINTERPFLAGS+=--disable-pythoninterp
endif
NOINTERPFLAGS+=--disable-python3interp
NOINTERPFLAGS+=--disable-rubyinterp
NOINTERPFLAGS+=--disable-tclinterp
ALLINTERPFLAGS:=--enable-luainterp
ALLINTERPFLAGS+=--disable-mzschemeinterp
ALLINTERPFLAGS+=--enable-perlinterp
ALLINTERPFLAGS+=--enable-pythoninterp --with-python-config-dir=$(shell python-config --configdir)
ALLINTERPFLAGS+=--disable-python3interp
ALLINTERPFLAGS+=--enable-rubyinterp
ALLINTERPFLAGS+=--enable-tclinterp
ALLINTERPFLAGS+=--with-tclsh=/usr/bin/tclsh
...
CFLAGS_vim-basic:=$(CFLAGS)
CFGFLAGS_vim-basic:=$(CFGFLAGS) $(OPTFLAGS) $(NOXFLAGS) $(NOINTERPFLAGS)
CFLAGS_vim-tiny:=$(CFLAGS) -DTINY_VIMRC
CFGFLAGS_vim-tiny:=$(CFGFLAGS) $(TINYFLAGS)
CFLAGS_vim-gtk:=$(CFLAGS)
CFGFLAGS_vim-gtk:=$(CFGFLAGS) $(OPTFLAGS) $(GUIFLAGS) $(GTKFLAGS) $(ALLINTERPFLAGS)
CFLAGS_vim-gnome:=$(CFLAGS)
CFGFLAGS_vim-gnome:=$(CFGFLAGS) $(OPTFLAGS) $(GUIFLAGS) $(GNOMEFLAGS) $(ALLINTERPFLAGS)
CFLAGS_vim-athena:=$(CFLAGS)
CFGFLAGS_vim-athena:=$(CFGFLAGS) $(OPTFLAGS) $(GUIFLAGS) $(ATHENAFLAGS) $(ALLINTERPFLAGS)
CFLAGS_vim-nox:=$(CFLAGS)
CFGFLAGS_vim-nox:=$(CFGFLAGS) $(OPTFLAGS) $(NOXFLAGS) $(ALLINTERPFLAGS)
So:
- all packages except
vim-tiny
gets built with--with-features=huge
vim-basic
(akavim
) has interpreters turned off- the others have options based on frontend, with interpreters turned on.
To pick one:
- If you'd like a barebones Vim, pick
vim-tiny
. - If you'd like a more full-featured Vim, pick
vim
. - If you'd like all the features that the packaging allows, but don't want GUI (and the dependencies of a GUI), pick
vim-nox
. - If you'd like a GUI, and but don't want anything to do with GTK, pick
vim-athena
. - If you'd like a GUI, and use a GNOME-based desktop environment (GNOME, Unity, Cinnamon, etc.), pick
vim-gnome
. - If you'd like a GUI, and don't use a GNOME-based desktop environment (XFCE, LXDE, etc.), pick
vim-gtk
.