How to add NERDTree to your .vimrc - vim

Question

How do I add NERDTree to my .vimrc?

Answer 1

Okay, the previous version was a bit terse, but the answer you're looking for is to add the line below into your ~/.vimrc file. It tells Vim that you want to setup a command to run when Vim starts, but since it depends on various plugins to be loaded, you don't want to run it until all initialization is finished:
autocmd VimEnter * NERDTree
If, however, you're annoyed by the fact that the cursor always starts in the NERDTree window, you can add a second autocommand that will move the cursor into the main window:
autocmd VimEnter * NERDTree
autocmd VimEnter * wincmd p

Answer 2

I like to see NERDTree only when I start vim without file arguments, so I added this to my .vimrc:
autocmd VimEnter * if !argc() | NERDTree | endif

Answer 3

Are you on a Windows or unix-y system?
If you're on a unix-y system you put plugins in ~/.vim/plugin. Here's what my plugin directory looks like:
$ ls ~/.vim/plugin
NERD_tree.vim scratch.vim scratchfind.vim
After that it starts working right away. Try running vim like this:
$ vim .
It should open the current directory in the NERD tree view.
If you're on Windows you put plugins here: C:\Program Files\Vim\vim70\plugin
To get NERDTree to load automatically when you start up vim, run it like this from the command line:
$ vim -c "NERDTree" some_file.txt
You can set an alias for this in your .bashrc:
alias vimt='vim -c "NERDTree" $1'
Now whenever you run vimt (instead of vim) you'll also open up NERDTree on the left side of the window.
You could also add a shortcut key to start NERDTree in your .vimrc this way:
function OpenNERDTree()
execute ":NERDTree"
endfunction
command -nargs=0 OpenNERDTree :call OpenNERDTree()
nmap <ESC>t :OpenNERDTree<CR>
Now when you hit Esc then t it will pop open NERDTree.

Answer 4

Per the NERDTree instructions you can just use pathogen.vim. Install it with:
mkdir -p ~/.vim/autoload ~/.vim/bundle; \
curl -Sso ~/.vim/autoload/pathogen.vim \
https://raw.github.com/tpope/vim-pathogen/master/autoload/pathogen.vim
Add this to your .vimrc:
execute pathogen#infect()
then install NERDTree:
cd ~/.vim/bundle
git clone https://github.com/scrooloose/nerdtree.git
And if you want to open a NERDTree automatically when Vim starts up, add the following to your .vimrc:
autocmd vimenter * NERDTree

Answer 5

The answers here have a minor problem.
If you call vim --noplugin or use a script that uses --noplugin mode such as vimpager, it will cause this error:
Error detected while processing VimEnter Auto commands for "*":
E492: Not an editor command: NERDTree
To avoid this, put the command in ~/.vim/after/plugin/NERD_tree.vim instead:
autocmd VimEnter * NERDTree
And it might also be a good idea to test that NERDtree is available as well, i.e.:
if exists("loaded_nerd_tree")
autocmd VimEnter * NERDTree
endif

Answer 6

" NERD Tree
nmap <silent> <special> <F2> :NERDTreeToggle<RETURN>

Answer 7

I like to open NERDTree on startup, but with two requirements:
Open NERDTree only when there are no arguments (file arguments)
Display only the NERDTree window (I don't want to display the main window)
I use this command:
autocmd VimEnter * if !argc() | NERDTree | wincmd p | q | endif
Update (9 Jan 2022)
I've found a more performant way to meet the two requirements I've specified above.
Remove the autocmd, which I've mentioned above, from the .vimrc file. Instead, create an alias like this:
vim() {
if [ $# -eq 0 ]; then
/usr/bin/vim ./
else
/usr/bin/vim "$#"
fi
}