When working with vi/vim, displaying line numbers is crucial for debugging, code navigation, and collaborative editing. While most developers know how to toggle line numbers within the editor, fewer realize you can enable them directly from the command line - saving valuable time during frequent file operations.

The conventional method involves opening the file first and then executing vim commands:

:set number      # Enable line numbers
:set nonumber    # Disable line numbers

Vim actually provides multiple ways to enable line numbering during launch:

Method 1: Using + Argument

The most direct approach combines the file opening command with vim instructions:

vim +"set number" filename.txt

Method 2: Alternate Syntax

This equivalent syntax might be preferable in some environments:

vim -c "set number" filename.txt

Method 3: Combining with Line Navigation

You can simultaneously jump to a specific line while enabling numbers:

vim +"set number" +10 filename.txt  # Opens at line 10 with numbers

For persistent line numbering across sessions, consider these alternatives:

Creating .vimrc Settings

Add these lines to your ~/.vimrc for automatic numbering:

set number
set relativenumber   # For relative line numbers

Environment Variable Approach

For temporary session-specific settings:

VIMINIT='set number' vim filename.txt

Here are real-world use cases combining line numbers with other operations:

# Debugging: Open with numbers and search for error
vim +"set number" +"/error" app.log

# Code Review: Compare files side-by-side with numbers
vim -O +"set number" file1.py file2.py

# System Administration: View logs with persistent numbering
alias vimlog='vim +"set number" +"set nowrap"'

If line numbers aren't appearing as expected:

• Verify you're using vim (not original vi) with vim --version
• Check for conflicting settings in ~/.vimrc or /etc/vimrc
• Try the minimal test case: vim -u NONE +"set number" filename

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When working with Vi or Vim, displaying line numbers is essential for debugging and navigation. While most users know how to toggle line numbers within the editor (:set number), fewer are aware of command-line options to enable this feature immediately at launch.

You can start Vim with line numbers displayed by using the -c flag to execute commands on startup:

vim -c "set number" filename.txt

For those who prefer a more concise format, Vim accepts this equivalent syntax:

vim +"set number" filename.txt

You can combine line numbers with jumping to a specific line number:

vim +"set number" +10 filename.txt  # Opens at line 10 with numbers

For frequent use, add this to your .vimrc file:

set number

For relative line numbers (useful for navigation), use:

vim -c "set relativenumber" filename.txt

When opening multiple files with line numbers:

vim -c "set number" file1.txt file2.txt

Remember that command-line options are temporary. For permanent line numbers, modify your .vimrc as shown above.