EVi emerges as a hard fork of Vim v9.1.2073 (January 2026) with a focus on avoiding AI integration while building upon Vim's solid foundation. The project maintains Vi compatibility for users accustomed to the classic editor while adding modern features like multi-level undo, syntax highlighting, and spell checking. EVi is currently distributed exclusively through Codeberg rather than mainstream repositories.

This fork represents a significant development in the text editor ecosystem, particularly as developers seek alternatives to AI-enhanced tools. EVi preserves Vim's extensive functionality including command line history, online help, filename completion, block operations, and script language support. A graphical user interface remains available for users preferring visual interaction. The project maintains Vim's Charityware license, encouraging donations to help orphans in Uganda while keeping the software freely distributable and GPL-compatible.

EVi positions itself as a purist alternative for developers who value traditional text editing without AI features. The project welcomes contributions through its CONTRIBUTING.md file and continues development under the guidance of original Vim creator Bram Moolenaar. With its focus on maintaining Vim's proven capabilities while ensuring independence from AI technologies, EVi offers a compelling option for developers seeking a reliable, feature-rich editor without modern AI integrations.