E: Unable to locate package vim on Debian jessie simplified Docker container

I found this solution

apt-get update

apt-get install apt-file

apt-file update

apt-get install vim     # now finally this will work !!!

here is a copy N paste version of above

apt-get update && apt-get install apt-file -y && apt-file update && apt-get install vim -y

Although Scott Stensland's answer works, you don't need to install software-properties-common and python-software-properties. Running only the following commands is enough.

apt-get update
apt-get install apt-file
apt-file update
apt-get install vim