How to open a new file in vim in a new window

If you don't mind using gVim, you can launch a single instance, so that when a new file is opened with it it's automatically opened in a new tab in the currently running instance.

to do this you can write: gVim --remote-tab-silent file

You could always make an alias to this command so that you don't have to type so many words. For example I use linux and bash and in my ~/.bashrc file I have:

alias g='gvim --remote-tab-silent'

so instead of doing $ mate file I do: $ g file

from inside vim, use one of the following

open a new window below the current one:

:new filename.ext

open a new window beside the current one:

:vert new filename.ext

I use this subtle alias:

alias vim='gnome-terminal -- vim'

-x is deprecated now. We need to use -- instead

You can do so from within vim, using its own windows or tabs.

One way to go is to utilize the built-in file explorer; activate it via :Explore, or :Texplore for a tabbed interface (which I find most comfortable).

:Texplore (and :Sexplore) will also guard you from accidentally exiting the current buffer (editor) on :q once you're inside the explorer.

To toggle between open tabs, use gt or gT (next tab and previous tab, respectively).

See also Using tab pages on the vim wiki.