Rootless CLI Utilities Do I have to root my android device to install command line utilities? I would really like to run Vim, among other programs on my phone. I have no reason not to root my phone, I just want to know if this is possible.

The Android Scripting seems to possibly have done this. Do I have to write my own Terminal app to be able to do this?
You don't need root.  You also don't need a terminal, for an app to use its own private utilities.  But if you want vim, Terminal IDE provides that, a number of other utilities (git, ssh, tmux), the ability to use bash or Java as a 'scripting language' at the terminal, and the ability to create and install Android apps on-device.  I use Terminal IDE and vim quite a bit, (but with Better Terminal Emulator Pro's terminal, actually.)