📝 Introduction

This post is primarily for my own use, containing Vim commands that I frequently use or am trying to learn and remember. It focuses on essential motions and navigation techniques to improve efficiency.

Note: This post changes and updates frequently.

🏠 Basics

Basic commands to get started with Vim.

  • i → Insert mode
  • ESC → Exit insert mode
  • :w → Save file
  • :q → Quit
  • :wq or ZZ → Save and quit
  • :q! → Quit without saving

🔄 Moving Around

Essential motions for navigating within a file efficiently.

  • h → Left
  • j → Down
  • k → Up
  • l → Right
  • 0 → Beginning of line
  • ^ → First non-blank character of line
  • $ → End of line
  • w → Next word
  • b → Previous word
  • e → End of word
  • gg → Go to start of file
  • G → Go to end of file
  • 5G → Go to line 5
  • Ctrl-d → Move down half a screen
  • Ctrl-u → Move up half a screen
  • Ctrl-f → Move forward one full screen
  • Ctrl-b → Move backward one full screen

🔍 Searching and Replacing

Commands to search within a file and replace text efficiently.

  • /pattern → Search forward
  • ?pattern → Search backward
  • n → Repeat last search forward
  • N → Repeat last search backward
  • :%s/old/new/g → Replace all old with new
  • :.,+3s/old/new/g → Replace in current and next 3 lines

📂 Working with Files

File management commands to open, navigate, and switch between files efficiently.

  • :e filename → Open file
  • :tabe filename → Open in a new tab
  • :sp filename → Open in a horizontal split
  • :vsp filename → Open in a vertical split
  • :ls → List open buffers
  • :bnext or :bn → Next buffer
  • :bprev or :bp → Previous buffer
  • :bd → Delete buffer

📝 Editing

Essential editing commands for modifying text quickly.

  • x → Delete character under cursor
  • dd → Delete (cut) current line
  • yy → Copy current line
  • p → Paste
  • u → Undo
  • Ctrl-r → Redo
  • V → Visual line selection
  • v → Visual character selection
  • y → Yank (copy)
  • d → Delete (cut)
  • c → Change (delete and enter insert mode)

🎯 Marks and Jumps

Marks allow you to bookmark positions in your file and jump between them easily.

  • → Jump back to last cursor position
  • '' → Jump back to last line
  • :marks → Show marks
  • mX → Mark position with X
  • 'X → Jump to mark X

⌨️ Macros

Macros allow you to record and replay sequences of commands, helping with repetitive tasks.

  • qX → Start recording macro X
  • q → Stop recording
  • @X → Run macro X
  • @@ → Run last macro

🚀 Miscellaneous

Various useful commands for enhancing workflow.

  • :noh → Remove search highlight
  • :set number → Show line numbers
  • :set relativenumber → Show relative line numbers
  • :set ignorecase → Case-insensitive search
  • :set smartcase → Case-sensitive when uppercase is used
  • Ctrl-g → Show file info

📌 Tip: Mastering these commands will make you lightning-fast in Vim!

Let me know if you’d like any additions or modifications! 🚀