vim

vim is a text editor.

Usage

• vim [file(s)]

Options

• -n Don't use a swap file.
• -R Read-only mode.
• -x Encrypt written files.

Examples

vim is a keyboard centric program.

Basics

• i Go into insert mode (left of the cursor).
• ESC Return to command mode.
• h Move left one character
• j Move down one line
• k Move up one line
• l Move right one character
• w Move forward to the beginning of the next word
• e Move forward to the end of the next word
• b Move back one word
• / Search
• n Next item in search
• N Previous item in search
• p Paste after cursor
• x Delete one character
• y Yank/copy
• Y Yank line
• u Undo
• ^r Redo
• v Visual mode
• V Visual line mode
• ^v Visual column mode
• :[number] Go to a line number.
• :w Write
• :wq Write and quit
• :q Quit
• :q! Force quit

More editing

• a Go into insert mode to the right of the cursor.
• A Go into insert mode at the end of the line.
• I Go into insert mode at the first non-whitespace character.
• J Join the current line with the next line.
• o Make a new line below the current line and go into insert mode.
• O Make a new line above the current line and go into insert mode.
• s Change the current character.
• S, cc Change the current line.
• > Indent
• < Unindent

More moving

• W Move forward one Word (beginning)
• E Move forward one Word (end)
• B Move back one Word
• 0 Go to the beginning of the line.
• $ Go to the end of the line.
• gg Go to the beginning of the file.
• G Go to the end of the file.
• t[char] Go to the next occurrence of char.
• T[char] Go to the previous occurrence of char.
• { Go to the previous section, separated by newlines.
• } Go to the next section, separated by newlines.

Change/Delete

The change (c) and delete (d) commands can be used as a prefix for other binds.

• [prefix]w Operate on the word at the cursor
• [prefix]t[char] Operate from the cursor to the next occurrence of char.
• [prefix]T[char] Operate from the cursor to the previous occurrence of char.
• [PREFIX] Operate to the end of a line.

Miscellaneous

• ~ Toggle case of a character.
• U/u Make a character uppercase/lowercase.
• gq Format a visual section to the correct number of characters per line.
• :[command] Execute a command.
• Ctrl+a Add 1 to a number
• Ctrl+x Remove 1 from a number

Source code

vim is in development. You can view its source code here.

neovim, a fork of vim, is also in development. You can view its source code here.

Page added on 2021-10-15, last edited on: 2021-12-29

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