VIM Cheatsheet

Modes

command mode: : normal mode: esc insertion mode: i replacement mode: r visual mode: v

quit: :q save: :w quit & save: :wq quit w/o saving: :q!

Insert/append

append (right after the cursor and puts you in insert mode)(normal mode): a

• <esc> to exit back to normal mode append at the end of the current line (normal mode): A

• <esc> to exit back to normal mode insert (cursor must be before where you want to insert)(normal mode): i

• this put you in insert mode

• <esc> to exit back to normal mode

Delete

delete character (cursor must be on the character)(normal mode): x

delete operator(normal mode): d [number] <motion> delete to the end of the line (normal mode): d$ delete to start of next word (exc its first character)(normal mode): dw

• delete the next n words: d2w delete to end of current word (inc its first character)(normal mode): de delete the whole line (normal mode): dd

• delete the next n lines (normal mode): 2dd

Motions

move by word (normal mode): w move to end of line (normal mode): $

Move

move up (normal mode): j move down (normal mode): k move left (normal mode): h move right (normal mode): l

move to end of word (normal mode): e move to end of the line (normal mode): $ move to the beginning of the line (normal mode): 0 move to the beginning of a word (normal mode): w

• move to the beginning of n words (normal mode): 2w

• move to the end of n words (normal mode): 3e

see position in file (normal mode): ctrl + g goto beginning of file (normal mode): G goto end of file (normal mode): gg goto to line n (normal mode): 103 shift + g

jump from one window to another (normal mode) ctrl + w

Undo

undo the last commands (normal mode): u fine a whole line (normal mode): U redo the last commands (normal mode): ctrl + r put the line below the cursor (normal mode): p

Replace

replace the character at the cursor (normal mode): r<character> replace more than one character (cursor should be on first character to replace) (normal mode) R<characters>

Change

change operator (normal mode): c [number] <motion> change from cursor to end of word (normal mode): ce change the whole line (normal mode): cc change from cursor to end of the line (normal mode): c$

NOTE: You can use the Backspace key to correct mistakes while typing.

Search

search command (normal mode): / search for a word (normal mode): /error search for the next occurrence (normal mode): n search for the next occurrence (opposite direction) (normal mode): N search for a phrase in the opposite direction (normal mode): ?phrase

go back from where you came from (normal mode): ctrl + o go forward (normal mode): ctrl + i

find a matching '(', '[', or '{' (put cursor on one) (normal mode): %

Substitute Command

:s/old/new/g (move to the line) (command mode) To change every occurrence of a character string between two lines (command mode) :#,#s/old/new/g (where #,# are the line numbers of the range of lines where the substitution is to be done) change every occurrence in the whole file (command mode) :%s/old/new/g find every occurrence in the whole file (command mode) :%s/old/new/gc (prompt whether to substitute or not)

Execute External Command

:! <external command> (command mode)

NOTE: It is possible to execute any external command this way, also with arguments.

NOTE: All : commands must be finished by hitting <ENTER> From here on we will not always mention it.

Selecting Text

v (visual mode) - then move cursor over lines to select lines over over words to select words

Retrieving and Merging Files

insert contents of a file (command mode) :r <filename>

Open Command

open a line below the cursor and place you in insert mode (normal mode) o open a line above the cursor and place you in insert mode (normal mode) O

Copy and Paste

copy (visual mode) y paste (normal mode) p

NOTE: You can also use 'y' as an operator: yw yanks (copies) one word, yy yanks the whole line, then p puts that line

Set Option

set ignore case option (for searches) (command mode) :set ic set 'hlsearch' ('hls' highlight) & 'incsearch' ('is' partial match) option (for searches) (**command mode **) :set hls is set ignore case option off (command mode) :set noic set 'hlsearch' & 'incsearch' option to off (command mode) :nohlsearch set ignore case for just one search command (command mode) /<word>\c

Completion

(command mode) type a letter and hit ctrl-d will bring up a list of commands that begin with that letter and then type until unique and then hit <tab> to complete