- Devhints (devhints.io)
- Vim cheatsheet (vim.rotrr.com)
- Vim documentation (vimdoc.sourceforge.net)
- Interactive Vim tutorial (openvim.com)
Also see
Miscellaneous
Tricks
Remove duplicate lines
:sort | %!uniq -u
To number the lines in the file
:%!cat -n
Copy whole doc to clipboard
:%w !pbcopy # Mac OS X :%w !xclip -i -sel c # GNU/Linux :%w !xsel -i -b # GNU/Linux
Command line
Shortcut | Description |
---|---|
<C-r><C-w> | Insert current word into the command line |
<C-r>" | Paste from " register |
<C-x><C-f> | Auto-completion of path in insert mode |
Shell
- | - |
---|---|
:!<shell> | Interpret Shell Command |
:r!<shell> | Read in output of shell |
:r!date | Insert date |
:!!date | Replace current line with date |
Calculator
Shortcut | Description |
---|---|
<C-r> = 7*7 | Shows the result |
<C-r> = 10/2 | Shows the result |
Do this in INSERT mode |
Marks
Shortcut | Description |
---|---|
`^ | Last position of cursor in insert mode |
`. | Last change in current buffer |
`" | Last exited current buffer |
`0 | In last file edited |
'' | Back to line in current buffer where jumped from |
```` | Back to position in current buffer where jumped from |
`[ | To beginning of previously changed or yanked text |
`] | To end of previously changed or yanked text |
`< | To beginning of last visual selection |
`> | To end of last visual selection |
ma | Mark this cursor position as a |
`a | Jump to the cursor position a |
'a | Jump to the beginning of the line with position a |
d'a | Delete from current line to line of mark a |
d a| Delete from current position to position of mark a` | |
c'a | Change text from current line to line of a |
y a| Yank text from current position to position of a` | |
:marks | List all current marks |
:delm a | Delete mark a |
:delm a-d | Delete marks a , b , c , d |
:delm abc | Delete marks a , b , c |
Formatting
- | - |
---|---|
:ce 8 | Center lines between 8 columns |
:ri 4 | Right-align lines at 4 columns |
:le | Left-align lines |
See :help formatting |
Tags
Shortcut | Description |
---|---|
:tag Classname | Jump to first definition of Classname |
<C-]> | Jump to definition |
g] | See all definitions |
<C-t> | Go back to last tag |
<C-o> <C-i> | Back/forward |
:tselect Classname | Find definitions of Classname |
:tjump Classname | Find definitions of Classname (auto-select 1st) |
Counters
Shortcut | Description |
---|---|
<C-a> | Increase number |
<C-x> | Decrease number |
Navigating
Shortcut | Description |
---|---|
% | Nearest/matching {[()]} |
[( * | * [{ |
]) * | * ]{ |
[m | Previous method start |
[M | Previous method end |
Misc command-lines
- | - |
---|---|
:h | Help open help view |
:edit! | Reload current file |
:2,8m0 | Move lines 2 -8 to 0 |
:noh | Clear search highlights |
:sort | Sort lines |
:ter | Open a terminal window |
:set paste | Enable Insert Paste sub-mode |
:set nopaste | disable Insert Paste sub-mode |
:cq | Exiting with an error(aborting Git) |
Case
Shortcut | Description |
---|---|
vU | Uppercase character |
vu | Lowercase character |
~ | Toggle case character |
viw U | Uppercase word |
viw u | Lowercase word |
viw ~ | Toggle case word |
VU / gUU | Uppercase line |
Vu / guu | Lowercase line |
V~ / g~~ | Toggle case line |
gggUG | Uppercase all text |
ggguG | Lowercase all text |
ggg~G | Toggle case all text |
Vim Search and Replace
Substitute expression (magic)
- | - |
---|---|
& * | * \0 |
\1 …\9 | Replace with the group 0-9 |
\u | Uppercase next letter |
\U | Uppercase following characters |
\l | Lowercase next letter |
\L | Lowercase following characters |
\e | End of \u , \U , \l and \L |
\E | End of \u , \U , \l and \L |
Flags
- | - |
---|---|
g | Replace all occurrences |
i | Ignore case |
I | Don't ignore case |
c | Confirm each substitution |
Inverse :g
:[range]v/{pattern}/[command]
:v/foo/d | Delete lines not containing foo (also :g!/foo/d ) |
Global command
:[range]g/{pattern}/[command]
:g/foo/d | Delete lines containing foo |
:g!/foo/d | Delete lines not containing foo |
:g/^\s*$/d | Delete all blank lines |
:g/foo/t$ | Copy lines containing foo to EOF |
:g/foo/m$ | Move lines containing foo to EOF |
:g/^/m0 | Reverse a file |
:g/^/t. | Duplicate every line |
Ranges
- | - |
---|---|
% | Entire file |
â<,â> | Current selection |
5 | Line 5 |
5,10 | Lines 5 to 10 |
$ | Last line |
2,$ | Lines 2 to Last |
. | Current line |
,3 | Next 3 lines |
-3, | Forward 3 lines |
Replace FILE
:%s/{pattern}/{str}/[flags]
:%s/old/new | Replace first |
:%s/old/new/g | Replace all |
:%s/old/new/gc | Replace all (Confirm) |
:%s/old/new/gi | Replace all (ignore case) |
:%s/\vold/new/g | Replace all with regex |
Replace LINE
:[range]s/{pattern}/{str}/[flags]
:s/old/new | Replace first |
:s/old/new/g | Replace all |
:s/\vold/new/g | Replace all with regex |
:s/old/new/gc | replace all (Confirm) |
:s/old/new/i | Ignore case replace first |
:2,6s/old/new/g | Replace between lines 2 -6 |
Vim Multiple files
Tabs
Shortcut | Description |
---|---|
:tabe [file] | Edit file in a new tab |
:tabf [file] | Open if exists in new tab |
:tabc | Close current tab |
:tabo | Close other tabs |
:tabs | List all tabs |
:tabr | Go to first tab |
:tabl | Go to last tab |
:tabm 0 | Move to position 0 |
:tabn | Go to next tab |
:tabp | Go to previous tab |
#Normal mode
Shortcut | Description |
---|---|
gt | Go to next tab |
gT | Go to previous tab |
2gt | Go to tab number 2 |
Windows
- | - |
---|---|
<C-w> s | Split window |
<C-w> v | Split window vertically |
<C-w> w | Switch windows |
<C-w> q | Quit a window |
<C-w> T | Break out into a new tab |
<C-w> x | Swap current with next |
<C-w> - / + | Decrease/Increase height |
<C-w> < / > | Decrease/Increase width |
<C-w> | | Max out the width |
<C-w> = | Equally high and wide |
<C-w> h / l | Go to the left/right window |
<C-w> j / k | Go to the up/down window |
Buffers
- | - |
---|---|
:e file | Edit a file in a new buffer |
:bn | Go to the next buffer |
:bp | Go to the previous buffer |
:bd | Remove file from buffer list |
:b 5 | Open buffer #5 |
:b file | Go to a buffer by file |
:ls | List all open buffers |
:sp file | Open and split window |
:vs file | Open and vertically split window |
:hid | Hide this buffer |
:wn | Write file and move to next |
:tab ba | Edit all buffers as tabs |
Vim Text objects
Misc
Shortcut | Description |
---|---|
c iw | Change inner word |
c i" | Change inner quotes |
c it | Change inner tags (HTML) |
c ip | Change inner paragraph |
y ip | Yank inner paragraph |
y ap | Yank paragraph (including newline) |
Selections
Shortcut | Description |
---|---|
v i" | Select inner quotes "... " |
v a" | Select quotes "..." |
v i[ | Select inner brackets [... ] |
v a[ | Select brackets [...] |
v iw | Select inner word |
v ip | Select inner paragraph |
v ipip | Select more paragraph |
Delete
Shortcut | Description |
---|---|
d iw | Delete inner word |
d is | Delete inner sentence |
d i" | Delete in quotes |
d a" | Delete in quotes (including quotes) |
d ip | Delete a paragraph |
Text objects
Shortcut | Description |
---|---|
p | Paragraph |
w | Word |
W | WORD (surrounded by whitespace) |
s | Sentence |
[ ( { < | A [], (), or {} block |
] ) } > | A [], (), or {} block |
' " ` | A quoted string |
b | A block [( |
B | A block in [{ |
t | A HTML tag block |
See :help text-objects |
Vim Operators
Counts
[count] <operator> <motion> <operator> [count] <motion>
Combination | Description |
---|---|
2d d | Delete 2 lines |
6y y | Copy 6 lines |
d 3w | Delete 3 words |
d 5j | Delete 5 lines downwards |
> 4k | Indent 4 lines upwards |
Examples
Combination | Description |
---|---|
d d | Delete current line |
d j | Delete two lines |
d w | Delete to next word |
d b | Delete to beginning of word |
d fa | Delete until a char |
d /hello | Delete until hello |
c c | Change current line, synonym with S |
y y | Copy current line |
> j | Indent 2 lines |
ggd G | Delete a complete document |
gg= G | Indent a complete document |
ggy G | Copy a whole document |
Available Operators
Shortcut | Description |
---|---|
d | Delete |
y | Yank (copy) |
c | Change (delete then insert) |
p | Paste |
= | Formats code |
g~ | Toggle case |
gU | Uppercase |
gu | Lowercase |
> | Indent right |
< | Indent left |
! | Filter through external program |
Getting Started
Macros
- | - |
---|---|
qi | Record macro i |
q | Stop recording macro |
@i | Run macro i |
7@i | Run macro i 7 times |
@@ | Repeat last macro |
You can save macro for any letters not just i |
Visual mode
Shortcut | Description |
---|---|
v | Enter visual mode |
V | Enter visual line mode |
<C-v> | Enter visual block mode |
ggVG | Select all text |
> / < | Shift text right/left |
Repeating
Shortcut | Description |
---|---|
. | Repeat last command |
; | Repeat latest f , t , F or T |
, | Repeat latest f , t , F or T reversed |
& | Repeat last :s |
@: | Repeat a command-line command |
Cut and paste
Shortcut | Description |
---|---|
x | Delete character (Cut) |
p / P | Paste after/before |
xp | Swap two characters |
D | Delete to end of line (Cut) |
dw | Delete word (Cut) |
dd | Delete line (Cut) |
ddp | Swap two lines |
yy | Yank line (Copy) |
"*p * | * "+p |
"*y * | * "+y |
#In visual mode
Shortcut | Description |
---|---|
d * | * x |
s | Replace selection |
y | Yank selection (Copy) |
Normal Mode
Shortcut | Description |
---|---|
r | Replace one character |
R | Enter Replace mode |
u / 3u | Undo changes 1 / 3 times |
U | Undo changes on one line |
J | Join with next line |
<C-r> / 5 <C-r> | Redo changes 1 / 5 times |
Saving and Exiting
Shortcut | Description |
---|---|
:w | Save |
:q | Close file |
:wq * | * :x * |
:wqa | Save and quit all files |
:q! * | * ZQ |
:qa | Close all files |
:qa! | Force quit all files |
:w now.txt | Write to now.txt |
:sav new.txt | Save and edit new.txt |
:w !sudo tee % | Write to readonly file |
Insert Mode
Shortcut | Description |
---|---|
i / a | Insert before/after cursor |
I / A | Insert start/end of line |
o / O (letter) | Insert new line below/above |
s / S | Delete char/line and insert |
C / cc | Change to end of/current line |
gi | Insert at last insert point |
Esc * | * <C-[> |
Motions
Shortcut | Description |
---|---|
h * | * j * |
<C-u> / <C-d> | Half-page up/down |
<C-b> / <C-f> | Page up/down |
#Words
Shortcut | Description |
---|---|
b / w | Previous/Next word |
ge / e | Previous/Next end of word |
#Line
Shortcut | Description |
---|---|
0 (zero) / $ | Start/End of line |
^ | Start of line (non-blank) |
#Character
Shortcut | Description |
---|---|
Fe / fe | Move to previous/next e |
To / to | Move before/after previous/next o |
| / n| | Go to first/n th column |
#Document
Shortcut | Description |
---|---|
gg / G | First/Last line |
:n * | * nG |
} / { | Next/Previous empty line |
#Window
Shortcut | Description |
---|---|
H / M / L | Top/Middle/Bottom screen |
zt / zz / zb | Top/Center/Bottom this line |
Motion Diagrams
â¼/â¶ Cursor â½/â· Target
#Left-right motions
ââââââââââââââ | ââââââââââââââ 0 $ âââââââââââââââ â âââââââââââ ^ fe âââââââââ â â â ââââââââ Fo te âââââââââ â â â ââââââââ To 30| ââââ ââ â â â ââ âââââ ge w ââââ â ââ â â â ââ â âââ b e ââ â â ââ â â â ââ â â âh lâ â â â ââ â â½ â½ â½â½ â½ â½ â½â¼ â¼â½ â½ â½ â½ â½â½ â½ echo "A cheatsheet from quickref.me"
#Up-down motions
- SCREEN 1 START âââ¬ââââââââââ· #!/usr/bin/python â â âââââ· â â â print("Hello") â â { } â¶ print("Vim") â â â print("!") â â âââ· â â âââââ¬ââââ· print("Welcome") G gg H M L k j â¶ print("to") â â âââ· print("quickref.me") â â print("/vim") â â â âââââââ· â - SCREEN 1 END ââââââââââââââââ· print("SCREEN 2")