Vim Cheatsheet

Commands for Beginners and Advanced Users

posted by Sink

updated Nov 6, 2024

Vim is a powerful text editor that can enhance your productivity once you master its commands. Whether you're a beginner or looking to refine your skills, this cheat sheet provides quick access to essential Vim commands.

Getting Started with Vim Modes

Vim operates in several modes, each serving a unique purpose:

• Normal Mode: Default for navigation and commands.
• Insert Mode: For text insertion and editing.
• Visual Mode: For text selection.
• Command-line Mode: For executing commands.

Switching modes efficiently is crucial for effective Vim usage.

Basic Navigation Commands

Quickly navigate your document with these commands:

Command	Description
h, j, k, l	Move left, down, up, and right
0	Go to the beginning of the line
$	Move to the end of the line
w	Jump to the start of the next word
b	Jump to the start of the previous word
gg	Go to the top of the file
G	Go to the bottom of the file
Ctrl + u	Scroll up by half a screen
Ctrl + d	Scroll down by half a screen

Inserting Text

Switch to Insert Mode to add text:

Command	Description
i	Insert before the cursor
I	Insert at the start of the line
a	Append after the cursor
A	Append at the end of the line
o	Open a new line below the cursor
O	Open a new line above the cursor

Editing and Deleting Text

Modify text quickly with these commands:

Command	Description
x	Delete the character under the cursor
dw	Delete to the start of the next word
d$	Delete to the end of the line
dd	Delete the entire line
u	Undo the last action
Ctrl + r	Redo the last undone change
yy	Copy (yank) the entire line
p	Paste below the cursor
P	Paste above the cursor

Copying and Pasting from Outside Neovim

To copy and paste between Neovim and your system clipboard, use:

Command	Description
"+y	Copy selected text to the system clipboard
"+p	Paste text from the system clipboard

Text Selection in Visual Mode

Select text by entering Visual Mode:

Command	Description
v	Start character-by-character selection
V	Start line selection
Ctrl + v	Start block selection

Searching and Replacing Text

Find and replace text efficiently:

Command	Description
/text	Search forward for text
?text	Search backward for text
n	Next search match
N	Previous search match
:%s/old/new/g	Replace all old with new
:s/old/new/g	Replace in the current line

Working with Multiple Files and Buffers

Manage multiple files with these commands:

Command	Description
:e filename	Open a new file
:w	Save the current file
:q	Quit the current file
:wq	Save and quit
:bd	Close the current buffer
:ls	List open buffers
:bn	Next buffer
:bp	Previous buffer

Advanced Tips for Faster Editing

Enhance your editing efficiency with these shortcuts:

• Repeat Last Command: Press . in Normal Mode.
• Macro Recording: Press q followed by a letter to record; press @ followed by the letter to execute.
• Split Windows: Use :split filename or :vsplit filename for side-by-side editing.

Conclusion

With this cheat sheet, you’ll improve your text-editing speed and accuracy in Vim. Keep it handy as a quick reference, and soon, navigating and editing in Vim will become second nature!