Vim.md

Vim Editor

Ctrl-C |> Normal Mode (Ctrl-C/Ctrl-V/Ctrl-f will not work for copy/paste)

i/a/I/A/o/O |> Insert Mode

Command	Description
ESC or Ctrl-c	Go back to Normal Mode
i	Go to Insert Mode
h, gh	Move left,
j, gj	Move down one line, Move down of visual line
k, gk	Move up one line, Move up of visual line
g0	Move to the end of visual line
g$	Move to the begining of the visual line
gq	Make visual line as actual lines
gu{txt object}, gu$	uncapitalize till end of line
gU{txt object}	capitalize
gf	open the file under cursor
gv	reselect the previous selected text
gJ	join selected lines without adding extra spece btn lines
g&	run previous substitution command on the entire document
l, gl	Move right
w	jump from word to work (forward)
b	jump from word to work (backward)
e	jump to the end of the word
ge	jump to the end of word (backword)
W, B, E, GE	Include special character with w, b, e, ge
f{char}	find the next occurance of {char}
t{char}	(until) move curser just before the occurance of {char}, After using f{char}
;	to go to next occurance after f{}, t{} search
,	go to previous occurance after f{}, t{} search
;	repeat the last search which f{char} performed
0	Move to first character in a line
^	Move to first non-blank character of a line
$	Move to end of line
g_	Move to non-blank character at the end of line
}	jump entire paragrahp downward
{	jump entire paragraph upward
Ctrl-D	move down half page
Ctrl-U	move up half page
/{pattern}	search forward, n to jump to next match, N to jump to previous
?{backward}	search backward
/<Enter>	run last search forward
?<Enter>	run last search backward
*	search for the word under cursor
{count}motion	multiply a motion count times
2w	move cursor 2 word forward
gd	jump to definition of whatever is under the cursor
gf	jump to a file in import
gg	jump to the top of the file
{line}gg	jump to a specific line
G	go to end of file
%	jump to matching ({[]})
{operator}{count}{motion}
d5j or d5	delete 5 lines down
df'	deletes everything in the current line until the first occurrence of the ' including '
dt'	deletes everything in the current line until the first occurrence of the ' excluding '
d/hello	delete everything until the first occurance of hello
dd	delete whole line
cc	change a whole line
D	delete from cursor till end of line
C	change from cursor till end of line
.
i	insert mode before cursor
a	append, insert mode after cursor
I	insert mode at the beginning of current line
A	insert mode at the end of current line
o	Insert new line below
O	Insert new line above
gi	puts u into insert mode at the last place you left insert mode
Ctrl-h	delete last character you typed
Ctrl-w	delete last word you typed
Ctrl-u	delete last line you type
v	visual mode character-wise
V	visual mode line-wise
Ctrl-V	visual mode block-wise
:sp {name-of-file}	horizontal split
:vsp {name-of-file}	vertical split
<Ctrl-W> + hjkl	move between split windows
:tabnew {file}	open a file in new tab
:tabn	go to next tab
:tabp	go to previous tab
yiw	yank in current word
yaw	yank all word (includes a trailing space)
yy	yank the current line
3yy	yank three lines starting at the current one
yap	yank all paragraph (includes trailing newline)
~	Changes the case of current character
guu	Change current line from upper to lower
gUU	Change current LINE from lower to upper
guw	Change to end of current WORD from upper to lower
guaw	Change all of current WORD to lower
gUw	Change to end of current WORD from lower to upper
gUaw	Change all of current WORD to upper
g~~	Invert case to entire line
g~w	Invert case to current WORD
guG	Change to lowercase until the end of document
gU)	Change until end of sentence to upper case
gu}	Change to end of paragraph to lower case
gU5j	Change 5 lines below to upper case
gu3k	Change 3 lines above to lower case
yw	Yank word
yaw	Yank entire word irrespecitive of where the cursor is located
yiw	Yank entire word
:tabnew	open new tab
gt	Move to next tab
gT	Move to previous tab
_nnn_ gt	Move to numbered tab

In visual mode you select the text first and then you type operator

vim	commands
d	delete
c	change
y	yank
p	paste
g~	toggle caps
.	repeat the last change you made

CMD	Description
d2w	Delete two words
cis	Change inside sentence (delete curr one and enter insert mode)
yip	Yank inside parapgraph (copy curr paragraph)
ct<	Change to open bracket (change till open bracket)
*	search for other instance of the word under cursor
C	change current line from where you're at
s	delete the char under cursor and enter into Insert mode
S	substitute the entire current line
dt.	delete from where you are to the period
D	delete to the end of line
J	Join current line with next one
dw - 5.	delete a word - delete five more words
ddp	switching lines of text
v	character-based visual mode
V	line-based visual mode
Ctrl-v	paragraph-based visual mode

ProVim

CMD	Description
:sp	Split current buffer
:history	static list
q:	dynamic list
:read f2.txt	read content of f2.txt into current file
:8read f2.txt	insert in f2.txt at line 8

Moving between files

CMD	Description
:bn	Move to next buffer
:b5	Move to 5th buffer
:bp	Move to previous buffer
:ls	list all buffers
:b#	move to alternative buffer
:bf	Move to first buffer
:bl	Move to last buffer
:bm	Move to next modified buffer
:5,9wq	Save changes from line 5-9 only
:new	Create new empty buffer within horizontal split window
:enew	Create new empty buffer within current window/viewport
:vnew	Create new empty buffer within vertical split window
:tabnew	Create new tabbed windown

G command

CMD	Description
:ga	Get ASCII value of current character under cursor
:gq	Within a paragraph, make the line more readable
:gf	Open the file under string if it is a path
ctrl+6	To go back to original file
g+	Navigate undo branches
g-	Navigate undo branches
g&	To apply previous search/replace to entire document
gi
gv	Go back to previous visual mode selection

Double an operator to make it operate on a whole line: * dd deletes a whole like, * cc changes a whole line, etc.

Capitalize an operator to make it operate from the cursor to the end of a line: * D deletes from the cursor to the end of the line, * C changes to the end of a line, etc.

this is a WORD: Iam_A_WORD(WORD)

this function call sum(2,3) is also a WORD

this array [1,2,3,4,5] is a WORD as well

:set nowrapscan; this prevents Vim from wrapping to top when it hits the bottom.

%s/old/new/gc => interactive replace, [c] confirm each substitution

vim.plug

vim plug is a neovim package manager.

:PlugInstall -- Install the plugin
:PlugClean -- Remove unused plugins.
:PlugStatus -- 
:PlugDiff --

Practical vim

Command	Description
daw	delete a word using aw text object
count<C-a>	Add [count] to the number at or after the cursor
count<C-x>	Perform subtraction
5<C-a>	add 5 to current number
10<C-x>	subtract 10 from current number

Two for the price of one

Operator commands

Insert Mode Deletion

Ex Commands

Operators

Operators	Description
d{motion}
c{motion}
y{motion}

{operator}{count}{motion} {count}{operator}{motion}

operator - deleting, changing, yanking, formatting

Ex Command Line

Command	Description
:[range]delete [x]	Delete specified lines [into register x]
:[range]yank [x]	Yank specified lines [into register x]
:[range]put [x]	Put text from register x after specified line
:[range]copy {address}	Copy the specified lines to below the line specified by {address}
:[range]move {address}	Move the specified lines to below the line specified by {address}
:[range]join	Join the specified lines
:[range]normal {commands}	Execute Normal mode {commands} on each specified line
:[range]substitude/{pattern}/{string}/[flags]	Replace occurrences of {pattern} with {string} on each specified line
:[range]global/{pattern}/cmd	Execute the Ex command [cmd] on all specified lines where the {pattern} matches

Command	Description
:[range]delete [x]	Delete specified lines [into register x]
w	jump to the beginning of the word
b	jump to the beginning of a word backwards
e	jump to the end of the word
ge	jump to the end of a word backwards
W	jump to the beginning of the WORD
B	jump to the beginning of a WORD backwards
E	jump to the end of the WORD
gE	jump to the end of a WORD backwards
f{char}	find Move to next occurrence of a character in a line
F{char}	find Move to previous occurrence of a character
t{char}	until Move the cursor just before the next occurrence of a character
T{char}	Move the cursor just before the previous occurrence of a character
;	Go to next occurrence of f{char}
,	Go to previous occurance of f{char}
0	Move to the first character of a line
^	Move to the first non-blank character of a line
$	Moves to the end of a line
g_	Moves to the non-blank character at the end of a line
}	jumps entire paragraphs downwards
{	jumps entire paragraphs upwards
Ctrl-D	move down half a page by scrolling the page
Ctrl-U	move up half a page by scrolling the page
T/{pattern}	search forward inside a file
?{pattern}	search backwards inside a file
n	jump to the next match
N	jump to the previous match
/Enter	run the last search forward
?Enter	run the last search backwards
\*	search for word under the cursor
#	search for word under the cursor backwards
3;	go to the next third occurrence of a character
2/search	sends you to the second occurrence of search
gd	jump to the definition under the cursor
Tgf	jump to a file in an import
gg	go to the top of the file
{line}gg	go to a specific line
G	go to the end of file
%	jump to matching ({[]})

Vim Operators

Command	Description
c	change
d	delete
p	paste
y	yank
=	format
g~	toggle case
>	Adds indentation
<	Removes indentation

• In command line mode, <Ctrl-R> <Ctrl-W> will insert the word under the cursor. :help c_CTRL-R

• <cword> is the word under the cursor :help <cword> Examples:

Command	Description
c/hello	changes everything until the first occurrence of hello
ggyG	copies whole document
gUw	capitalizes a word
dd	deletes a whole line
cc	changes a whole line
D	deletes from the cursor to the end of line
C	changes to the end of a line
Y	like yy copies a complete line
P	pastes something before the cursor

text objects

a a text object plus whitespace i inner object without whitespace

{i|a}{TEXT-OBJECT-ID} {operator}{a|i}{text-object}

build-in text-objects are

Text Object	Description
w	Word
s	Sentence
p	Paragraph
b(	Block surrounded by ()
B{	Block surrounded by {}
" '	Quoted text
< >	Block surrounded by <>
[ ]	Block surrounded by []
t	for tag

Examples

Command	Explanation
daw	delete a word and trailing whitespaces
ciw	change inner word
das	delete a sentence
dis	delete inner sentence
da"	delete something in double quotes including quotes
di"	delete only the content inside the quotes
ci"	change something inside double quotes
dap	delete a paragraph
dab	da( da) delete a block surrounded by (
daB	da{ da} delete a block surrounded by {
dat	delete an HTML tag
cit	change the contents of HTML tag

• The . command becomes even more useful if you get in the habit of using Text-objects. Text-objects are more reliable than other motions because you don't need to care as much where the cursor is positioned.

Single character command

| x dl | deletes character under the cursor | | X dh | deletes the character before the cursor | | s ch | deletes character under the cursor and puts into insert mode | | ~ | switch case for single character |

Command	Description
u	undo last change
<Ctrl>-R	redo it

Insert Mode

Command	Explanation
i	Go to insert mode before the cursor
a	append, Go to insert mode after the cursor
o	Insert a new line below the current line and go to insert mode
I	Go to insert mode at the beginning of the current line
A	Go to insert mode at the end of current line
O	Insert a new line above the current line and go to insert mode
gi	puts you into insert mode at the last place you made a change
ctrl-h	delete the last character you typed
ctrl-w	delete the last word you typed
ctrl-u	delete the last line you typed
<esc> ctrl-[ ctrl-c	Exit insert mode

Visual Mode

Command	Description
v	Visual mode - character
V	Visual mode - Linewise
ctrl-v	Visual block (rectangular selection)

{trigger visual mode}{motion}{operator} gn Select match in Visual mode, combines n and .

Copy Paste

Command	Description
y{motion}	yank
yy Y	yank line
p	paste after cursor
P	paste before cursor
gp	same as p but puts the cursor after the pastted selection
gP	same as P and puts the cursor after the pasted selection

Examples:

Example	Description
yl	yanks a letter
yaw	yanks a word
yas	yanks a sentence
yi(	yanks everything within (

• The behaviour of p and P depends on whether you have yanked characters or line. If you've yanked characters then pasting will put those characters after or before the cursor. If you've yanked lines, however, pasting will put those lines after or before the line where the cursor is resting on.

Examples:

Example	Description
yyp	duplicate a line below
yyP	duplicate a line above
ddp ddP	swap lines
yy{count}p	n-plicate a line
dlp xp	swap characters

Vim Registers

• Registers in Vim are like a special clipboard where you can save multiple things at once.

• To yank the current word into register a, run "ayiw.

Examples:

Example	Description
"ayiw	yank the current word into register a
"bdd	cut the current line into register b
"ap	paste the word from register a
"bp	paste the line from register b

• In addition to Normal mode commands, Vim also provides Ex commands for delete, yank and put operations.

Ex command	Description
:delete c	cut the current line into register c
:put c	paste the content of register c below the current line

• The x, s, d{motion}, c{motion} and y{motion} commands (and their uppercase equivalents) all set the contents of unnamed register.

The Yank Register ("0)

• When we use y{motion} command, the specified text is copied not only into unnamed register but also into the yank register, which is addressed by the 0 symblol.

• When we address a named register with a lowercase letter, it overwrites the specified register, whereas when we use an uppercase letter, it appends to the specified register.

Register Name	Register	Description
unnamed register	""	the default register, where you copy and cut stuff to when no explicit register is specified
named registers	"a-"z	registers you can use explicitly to copy and cut text
yank register	"0	stores last thing yanked (copied)
cut registers	"1-"9	store the last 9 things cut by using either delete or the change command
black hole register	"_	"_d{motion}
system clipboard	"+	When we want to copy some text from inside of Vim and paste into external program
selection register	"*	X11 primary, represent the most recently selected text, used with middle mouse button. No primary clipboard in Windows and Mac OS X
named registers		let us save bits of texts for later pasting.
expression register	"=	execute vim script expression

• Vim's plus register ("+) references the system clipboard and is address by the + symbol.

Examples

Example	Description
"+p	Paste text from system clipboard to vim
<C-r>+	From INSERT mode

• Vim also provides gp and gP commands. These also put the text before or after the current line, but they leave the cursor positioned at the end of the pated text instead of at the beginning.

"{name of register}y{motion} "{name of register}d{motion} "{name of register}c{motion}

Readonly register

Examples:

Examples	Description
"ayas	yank a sentence and store it in register a.
"ap	Paste the content of register a somewhere.
A	append whatever you copy or cut into that register
:reg {register}	to see what is in the register

• The yank register "0 lets you have access to what you copied last via the y command. This is helpful because deletes and changes don't overwrite this register like they do the unnamed register.

• The x, s, d{motion}, c{motion} and y{motion} commands (and their uppercase equivalents) all set the contents of the unnamed register.

• When we address a named register with a lowercase letter, it overwrites the specified register, whereas when we use an uppercase letter, it appends to the specified register.

• To paste the content of a register in INSERT MODE, use the following: | Command | Description | |---------|--------------| | ctrl-R " | pastes the contents of unnamed register | | ctrl-R a | pastes the contents of register a | | ctrl-R 0 | pastes the contents of yank register | | ctrl-R + | pastes the contents copied by external application |

• VSCodeVim has support for only a very limited number of Ex commands but they can be greatly enhanced by integrating VSCodeVim with Neovim.

Ex Commands

Ex Command	Description
:edit :e	Edit a file - VSCode uses relative paths in relation to currently opened file.
:write :w	save a file
:quit :q	close a file
:write! :w!	force save a file
:quit! q!	force close a file without saving
:wall :wa	save all files
:qall :qa	close all files
:wqall :wqa	save and close all files
:qall! :qa!	close all files without saving

:[range]d [register]

Other useful Ex command alternatives to Normal mode commands are (Not supported by VSCodeVim)

Command	Description
:yank
:put
:copy
:move
:substitude

• :[range]s/{pattern}/{substitue}/flags

Flags can be

Flags	Description
g	change all occurrences in the current line
i	case insensitive searches
c	confirm each and every substitution

• To repeat normal mode commands use @:, type @@ to repeat it again.

Split and Tab

Command	Description
:sp {relative-path-to-file}	open a file in horizontal split
:vsp{relative-path-to-file}	open a file i na vertical split
<ctrl-W> S	open horizontal split (Window and Split)
<ctrl-W> V	open a vertical split
<ctrl-W> + hjkl	Move between split windows

Tab Command	Description
:tabnew {file}	open a file in a new tab
:tabn :tabnext	go to the next tab
:tabp :tabprevious	go to the previous tab
:tabo :tabonly	close all other tabs

Surround operator (s/S)

Using the surround operator we can operate on the surroundings (quotes, parenthesis, braces, tags etc..)

Command	Description
ds	delete the surroundings
cs	change the surroundings
ys	add surroundings
S{char}	surround the visually selected text with char

Vim Easy Motion

Command	Move to
<leader><leader>w	start of words
<leader><leader>b	start of words backwards
<leader><leader>bdw	start of words everywhere. bd bidirectional
<leader><leader>e	end of words
<leader><leader>ge	end of words backwards
<leader><leader>bdw	end of words everwhere
<leader><leader>j	beginning of lines
<leader><leader>k	beginning of lines backwards
<leader><leader>f{char}	find character
<leader><leader>F{char}	find character backwards
<leader><leader>t{char}	until character
<leader><leader>T	until character backwards
<leader><leader>s{char}	search character everywhere

Scrolling

Command	Description
zz	Move current line to the middle of the screen
ZZ	Save and exit
zt	Move current line to the top of the screen
zb	Move current line to the bottom of the screen

Multi Cursor

• Move the cursor on top of a word
• <ctrl-D> or gb to add cursor
• Type gb to continue adding cursors until you're done
• Perform an action (delete, change etc)

Vim Macro

• The q key functions both as the "record" button and the "stop" button
• Type q{register} to start recording a macro (e.g. qq will start recording a macro to register q)
• Perform the different actions you want to include in the macro
• When you're done, type q to end the recording
• Type @{register} (e.g. @q) to execute the macro that lives in a given register
• In Macros, the symbol ^[ stands for the Escape key

Command	Move to
~	Changes the case of current character.
guu	Change current line from upper to lower.
gUU	Change current LINE from lower to upper.
guw	Change to end of current WORD from upper to lower.
guaw	Change all of current WORD to lower.
gUw	Change to end of current WORD from lower to upper.
gUaw	Change all of current WORD to upper.
g~~	Invert case to entire line.
g~w	Invert case to current WORD.
guG	Change to lowercase until the end of document.
gU)	Change until end of sentence to upper case.
gu}	Change to end of paragraph to lower case.
gU5j	Change 5 lines below to upper case.
gu3k	Change 3 lines above to lower case.

• xp Transpose the next two characters

• ddp Transpose the order of this line and its successor

• The :normal @a command tells Vim to execute the macro once for each line in the selection.

Command	Description
dG	delete till end of document
dgg	delete till the beginning of document
S	go to insert mode with proper indentation

LMH: Low, Mid, High

Command	Description
L	Low
M	Mid
H	High
ctrl-u	up half screen
ctrl-d	down half screen

Deleteing in Insert Mode

Command	Description
<ctrl>-w	delete the previous word from the current position
<ctrl>-h	delete previous character (like backspace)
<ctrl>-u	delete from cursor position till end of line
<ctrl>-o	allow executing normal mode command, enter normal mode command and get back to insert mode again
<ctrl>-p	Auto complete
<ctrl>-n	Auto complete

Command	Description
:set spell	to turn on spell check
:set no spell	turn off spell check
:set spell&	turn off spell check
:help j	get help for j key

NerdTree

• In Normal Mode, use :NERDTreeToggle to open the nerdtree window. For shortcut, add the ofllowing to vim config: nnoremap <silent> <C-k><C-B> :NERDTreeToggle<CR>

• To create a child file or directory under a directory, move the cursor to the directory, press m (stands for menu), then press a to create a child node. To create a directory, append / behind the node name.

• To exit the menu, press <Esc> or <C-c>

• To show parent directory of the current node, press u

• To change the root directory to where the cursor resides, press C

• To open/close child directory of current directory recursively

  • Open recursively: O
  • Close recursively: X

• Move to first ode of same level: K

• Move to last node of the same level: J

• Move to previous node of same level: Ctrl-k

• Move to next node of same level: Ctrl-j

• To open file in a new window in vertical direction, use i

• To open file in a new window in horizontal direction, use s

• To open a file in a new tab use t

• To rename a file or directory, use mm