A Vim Cheatsheet
12 Nov 2018Basics
- To enter a command:
: - To quit Vim:
:q - To save current file:
:w - To save and quit:
:wq - Save current file as:
:saveas <filename> - By default, Vim is in NORMAL mode. To move, use up/down/left/right:
k/j/h/l - To insert text, hit
ito switch into INSERT mode.
Modes
- Normal mode (
n): used for navigation and modification (yank/delete/paste) - Insert mode (
i): used to insert text (e.g., write code) - Visual line mode (
V): used to select multiple lines- Visual mode (
v): select at the word level
- Visual mode (
Navigation
- Up 10 lines:
10k - Down 10 lines:
10j - Move by a word:
w - Move backward a word:
b - Move to the end of a word:
e - Particular line:
:<line_no> - Start of line:
0- Start of non-empty line:
^
- Start of non-empty line:
- End of line:
$ - Top of file:
gg - Bottom of file:
G - Top of window:
H(high) - Bottom of window:
L(low) - Middle of window:
M(middle) - Move to opening brace:
[{ - Move to closing brace:
]} - To skip code blocks:
[[and]](up and down) - To move up/down a line to first non-space:
+and-
Scrolling
- Scroll up a line:
Ctrl-y - Scroll down a line:
Ctrl-e - Scroll up by half-page:
Ctrl-u - Scroll down half-page:
Ctrl-d - Scroll up by full page:
Ctrl-f - Scroll down by full page:
Ctrl-b - Move cursor (and line) to top of screen:
zt- Cursor to bottom:
zc - Cursor to middle:
z.
- Cursor to bottom:
Editing
- Insert blank line:
o(after current line) orO(before) - Delete a line:
dd - Paste a line:
p- Paste line above current line:
P
- Paste line above current line:
- Paste a line from clipboard (global register):
"+p - To append to the end of a line:
A - To insert at the start of a line:
I - Select the whole line:
Shift+v - To delete a word:
dw - To delete a letter:
dl - To change a word (delete, then INSERT):
cw - To repeat any command:
.- For example, to insert 5 blanks line above current:
O<ESC>5.
- For example, to insert 5 blanks line above current:
Searching
- To search forward:
/- Type in the pattern, then hit Enter
- To search back:
? - To search for current word at cursor:
*(forward) or#(backward) - After searching, go back to original position:
Ctrl-o - Find and replace:
:%s/<find>/<replace>/g%(in all lines),s(start),g(end)- You could limit to a lines 10 to 100 with
10,100instead of%
Marking
- Mark cursor position:
m<char> - Return to cursor position:
char - Return to beginning of line of marked position:
'<char>
Splitting
- To split vertically:
:vsp - To split horizontally:
:sp - To switch between windows:
Ctrl-W, Ctrl-W - To switch in a certain direction:
Ctrl-W, [h/j/k/l] - To split equally:
Ctrl-W, = - To resize a window height (horizontal):
:resize <height> - To resize window width:
:vertical resize <width> - Max height:
Ctrl-W, _ - Max width:
Ctrl-W, |
Tabs
- Open a file in new tab:
:tabedit <file> - Go to next tab:
gt - Go to previous tab:
gT - Close a tab window:
Ctrl-W c
Buffers
- List current open buffers:
:ls - Load a particular buffer into current window:
:b<num> - Load buffer into split:
:sb<num>
Indenting and Folding
- To indent a block:
> - To unindent:
<- Example: use
vto enter visual mode, then3jto select 3 lines, then>to indent
- Example: use
- To indent in insert mode:
Ctrl-TandCtrl-D(d-indent) - To open/close a fold:
zo, zc - To open/close all folds in a file:
zR, zM
Cut & Paste
- To enter visual mode:
vorV(select full line) - To cut a line:
dd - To cut a word:
dw - To copy a selected line:
y - To paste in general:
p - To paste from system clipboard:
"+p - To copy a word to system clipboard:
"+y - To copy entire file:
:%y+- Explanation:
%means “apply next command to all lines”,yis yank/copy, and+means use system clipboard
- Explanation:
- To copy something, delete something, then paste the original copied thing:
yy dd "0p - To paste something yanked earlier:
"1por higher to backwards- Use
:registersto view all yanked data
- Use
Session Management
- Save current session:
:mksession ~/session.vim - Load a session:
source ~/session.vim
Commands
- To view command history:
q: - To view search history:
q/
Diffing
- To diff all open splits/windows:
:windo diffthis:windo <cmd>executes the given command on all open windows
- To get and put hunks:
do(get) anddp(put) - To stop the diff:
:diffoff
Tags
- To create a tags file (in shell):
find . -name "*.[ch]" | ctags -L -- Or use
:!to execute from within Vim (blocking!)
- Or use
- To search for a tag:
:tag <function_name> - To jump into function:
Ctrl+] - To jump back out:
Ctrl+t - To view tag stack:
:tags - To auto-complete using tags:
Ctrl-n(next) andCtrl-p(prev)
Cscope
- To create a cscope database:
find . -name "*.[ch]" > cscope.files && cscope -q -b - To list all symbols (under cursor):
Ctrl-\ s - To go to definition:
Ctrl-\ g - Find functions calling this function:
Ctrl-\ c - Find files including this file:
Ctrl-\ i - Find this text string:
Ctrl-\ t
Other Stuff
- Open cursor in relevant application (e.g., URL in browser):
gx - Record a macro:
q<letter><commands>q- Execute the macro:
@<letter>
- Execute the macro:
- To execute a single command while in INSERT mode:
Ctrl-o <command>- After the command executes – e.g.,
10j– you will be put back into INSERT mode
- After the command executes – e.g.,
Useful Plugins
CtrlP
Fuzzy file finder and search.
Shortcuts:
- Search:
Ctrl-p - Open file in new tab:
Ctrl-t - Open file in vertical/horizontal split:
Ctrl-v/x
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