Vim

Survival

• h, j, k, l: move cursor
• i: enter insert mode
• ESC: leave current mode
• ESC + :wq: write and quit
• ESC + :q!: quit (force)

Moving cursor

# move cursor
h j k l

# move relative
8j
# will move 8 line down

G # go to last line
gg # go to first line
5G # go to line 5


w  # move to beginning of next word
b  # move to previous beginning of word
e  # move to end of word
W  # move to beginning of next word after a whitespace
B  # move to beginning of previous word before a whitespace
E  # move to end of word before a whitespace

0  # move to beginning of line
$  # move to end of line
_  # move to first non-blank character of the line
g_ # move to last non-blank character of the line

Insert mode

• a: (append) enter insert mode after cursor

Shortcuts Normal mode

• x: delete character
• ro: replace current letter by o
• dd: delete and copy line
• yy: copy (yank) a line
• p: paste after cursor
• P: paste before cursor

Selection

• v: select inside line (complete with h or l)
• V: select lines (complete with j or k)
• y: copy selection
• d: delete selection

Search

• /SEARCH: then Enter then N (previous) and n (next)

Files

# open/create file in new tab
:new filename.ext

# open/create file in new vertical split
:vert new filename.ext

# switch between splits
CTRL-w h
CTRL-w j
CTRL-w k
CTRL-w l

# copy full file
:%y+

# paste
"P+

# read and insert a file
:r file.txt

# launch shell commands
:!echo 1

# launch shell commands and capture output in the file
:r! echo 1
# will insert 1

# sort a file
1G!Gsort

System clipboard

You should have a clipboard util like xclip installed

• "*y: copy on mouse clipboard
• "*p: paste on mouse clipboard
• "+y: copy on system clipboard
• "+p: paste on system clipboard

Registers

• The unnamed register ""
• The numbered registers "0-9
• The small delete register "-
• The named registers "a "b.."z
• The read-only registers ": ". "%
• The alternate file register "#
• The expression register "=
• The selection registers "* and "+
• The black hole register "_
• The last search pattern register "/

Links

• https://stackoverflow.com/a/1220118
• https://stackoverflow.com/a/2559262