Vim Editor Assistant

Start vi Editor

vi file
// Opens 'file' in vi, or creates a file named 'file' if it does not exist.

vi file1 file2
// Opens files sequentially.

view file
// OPens 'file' in read-only mode.

vi -R file
// Opens 'file' in read-only mode.

vi -r file
// Recovers 'file' after system crash.

vi + file
// Opens 'file' at last line.

Exit vi Editor

ZZ
// Saves changes and exits.

:x
// Saves changes and exits.

:wq
// Saves changes and exits.

:w
// Saves changes.

:q
// Quit.

:q!
// Quit without saving changes.

:wq file
// Saves as 'file' and exits.

Insert, append

i
// Insert text before cursor.

I
// Insert text at beginning of current line.

a
// Append text after cursor.

A
// Append text at the end of current line.

o
// Open and insert text in new line below current line.

O
// Open and insert text ine new line above current line.

r
// Replace single character at cursor position.

R
// Replace multiple character starting with character at cursor position.

s
// Substitute a single character.

S
// Substitute entire line.

Delete

x
// Deletes a single character at cursor position.

X
// Deletes a single character before cursor positon.

dw
// Deletes from cursor position to next word.

dd
// Deletes entire line cursor is on.

D
// Deletes remainder of line, starting at cursor position.

[Ctrl] u
// Deletes from cursor to beginning of line.

d$
// Deletes from cursor to end of line.

d^
// Deletes to first character in line, preserving indentation.

ndd
// Deletes n number of lines (2dd deletes 2 lines).

nx
// Deletes n number of characters, starting with character under cursor (2x deletes 2 characters).

Yank, Copy

yw
// Yank word.

yy
// Yank current line.

:y
// Yank current line.

y^
// Yank from cursor to first character of line.

y0
// Yank from cursor to beginning of line.

y$
// Yank from cursor to end of line.

Y
// Yank current line.

nyy or nY
// Yank n number of lines (2yy or 2Y copies 2lines).

Paste

p
// Paste after cursor.

P
// Paste before cursor.

Search

/word
// Search forward for 'word'.

?
// Repeats previous '/' search.

n
// Repeat last search in same direction.

N
// Repeat last search in opposite direction.

*
// Search forward for word under the cursor.

#
// Search backward for word under the cursor.

fx
// Search forward for next 'x' on same line.

Fx
// Search backward for previous 'x' on same line.

tx
// Search forwark for character before next 'x'.

Tx
// Search backward for character after previous 'x' on same line.

Move cursor

H
// Move to highest visible line on screen (top line).

M
// Move to middle of screen (center).

L
// Move to lowest visible line on screen (bottom line).

l 
// Move right.

h
// Move left.

K
Move up.

j
Move down.

^ 
// Move to first character on current line.

$
// Move to last column on current line.

0
// Move to first column on current line.

+
// Move to first character on next line.

-
// Move to first character on previous line

w
// Move to beginning of next word.

b
// Move to beginning of previous word.

(
// Move to beginning of current sentence.

)
// Move to beginning of next sentence.

{
// Move a paragraph back.

}
// Move a paragraph forward.

G
// Move to first character on last line.

gg
// Move to first character on first line.

Move screen

[Ctrl] d
// Move backward half screen.

[Ctrl] f
// Move backward full screen.

[Ctrl] u
// Move forword half screen.

[Ctrl] b
// Move forward full screen.

[Ctrl] e
// Move up one line.

[Ctrl] y
// Move down one line.

G
// Move to last line in file.

nG
// Move to n number line.

Other

.
// Repeat last edit command.

u
// Undo last change.

U
// Undo all changes on line.

[Ctrl] g
// Show current filename and line count.

:f
// Show current filename and line count.

:f filename
// Rename current file to 'filename'.

:cd dirname
// Change directory to 'dirname'.

~
// Change character case.

:.=
// Show current line number.

:=
// Show total number of lines.