Getting Help#

• To access Command Mode type esc + :;
• You should use [h | help] (manual_name) to get some infos;
• Or just use F1 or HELP key;
• Finally, you can use esc + : + : [CTRL-D] to get auto complete of commands.

What is Vim?#

• Vim is a text editor particulary suited for software developers / programmers;
• Vim is vi improved, as Vim originated from the famous vi text editor;
• To learn more about vim, you can type vimtutor in you shell;
• Some features:
  • Undo;
  • Search and replace;
  • Syntax highlighting;
  • Folding;
  • Extensibility through plugins;
  • …

.VIMRC#

• This file contains your vim editor configs.

1
" Open .vimrc file
2
:e ~/.vimrc
3
" Copy template file
4
:r $VIMRUNTIME/vimrc_example.vim
5
" Save
6
:w
7
" Open vimrc manual
8
:help vimrc-intro

Screen or File#

Words or Content#

Normal Mode#

() is optional and [] are two or more commands that can be joined.

You can use ! to force your action.

• esc + : + [h | help] + (navigation): drop vim helper;
• esc + : + w + (filename): save;
• esc + : + q: quit;
• esc + : + w + q: save and quit;
• esc + : + d + (number_of_lines) + d: remove line under the cursor;
• esc + : + ! + (shell_command): execute external command;
• esc + : + r + [filename]: merge two files;
• esc + : + e + [filename]: rename file.

Visual Mode#

• v: switches to visual mode starting from the character under the cursor;
• V: switches to visual mode allowing selection of entire lines, starting with the current line;
• ctrl + v: switches to visual mode allowing selection of vertical blocks.

Insert Mode#

• i: switches to insert mode and allows to edit text right before the current cursor position;
• I: switches to insert mode and places the cursor at the beginning of the line;
• a: switches to insert mode and allows to edit text right after the current cursor position;
• A: switches to insert mode and places the cursor at the end of the line;
• o: switches to insert mode adding a line below the current one;
• O: switches to insert mode adding a line above the current one.

Undo & Redo#

• u: undo the last commands;
• U: fix a whole line;
• ctrl + r: redo commands (undo the “undos”).

Copy#

• First, enter in visual mode, and then, try that commands:
  • y + space: yank char under the cursor;
  • yy: yank the line under the cursor;
  • (number_of_lines) + yy: yank the line(s) under the cursor;
  • yw: yank word;
  • y$: yank to end of line.

Paste#

• p: paste after the cursor;
• P: paste before the cursor.

Cut#

You can change d by c, the difference is that c cut and change the mode for the insert.

• d + (number_of_lines) + d: delete the line under the cursor and copy it;
• d + (number_of_words) + w: delete the word and copy it;
• c$: delete to end of line;
• x: delete current char and copy it;
• X: delete previous char and copy it;
• D: delete to end of line;
• ce: delete to end of word;
• cc: remove entire line.

Delete#

• s: delete char under the cursor and copy it;
• S: delete line under the cursor and copy it.

Replace#

• r + [letter]: replace current char by other letter;
• R: replace “mode”

Searching#

• / + [word]: search for a word;
• ? + [word]: search for a word in the backward direction;
• n: search for the same phrase again;
• N: search for the same phrase again in the opposite direction;
• ctrl + o: go back to where you came from;
• ctrl + i: goes forward.

Matching#

• Place the cursor on any (, [ or { and then type %. It finds the matched closer char.

Substitution#

• Go to wanted line and type :s/old/new/g to substitute new for old.
  • :#,#s/old/new/g: where #,# are the line numbers of the range of lines where the substitution is to be done;
  • :%s/old/new/g: to change every occurrence in the whole file; :%s/old/new/gc: to find every occurrence in the whole file, with a prompt whether to substitute or not.