Vim — the editing language

How it works

• Operators: d delete · c change · y yank · > < shift · = indent · gu gU g~ case · gq format · g? rot13 · ! filter through a program · zf fold. Doubled = the line (dd, gUU); D = d$, C = c$.
• Text objects (after an operator or in Visual): iw aw · iW · is ip · i( a( (= ib) · i{ (= iB) · i[ · i< · it at (tags) · i" i' i`.
• . repeats the last change. Undo is a tree: u, Ctrl-R, U line, g- g+, :earlier 10m, 'undofile'.
• Insert: i a before/after cursor · I A line start/end · o O new line below/above. Visual: o other end, gv reselect, block I/A text Esc edits every line, gn selects the next match.

Motions

Search, replace, filters

• :%s/foo/bar/gc: g every match (default: first per line), c confirm, i/I case, n count. Ranges % . $ '<,'> 10,20 .,+3.
• Empty pattern = last search (* then :%s//bar/g); \v very magic, \<w\> word, \zs/\ze; &, g& repeat :s. :g/pat/d deletes matches, :v/pat/d keeps them.
• Filters: !!date = :.!date · :%!sort · :r !date inserts output · :so %.

Example — rename the current file (fixed)

function! RenameFile() abort
  let oldname = expand('%')
  let newname = input('New name: ', oldname, 'file')
  if newname ==# '' || newname ==# oldname | return | endif
  execute 'saveas' fnameescape(newname) " old -> alternate #
  call delete(oldname)     " no shell: '!rm' breaks on spaces
  silent! bwipeout #       " the note used undefined old_file
endfunction
nnoremap <leader>n :call RenameFile()<CR>

Config

Vim ~/.vimrc · Neovim ~/.config/nvim/init.{vim,lua}: set number expandtab shiftwidth=2, filetype plugin indent on, nnoremap (non-recursive map). vim-plug: Plug 'junegunn/fzf' between plug#begin()/end(). Neovim LSP is built in: vim.lsp.enable('sourcekit') → grn rename, gra action, grr refs.

Registers

Macros — a macro is a register

qa…q record · @a play · 5@a · @@ last macro · @: last Ex command. Edit: "ap, fix the text, 0"ay$; or :let @a='…'; qA appends. Apply: :%normal @a · :'<,'>normal @a · :10,20normal @a · :g/pat/normal @a. Start at 0, end with j: 100@a chains.

Marks and jumps

ma set · `a exact spot · 'a its line · a–z per file, A–Z global (jump to the file) · `` before the last jump · `. last change · `" where you left the buffer · `[ `] last changed/yanked text · g; g, change list · :marks.

Buffers, windows, tabs

Buffer = a file’s text in memory; window = a viewport on one; tab = a set of windows. :ls · :b2 · :bd · :e #/Ctrl-^ alternate · :sp = horizontal split (stacked) · :vs = vertical (side by side) · splitbelow/splitright flip · Ctrl-W s v w hjkl o = q · :tabe, gt gT · :term opens a split.

Interview traps

• :sp is the horizontal split — the note had the two swapped.
• ZZ = :x: writes only if modified; :wq always writes. ZQ = :q!.
• A delete overwrites "": paste the earlier yank with "0p, or delete into "_.

Remember

Verb + noun, then dot. A macro is a register.

Likely questions

1. Same edit on 200 lines? — record qa…q, then :%normal @a.
2. Replace a word with the yank, twice? — ciw Ctrl-R 0, then ..
3. Keep only lines matching err? — :v/err/d.