Note that the commands I mention in this file are the ones I use the most often and are by no means exhaustive.
For some vim commands, I use a `<leader>` keybinding as an alternative since I find it faster. Some of those commands may not be mentioned in this helpfile. Please see `.vimrc` for more details.
Note that text deleted is also copied into vim's hidden buffer. There is no need for a "cut" command since copying things is handled automatically by vim.
Repeat the last operation with `.`. This is really powerful when you want to perform the same action multiple times.
An example of combining the insert keys with movement keys is `ea`. This combination of keys allows you to append text to the end of a word, since `e` goes to the end of the word and `a` enters insert mode after the cursor.
Note that you can use `<C-o>` at any time while in insert mode to execute a single normal mode command. This is useful if, for example, you want to navigate to the end of the line after making changes to another part of it.
- Close all tabs except the current one: `:tabonly`
## Search and Replace
- Replace foo with bar everywhere: `:%s/foo/bar/g`
- Replace foo with bar on the current line only: `:s/foo/bar/g`
- Replace foo with bar everywhere, but ask for confirmation on each change: `:%s/foo/bar/gc`
- Change the current item and move on to the next one: `y`
- Do not change the current item and move on to the next one: `n`
- Change all the results: `a`
- Quit making changes: `q`
By default searches are assumed to be case insensitive if the entire string is lowercase. Note that if case matters and the entire search string is lowercase, you should chain `I` to the command to make it case sensitive.
- Jump between the opening and closing parentheses, brackets, curly braces, and tags: `%`
- Delete the character under the cursor and enter insert mode: `s`
- Note that this is an alias of `xi`
- Clear the current line and enter insert mode: `S`
- Note that this is an alias of `cc`
- Join the current line with the next one: `J`
## Macros
Macros are used for complex commands that can't be repeated with `.`. They help reduce repetition and repeat exactly what you did when you create them.
- Start recording a macro: `q + <SYMBOL>`
- To end the macro, press `q` again.
- If you want to end the macro in insert mode, press `<C-o>` then `q`.
- Play back a previously recorded macro: `@ + <SYMBOL>`
- To repeat the last macro played, simply use `@@`.
## Marking Things
- Mark the current line: `m + <SYMBOL>`
- Go to a previously marked line: `' + <SYMBOL>'`
- Go to a previously marked line, exactly where you were before: ``` + <SYMBOL>``
- Change the syntax highlighting of the current file: `:set syntax=<syntax>`
- Get the syntax of the current file: `:set syntax?`
- Note that to get the value of any variable, just add `?` to it.
- It is possible to manually change the syntax of a file, although you shouldn't do this since plugins and other features you may have will not be loaded.
- Simply press `I` to enter insert mode at the beginning of the line. From there you can do whatever you want, including inserting a comment.
- If you want to repeat the process for multiple lines, you can go to the line you want to change and press `.` to execute the last set of key combinations.
- Comment multiple lines at the same time:
- Use `<C-v>` to enter visual block mode
- Select the lines you want to comment out with `j/k`
- Press `I` to go to the beginning of the line
- Type whatever you want to put at the beginning of all the lines here, including comments
- When you're done, exit the mode as usual
### Uncommenting lines
- Uncomment the current line:
- Simply press `0` to go to the beginning of the line (if needed)
- Then, press `x` to delete the character under the cursor
- Uncomment multiple lines at the same time:
- Use `<C-v>` to enter visual block mode
- Select the lines you want to comment out with `j/k`
- Press `x` to delete the first character, repeatedly if necessary
- You should only be in insert mode when you are inserting text. If you are not inserting text, then you should not be in insert mode.
- To cancel most things and switch back to normal (keybindings) mode, simply press `esc`.
- Line numbers should NOT be important in your daily workflow and should be disabled most of the time. This lets you focus on what you need to look at: the program itself and nothing more.
- Registers keep track of all the things that vim has copied, although I haven't found myself using it often enough to document it here.
- The leader key (space) is used for commands not specific to any file type.
- The local leader (backslash) is used for commands that only affect a certain file type.
- Note that vim has folding capabilities as well although I personally haven't made much use of them.
## Miscellaneous
- If for some reason you need to edit files that have line feeds in them, you can use `:%s/^M/\r/g` to remove the line feeds. At this point, you should easily be able to tell what this command does and reproduce it if necessary.
