Vim CHEAT SHEET

A useful collection of Vim 8.2 quick reference cheat sheets to help you learn vim editor faster.

vitexteditorterminalshortcut

Sections

Cards

#Getting Started

Motion Diagrams

▼/▶ Cursor   ▽/▷ Target

Left-right motions

┌───────────── |
├───────────── 0      $ ──────────────┐
│  ┌────────── ^      fe ────────┐    │
│  │  ┌─────── Fo     te ───────┐│    │
│  │  │┌────── To     30| ───┐  ││    │
│  │  ││ ┌──── ge     w ───┐ │  ││    │
│  │  ││ │ ┌── b      e ─┐ │ │  ││    │
│  │  ││ │ │  ┌h      l┐ │ │ │  ││    │
▽  ▽  ▽▽ ▽ ▽  ▽▼      ▼▽ ▽ ▽ ▽  ▽▽    ▽
   echo "A cheatsheet from quickref.me"

Shortcut	Description
`h` \| `j` \| `k` \| `l`	Arrow keys
`<C-u>` / `<C-d>`	Half-page up/down
`<C-b>` / `<C-f>`	Page up/down

Shortcut	Description
`b` / `w`	Previous/Next word
`ge` / `e`	Previous/Next end of word

Shortcut	Description
`0` (zero) / `$`	Start/End of line
`^`	Start of line (non-blank)

Shortcut	Description
`Fe` / `fe`	Move to previous/next `e`
`To` / `to`	Move before/after previous/next `o`
`\|`/ `n\|`	Go to first/`n`th column

Shortcut	Description
`gg` / `G`	First/Last line
`:n` \| `nG`	Go to line `n`
`}` / `{`	Next/Previous empty line

Shortcut	Description
`H` / `M` / `L`	Top/Middle/Bottom screen
`zt` / `zz` / `zb`	Top/Center/Bottom this line

Shortcut	Description
`i` / `a`	Insert before/after cursor
`I` / `A`	Insert start/end of line
`o` / `O` (letter)	Insert new line below/above
`s` / `S`	Delete char/line and insert
`C` / `cc`	Change to end of/current line
`gi`	Insert at last insert point
`Esc` \| `<C-[>`	Exit insert mode

Shortcut	Description
`:w`	Save
`:q`	Close file
`:wq` \| `:x` \| `ZZ`	Save and quit
`:wqa`	Save and quit all files
`:q!` \| `ZQ`	Force quit
`:qa`	Close all files
`:qa!`	Force quit all files
`:w` now.txt	Write to `now.txt`
`:sav` new.txt	Save and edit `new.txt`
`:w` !sudo tee %	Write to readonly file

Shortcut	Description
`r`	Replace one character
`R`	Enter Replace mode
`u` / `3u`	Undo changes `1` / `3` times
`U`	Undo changes on one line
`J`	Join with next line
`<C-r>` / 5 `<C-r>`	Redo changes `1` / `5` times

Shortcut	Description
`x`	Delete character (Cut)
`p` / `P`	Paste after/before
`xp`	Swap two characters
`D`	Delete to end of line (Cut)
`dw`	Delete word (Cut)
`dd`	Delete line (Cut)
`ddp`	Swap two lines
`yy`	Yank line (Copy)
`"*p` \| `"+p`	Paste from system clipboard
`"*y` \| `"+y`	Paste to system clipboard

In visual mode

Shortcut	Description
`d` \| `x`	Delete selection (Cut)
`s`	Replace selection
`y`	Yank selection (Copy)

{.shortcuts}

Repeating

Shortcut	Description
`.`	Repeat last command
`;`	Repeat latest `f`, `t`, `F` or `T`
`,`	Repeat latest `f`, `t`, `F` or `T` reversed
`&`	Repeat last `:s`
`@:`	Repeat a command-line command

{.shortcuts}

Visual mode

Shortcut	Description
`v`	Enter visual mode
`V`	Enter visual line mode
`<C-v>`	Enter visual block mode
`ggVG`	Select all text
`>` / `<`	Shift text right/left

{.shortcuts}

Macros

-	-
`qi`	Record macro `i`
`q`	Stop recording macro
`@i`	Run macro `i`
`7@i`	Run macro `i` 7 times
`@@`	Repeat last macro

{.shortcuts}

You can save macro for any letters not just i

#Vim Operators

Usage

Shortcut	Description
`d`	w
Operator	Motion

Combine operators with motions to use them

Available Operators

Shortcut	Description
`d`	Delete
`y`	Yank (copy)
`c`	Change (delete then insert)
`p`	Paste
`=`	Formats code
`g~`	Toggle case
`gU`	Uppercase
`gu`	Lowercase
`>`	Indent right
`<`	Indent left
`!`	Filter through external program

Examples

Combination	Description
`d`d	Delete current line
`d`j	Delete two lines
`d`w	Delete to next word
`d`b	Delete to beginning of word
`d`fa	Delete until `a` char
`d`/hello	Delete until `hello`
`c`c	Change current line, synonym with `S`
`y`y	Copy current line
`>`j	Indent 2 lines
gg`d`G	Delete a complete document
gg`=`G	Indent a complete document
gg`y`G	Copy a whole document

{.show-header}

Counts

[count] <operator> <motion>
<operator> [count] <motion>

Combination	Description
2`d`d	Delete `2` lines
6`y`y	Copy `6` lines
`d`3w	Delete `3` words
`d`5j	Delete `5` lines downwards
`>`4k	Indent `4` lines upwards

#Vim Text objects

Usage

Shortcut	Description	-
`v`	i / a	p
Operator	inner / around	Text object

Operate with an operator inner or around text blocks

Text objects

Shortcut	Description
p	Paragraph
w	Word
W	WORD (surrounded by whitespace)
s	Sentence
[ ( { <	A , (), or {} block
] ) } >	A , (), or {} block
' " `	A quoted string
b	A block [(
B	A block in [{
t	A HTML tag block

See :help text-objects

Delete

Shortcut	Description
`d`iw	Delete inner word
`d`is	Delete inner sentence
`d`i"	Delete in quotes
`d`a"	Delete in quotes (including quotes)
`d`ip	Delete a paragraph

Selections

Misc

Shortcut	Description
`c`iw	Change inner word
`c`i"	Change inner quotes
`c`it	Change inner tags (HTML)
`c`ip	Change inner paragraph
`y`ip	Yank inner paragraph
`y`ap	Yank paragraph (including newline)

-	-
`:e file`	Edit a file in a new buffer
`:bn`	Go to the next buffer
`:bp`	Go to the previous buffer
`:bd`	Remove file from buffer list
`:b 5`	Open buffer #5
`:b file`	Go to a buffer by file
`:ls`	List all open buffers
`:sp file`	Open and split window
`:vs file`	Open and vertically split window
`:hid`	Hide this buffer
`:wn`	Write file and move to next
`:tab ba`	Edit all buffers as tabs

-	-
`<C-w>` `s`	Split window
`<C-w>` `v`	Split window vertically
`<C-w>` `w`	Switch windows
`<C-w>` `q`	Quit a window
`<C-w>` `T`	Break out into a new tab
`<C-w>` `x`	Swap current with next
`<C-w>` `-` / `+`	Decrease/Increase height
`<C-w>` `<` / `>`	Decrease/Increase width
`<C-w>` `\|`	Max out the width
`<C-w>` `_`	Max out the height
`<C-w>` `=`	Equally high and wide
`<C-w>` `h` / `l`	Go to the left/right window
`<C-w>` `j` / `k`	Go to the up/down window

Shortcut	Description
`:tabe [file]`	Edit file in a new tab
`:tabf [file]`	Open if exists in new tab
`:tabc`	Close current tab
`:tabo`	Close other tabs
`:tabs`	List all tabs
`:tabr`	Go to first tab
`:tabl`	Go to last tab
`:tabm 0`	Move to position `0`
`:tabn`	Go to next tab
`:tabp`	Go to previous tab

Shortcut	Description
`gt`	Go to next tab
`gT`	Go to previous tab
`2gt`	Go to tab number `2`

#Vim Search and Replace

-	-
`/foo`	Search forward
`/foo\c`	Search forward (case insensitive)
`?foo`	Search backward
`/\v\d+`	Search with regex
`n`	Next matching search pattern
`N`	Previous match
`*`	Search for current word forward
`#`	Search for current word backward

{.shortcuts}

Replace LINE

:[range]s/{pattern}/{str}/[flags]


`:s/old/new`	Replace first
`:s/old/new/g`	Replace all
`:s/\vold/new/g`	Replace all with regex
`:s/old/new/gc`	replace all (Confirm)
`:s/old/new/i`	Ignore case replace first
`:2,6s/old/new/g`	Replace between lines `2`-`6`

Replace FILE

:%s/{pattern}/{str}/[flags]


`:%s/old/new`	Replace first
`:%s/old/new/g`	Replace all
`:%s/old/new/gc`	Replace all (Confirm)
`:%s/old/new/gi`	Replace all (ignore case)
`:%s/\vold/new/g`	Replace all with regex

Ranges

-	-
`%`	Entire file
`’<,’>`	Current selection
`5`	Line `5`
`5,10`	Lines `5` to `10`
`$`	Last line
`2,$`	Lines `2` to Last
`.`	Current line
`,3`	Next `3` lines
`-3,`	Forward `3` lines

Global command

:[range]g/{pattern}/[command]


`:g/foo/d`	Delete lines containing `foo`
`:g!/foo/d`	Delete lines not containing `foo`
`:g/^\s*$/d`	Delete all blank lines
`:g/foo/t$`	Copy lines containing `foo` to EOF
`:g/foo/m$`	Move lines containing `foo` to EOF
`:g/^/m0`	Reverse a file
`:g/^/t.`	Duplicate every line

Inverse :g

:[range]v/{pattern}/[command]


`:v/foo/d`	Delete lines not containing `foo` (also `:g!/foo/d`)

Flags

-	-
`g`	Replace all occurrences
`i`	Ignore case
`I`	Don't ignore case
`c`	Confirm each substitution

Substitute expression (magic)

-	-
`&` \| `\0`	Replace with the whole matched
`\1`...`\9`	Replace with the group 0-9
`\u`	Uppercase next letter
`\U`	Uppercase following characters
`\l`	Lowercase next letter
`\L`	Lowercase following characters
`\e`	End of `\u`, `\U`, `\l` and `\L`
`\E`	End of `\u`, `\U`, `\l` and `\L`

Examples

:s/a\|b/xxx\0xxx/g               # Modifies "a b"      to "xxxaxxx xxxbxxx"
:s/test/\U& file/                # Modifies "test"     to "TEST FILE"
:s/\(test\)/\U\1\e file/         # Modifies "test"     to "TEST file"
:s/\v([abc])([efg])/\2\1/g       # Modifies "af fa bg" to "fa fa gb"
:s/\v\w+/\u\0/g                  # Modifies "bla bla"  to "Bla Bla"
:s/\v([ab])|([cd])/\1x/g         # Modifies "a b c d"  to "ax bx x x"
:%s/.*/\L&/                      # Modifies "HTML"     to "html"
:s/\v<(.)(\w*)/\u\1\L\2/g        # Make every first letter of a word uppercase
:%s/^\(.*\)\n\1/\1/              # Remove duplicate lines
:%s/<\/\=\(\w\+\)\>/\U&/g        # Convert HTML-Tags to uppercase
:g/^pattern/s/$/mytext           # Find and append text to the end
:g/pattern/norm! @i              # Run a macro on matching lines
/^\(.*\)\(\r\?\n\1\)\+$          # View the duplicates lines
/\v^(.*)(\r?\n\1)+$              # View the duplicates lines (very magic)
:v/./,/./-j                      # Compress blank lines into a blank line
:g/<p1>/,/<p2>/d                 # Delete inclusively from <p1> to <p2>

Shortcut	Description
`do` / `:diffget`	Obtain (get) difference
`dp` / `:diffput`	Put difference
`:dif`	Re-scan differences
`:diffo`	Switch off diff mode
`:1,$+1diffget`	Get all differences
`ZQ`	Quit without changes

Shortcut	Description
`zo` / `zO`	Open
`zc` / `zC`	Close
`za` / `zA`	Toggle
`zv`	Open folds for this line
`zM`	Close all
`zR`	Open all
`zm`	Fold more (foldlevel += 1)
`zr`	Fold less (foldlevel -= 1)
`zx`	Update folds

Shortcut	Description
`]c`	Next difference
`[c`	Previous difference

Shortcut	Description
`:copen`	Open the quickfix window
`:cclose`	Close the quickfix window
`:cnext`	Go to the next error/location (`:cn` also works)
`:cprevious`	Go to the previous error/location (`:cp` also works)
`:clist`	List all errors/locations in the list
`:cf [file]`	Populate the list with errors from a file (e.g., a compiler log)

The :cdo (quickfix do) and :cfdo (quickfix file do) commands execute a command in every file listed in the quickfix list. :cdo iterates over every location in the list, while :cfdo iterates over every unique file in the list.

Command	Description
`:cdo [cmd]`	Execute `[cmd]` for every location in the quickfix list.
`:cfdo [cmd]`	Execute `[cmd]` for every unique file in the quickfix list.

#Miscellaneous

Case

Shortcut	Description
`vU`	Uppercase character
`vu`	Lowercase character
`~`	Toggle case character
`viw` `U`	Uppercase word
`viw` `u`	Lowercase word
`viw` `~`	Toggle case word
`VU` / `gUU`	Uppercase line
`Vu` / `guu`	Lowercase line
`V~` / `g~~`	Toggle case line
`gggUG`	Uppercase all text
`ggguG`	Lowercase all text
`ggg~G`	Toggle case all text

{.shortcuts}

Jumping

Shortcut	Description
`<C-o>`	Go back to previous
`<C-i>`	Go forward
`gf`	Go to file in cursor
`ga`	Display hex, ascii value

{.shortcuts}

Misc command-lines

-	-
`:h`	Help open help view
`:edit!`	Reload current file
`:2,8m0`	Move lines `2`-`8` to `0`
`:noh`	Clear search highlights
`:sort`	Sort lines
`:ter`	Open a terminal window
`:set paste`	Enable Insert Paste sub-mode
`:set nopaste`	disable Insert Paste sub-mode
`:cq`	Exiting with an error (aborting Git)

Navigating

Shortcut	Description
`%`	Nearest/matching `{[()]}`
`[(` \| `[{`	Previous `(` or `{`
`])` \| `]{`	Next `)` or `}`
`[m`	Previous method start
`[M`	Previous method end

{.shortcuts}

Counters

Shortcut	Description
`<C-a>`	Increase number
`<C-x>`	Decrease number

{.shortcuts}

Shortcut	Description
`:tag Classname`	Jump to first definition of Classname
`<C-]>`	Jump to definition
`g]`	See all definitions
`<C-t>`	Go back to last tag
`<C-o> <C-i>`	Back/forward
`:tselect Classname`	Find definitions of Classname
`:tjump Classname`	Find definitions of Classname (auto-select 1st)

-	-
`:ce 8`	Center lines between `8` columns
`:ri 4`	Right-align lines at `4` columns
`:le`	Left-align lines

Shortcut	Description
`^	Last position of cursor in insert mode
`.	Last change in current buffer
`"	Last exited current buffer
`0	In last file edited
`''`	Back to line in current buffer where jumped from
``	Back to position in current buffer where jumped from
`[	To beginning of previously changed or yanked text
`]	To end of previously changed or yanked text
`<	To beginning of last visual selection
`>	To end of last visual selection
`ma`	Mark this cursor position as `a`
`a	Jump to the cursor position `a`
`'a`	Jump to the beginning of the line with position `a`
`d'a`	Delete from current line to line of mark `a`
d`a	Delete from current position to position of mark `a`
`c'a`	Change text from current line to line of `a`
y`a	Yank text from current position to position of `a`
`:marks`	List all current marks
`:delm a`	Delete mark `a`
`:delm a-d`	Delete marks `a`, `b`, `c`, `d`
`:delm abc`	Delete marks `a`, `b`, `c`

Shortcut	Description
`<C-r>` `=` 7*7	Shows the result
`<C-r>` `=` 10/2	Shows the result

-	-
`:!<shell>`	Interpret Shell Command
`:r!<shell>`	Read in output of shell
`:r!date`	Insert date
`:!!date`	Replace current line with date

Shortcut	Description
`<C-r><C-w>`	Insert current word into the command line
`<C-r>"`	Paste from " register
`<C-x><C-f>`	Auto-completion of path in insert mode

#Also see

Devhints (devhints.io)
Vim cheatsheet (vim.rotrr.com)
Vim documentation (vimdoc.sourceforge.net)
Interactive Vim tutorial (openvim.com)

Vim CHEAT SHEET

#Getting Started

Left-right motions

Up-down motions

Words{.left-text}

Line

Character

Document

Window

In visual mode

#Vim Operators

#Vim Text objects

#Vim Multiple files

Normal mode

#Vim Search and Replace

#Vimdiff

#Quickfix List (Advanced)

#Miscellaneous

#Also see