Search Vim Tricks
Searching...\n in search, \r in replacement
Vim uses \n and \r differently depending on whether they appear in a search pattern or a replacement string, and mixing them up is a common source of confusion.
:setfiletype {filetype}
:setfiletype {filetype} sets the filetype option for the current buffer only if it has not already been set.
:set nomodifiable
:set nomodifiable locks a buffer so that no changes can be made at all — not even temporary ones.
:set formatprg=<cmd>
When formatprg is set, the gq operator pipes the selected text through that external program and replaces it with the program's output.
:set {option}&
Append & to any :set command to reset that option to its compiled-in default value — the value Vim shipped with before any vimrc or plugin changed it.
:chistory
Every time you run :grep, :vimgrep, :make, or :cexpr, Vim creates a new quickfix list and pushes the previous one onto a history stack.
buffers-windows #buffers-windows #quickfix #navigation #ex-commands
it and at
Vim provides two built-in text objects for HTML and XML tags: it (inner tag) and at (a tag).
editing #text-objects #editing #visual-mode #html #normal-mode
:{range} normal @{reg}
The :normal command lets you execute Normal mode keystrokes over a range of lines.
:set wildmode=list:longest
Vim's wildmode option controls how the command line behaves when you press to complete filenames, buffer names, or Ex commands.
:Gdiffsplit HEAD~1
vim-fugitive's :Gdiffsplit opens a vertical split showing the current file diff against any git revision — not just HEAD.
%:e
Vim exposes the current filename as % in Ex commands, and you can apply modifiers to extract specific parts of the path.
:let @a .= "text"
Vim registers are just strings, and you can read and write them directly using the :let command.
]n
During a git merge, Vim can navigate directly between conflict markers (>>>>>>) using ]n and [n.
zG
zG marks the word under the cursor as correctly spelled in Vim's internal word list, which exists only for the current session.
:set exrc secure
Adding set exrc to your vimrc tells Vim to read a .
:diffoff!
The :diffoff! command exits diff mode in every window simultaneously.
searchcount()
The searchcount() function returns a dictionary containing the current search state: which match the cursor is on, how many total matches exist, and whether the
:Telescope resume
The :Telescope resume command reopens the most recent Telescope picker, restoring the exact query string, filtered results, and cursor position from the last ti
:sfind {file}
:sfind (split-find) searches Vim's path setting for a file matching the given name and opens it in a new horizontal split, all in one command.
<C-w>t and <C-w>b
When managing multiple splits, t jumps to the top-left window and b jumps to the bottom-right window.
