How do I use count prefixes to amplify motions and operators in Vim?
{count}{motion}
Almost every Vim motion and operator accepts a numeric count prefix that repeats or amplifies the action.
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Searching...What is the difference between 0 and ^ for moving to the beginning of a line?
^ vs 0
Vim has two distinct motions for moving to the start of a line: 0 goes to column 1 (the absolute start), while ^ goes to the first non-blank character.
navigation #navigation #motions #line-navigation #indentation
What is the difference between backtick and apostrophe when jumping to marks?
`a vs 'a
Vim has two ways to jump to marks: backtick (` `) jumps to the exact line AND column, while apostrophe (') jumps to the line only, positioning the cursor at the
How do I jump between method or function definitions in Vim?
[m and ]m
The [m and ]m motions jump to the start of method/function definitions in languages with brace-delimited blocks.
How do I combine the dot command with macros for powerful repeat workflows?
qq;.q then @q or @@
The dot command (.
How do I save and restore macros across Vim sessions?
:wviminfo / :rviminfo
Vim can persist register contents (including macros) across sessions using viminfo (Vim) or shada (Neovim).
How do I create a recursive macro that runs until it encounters an error?
qa...@aq
A recursive macro calls itself at the end of its recording, causing it to repeat until a motion or search fails.
How do I use cgn to repeat a change on every search match?
/pattern<CR>cgnreplacement<Esc>.
The gn text object selects the next search match, and cgn changes it.
How do I repeat or reverse inline character search with f, t, ; and , in Vim?
f{char} ; ,
The f, F, t, and T motions search for a character on the current line.
How do I search across files using the location list instead of quickfix?
:lvimgrep /pattern/ %
While :vimgrep populates the global quickfix list, :lvimgrep uses the window-local location list instead.
How do I create a macro that only acts on lines matching a search pattern?
qa/pattern<CR>dd@aq
By starting a macro with a search command, the macro becomes conditional — it jumps to the next match before acting, and terminates when no more matches are f
How do I debug a macro by stepping through it command by command?
:let g:debug_macro=1 | normal @a
When a macro doesn't work as expected, debugging it step by step is essential.
How do I move a line or selection up or down in Vim?
:move +1 / :move -2
The :move command relocates lines to a specific position without using delete and paste.
How do I append a semicolon to every line in a file using :norm?
:%norm A;
The :%norm command runs normal mode commands on every line in the file (or a range).
How do I reverse the order of lines in a file or selection?
:%!tac
Vim doesn't have a built-in reverse command, but you can pipe the buffer through tac (reverse of cat) to flip line order.
How do I enable persistent undo so undo history survives closing files?
:set undofile undodir=~/.vim/undodir
By default, Vim's undo history is lost when you close a file.
How do I center or right-align text to a specific width in Vim?
:center 80
Vim has built-in text alignment commands that adjust lines relative to a specified width.
How do I select, change, or delete function arguments as text objects?
cia (with targets.vim) or daa
While Vim doesn't have a built-in argument text object, the targets.
How do I insert special Unicode characters using digraphs in Vim?
<C-k>DG
Vim's digraph system lets you insert special characters by pressing followed by a two-character mnemonic code.
How do I insert the result of a calculation directly while typing in insert mode?
<C-r>=2+2<CR>
The expression register (=) in insert mode lets you evaluate any Vimscript expression and insert the result inline.