Search Vim Tricks
Searching...:%!{command}
The ! filter command in Vim sends a range of lines to an external program as standard input, then replaces those lines with the program's standard output.
:helpgrep {pattern}
:helpgrep searches the full text of every Vim help file for a pattern and loads all matches into the quickfix list.
zl and zh
When a line is longer than the window width and wrap is off, Vim can display only part of it.
:set linebreak
By default, when wrap is enabled, Vim wraps long lines at the window edge — which can split words in the middle.
:put ={expression}
The :put command inserts the contents of a register as a new line below the cursor.
:let @q = '{keystrokes}'
You can assign a string directly to any register using :let @{reg} = '.
:vertical diffsplit {file}
Vim has a built-in diff mode that highlights added, removed, and changed lines between two (or more) buffers.
-
vim-vinegar is a lightweight plugin by Tim Pope that enhances Vim's built-in file browser (netrw) with a simpler, more intuitive workflow.
va"
Vim's text objects let you select structured regions of text with two-keystroke shortcuts.
:ALEFix
ALE (Asynchronous Lint Engine) is a popular Vim plugin that runs linters and formatters asynchronously in the background, showing errors and warnings in the gut
autocmd FileType python setlocal expandtab shiftwidth=4
Vim's autocmd FileType lets you apply settings automatically whenever a specific file type is detected.
r<CR>
You can split a line at the cursor without entering Insert mode by using r.
gM
The gM command moves the cursor to the horizontal middle of the current line, regardless of how long the line is.
:%normal @q
To apply a macro to every line in the file, use :%normal @q.
:cnext
The quickfix list is Vim's built-in way to collect a list of positions — typically compiler errors, grep results, or linter warnings — and jump between them
<C-r>:
Vim stores your last executed Ex command in the read-only : register.
//
In Vim, pressing // (two forward slashes) in Normal mode repeats the last search pattern.
:saveas
The :saveas {filename} command writes the current buffer to a new file and makes that new file the current buffer's file.
vas
The vas command visually selects the current sentence, including surrounding whitespace.
cr
The vim-abolish plugin (by tpope) provides a cr (coerce) operator that converts the word under the cursor between naming conventions with a single keystroke pai
