How do I sort lines by a secondary field while ignoring a common leading prefix?
:[range]sort /regex/
The :[range]sort /regex/ command sorts lines while skipping the portion of each line that matches the regex.
Category: command-line
How do I use the filename under the cursor as a value in a Vim mapping or command?
expand('<cfile>')
The expand('') function returns the filename that Vim sees under the cursor — the same file that gf would open.
command-line #command-line #ex-commands #navigation #editing #motions
How do I run an external command asynchronously from Neovim Lua and capture its output?
vim.system({cmd}, {opts}, callback)
vim.
How do I restrict the :global command to operate on only a portion of the file?
:[range]g/pattern/command
The :global command accepts an optional line range prefix that restricts which lines it even considers matching.
How do I write an Ex range where the second address is evaluated relative to the first match instead of the cursor?
/pattern/;+3
In Vim's range notation, a semicolon (;) between two addresses makes the second address relative to the line the first address matched, not to the current curso
How do I join all soft-wrapped lines in each paragraph into a single line?
:g/^./,/^$/join
The :g/^.
command-line #command-line #editing #global #formatting #paragraphs
How do I populate the argument list with a glob pattern to work across multiple files?
:args {pattern}
The :args command sets Vim's argument list to all files matching a glob pattern.
How do I open the directory containing the current file in netrw from within Vim?
:e %:h
The command :e %:h opens netrw (Vim's built-in file browser) in the directory that contains the current file.
command-line #command-line #navigation #buffers #netrw #editing
How do I run a command without triggering any autocommands, such as saving without auto-formatting?
:noautocmd {cmd}
The :noautocmd (abbreviated :noa) prefix suppresses all autocommand events for the duration of the command that follows it.
How do I undo or redo to a specific point in time using time-based undo navigation?
:earlier {time} and :later {time}
Vim's :earlier and :later commands let you navigate the undo history by elapsed time rather than by edit count.
How do I execute Lua code directly from the Neovim command line without writing a script file?
:lua {code}
Neovim's :lua command lets you run arbitrary Lua code inline from the command line.
command-line #command-line #lua #neovim #vimscript #advanced
How do I switch from typing a command to the full command-line window so I can edit it with all normal Vim keys?
<C-f> (from command-line)
When you are already in the middle of typing a command (after pressing :) and realize you need to compose something complex — a long substitution, a multi-pip
How do I save a file with specific line endings in one command without changing the buffer's fileformat setting?
:w ++ff=unix
The ++ff modifier on :w forces the file format used for writing, independently of the buffer's 'fileformat' option.
command-line #ex-commands #formatting #command-line #editing
How do I clear all entries from the quickfix list in Vim?
:cexpr []
After a :grep, :make, or :vimgrep run, the quickfix list fills with results.
command-line #command-line #buffers-windows #quickfix #ex-commands
How do I refer to all files in the argument list at once in an Ex command?
##
The ## special token expands to the names of all files currently in Vim's argument list.
How do I sort lines in Vim without caring about upper or lower case?
:sort i
By default, :sort uses byte-value ordering, which places all uppercase letters before lowercase.
How do I sort lines while ignoring a leading prefix like a key or label?
:sort /pattern/
The :sort /{pattern}/ command sorts lines by their content after the first match of the pattern.
How do I create abbreviations for the Vim command line to fix typos like W and Q?
:cnoreabbrev {lhs} {rhs}
:cnoreabbrev defines a non-recursive command-line abbreviation — like noremap but for Ex commands.
How do I re-open a file in Vim with a specific encoding without restarting?
:e ++enc={encoding}
When Vim auto-detects the wrong character encoding — mojibake where é shows as é is a classic symptom — you can reload the current buffer with a specifi
How do I get just the filename without its path or extension to use in a command?
%:t:r
Vim's % special character expands to the current filename and accepts a chain of colon-delimited modifiers.
command-line #command-line #ex-commands #editing #navigation