:earlier {time} / :later {time}
Vim's :earlier and :later commands let you navigate the undo history by wall-clock time rather than by individual undo steps.
editing #editing #undo-redo #ex-commands #advanced #productivity
g- / g+
Vim doesn't have a simple linear undo stack — it maintains a full undo tree with branches.
editing #editing #undo-redo #normal-mode #advanced #productivity
<C-o>{cmd}
Pressing in insert mode lets you execute one normal mode command and then automatically returns you to insert mode.
z=
When spell checking is enabled, the z= command opens a numbered list of spelling suggestions for the misspelled word under the cursor.
editing #editing #spell-check #normal-mode #productivity #prose
R
Replace mode lets you type over existing text one character at a time, like the "Insert" key behavior in traditional editors.
:m+1 / :m-2
The :m (move) command relocates lines to a new position in the file without using registers.
editing #editing #ex-commands #lines #productivity #mappings
zf / zo / zc / za
Vim's folding system lets you collapse blocks of code into a single line, hiding the details so you can focus on the structure.
editing #editing #folding #navigation #normal-mode #productivity
<C-k>{char1}{char2}
Vim has a built-in digraph system that lets you insert hundreds of special characters by typing two-character mnemonics.
editing #editing #insert-mode #special-characters #unicode #productivity
<C-w>
Pressing in insert mode deletes the word before the cursor instantly, without requiring you to switch to normal mode.
:'<,'>s/\n/, /g
Vim's J command joins lines with a single space, but sometimes you need a custom separator like a comma, pipe, or semicolon.
editing #editing #ex-commands #visual-mode #substitution #lines
<C-n> / <C-p>
Vim has a powerful built-in completion system that requires zero plugins.
<C-x><C-l>
The command triggers whole-line completion in insert mode.
dap / dip
The dap and dip commands use Vim's paragraph text objects to delete an entire block of contiguous text in a single motion.
editing #editing #text-objects #normal-mode #delete #motions
di(
The di( command deletes everything inside the nearest pair of parentheses without removing the parentheses themselves.
<C-x><C-f>
The command triggers filename completion in insert mode.
editing #editing #insert-mode #completion #file-management #productivity
cit
The cit command deletes everything between the nearest pair of HTML/XML tags and drops you into insert mode, ready to type the replacement.
ci"
The ci" command deletes everything inside the nearest pair of double quotes and drops you into insert mode, ready to type the replacement.
cis
The cis command deletes the entire sentence under the cursor and drops you into insert mode, ready to type a replacement.
ct{char}
The ct{char} command deletes everything from the cursor up to (but not including) the specified character and drops you into insert mode.
editing #editing #motions #normal-mode #text-objects #productivity
cw vs ciw
The cw and ciw commands both change a word, but they behave differently depending on cursor position.
editing #editing #text-objects #motions #normal-mode #productivity
