How do I set up automatic text expansions that trigger as I type in Insert mode?

Explanation

:iabbrev (Insert-mode abbreviation) defines a short trigger that automatically expands into longer text when you type it followed by a space, Enter, or punctuation. It is Vim's built-in text expansion / snippet system — no plugins required.

How it works

:iabbrev teh the

Now typing teh in Insert mode automatically corrects to the .

Common uses

Typo correction:

:iabbrev teh the
:iabbrev recieve receive
:iabbrev dont don't

Code snippets:

:iabbrev ifmain if __name__ == "__main__":
:iabbrev clog console.log();<Left><Left>

Boilerplate:

:iabbrev myemail user@example.com
:iabbrev mysig Best regards,<CR>John Doe

Types of abbreviations

Managing abbreviations

• :iabbrev (no args) — list all Insert-mode abbreviations
• :iunabbrev {abbr} — remove an abbreviation
• :iabclear — remove all Insert-mode abbreviations

Tips

• Abbreviations expand on word boundaries — teh expands but tehran does not
• Use <C-v> before the trigger character to prevent expansion: type teh<C-v><Space> to keep teh literal
• For multi-line expansions, use <CR> in the expansion text
• :noreabbrev prevents recursive expansion if your abbreviation contains another abbreviation
• Put abbreviations in your ~/.vimrc to make them permanent