How do I run a shell command on a range of lines in normal mode and replace them with the output?

Q: How do I run a shell command on a range of lines in normal mode and replace them with the output?

`!{motion}{cmd} ` In normal mode, `!{motion}` sends the lines covered by the motion to a shell command's stdin and replaces them with stdout. Combined with `!!{cmd} ` (which targets just the current line), this lets you apply any Unix filter to any portion of your buffer as a direct text transformation—no visual selection required. ## How it works ```vim !{motion}{command} ``` - `!` triggers the filter operator — Vim prompts for a shell command - `{motion}` defines the range (e.g., `ip` for inner paragraph, `G` for to end of file, `5j` for 5 lines down) - `{command}` is any shell program that reads stdin and writes stdout - ` ` confirms and runs the filter `!!{command} ` is the shorthand that filters only the current line. ## Example Sort a list in place. Place the cursor inside an unordered list and run: ```vim !ipsort ``` Before: ```text banana apple cherry ``` After: ```text apple banana cherry ``` Or right-align a column of numbers with `awk` on the current line: ```vim !!awk '{printf "%10s\n", $0}' ``` ## Tips - `!Gsort ` sorts everything from the cursor to end of file - `!ipcolumn -t ` aligns tabular data in the inner paragraph - Chain filters with pipes: `!ipsort | uniq ` - The entire filtered region is one undoable action — press `u` to restore the original - For visual selection filtering use `!{cmd} ` after making a visual selection; Vim pre-fills `:' !`

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`!{motion}{cmd}` In normal mode, `!{motion}` sends the lines covered by the motion to a shell command's stdin and replaces them with stdout. Combined with `!!{cmd}` (which targets just the current line), this lets you apply any Unix filter to any portion of your buffer as a direct text transformation—no visual selection required. ## How it works ```vim !{motion}{command} ``` - `!` triggers the filter operator — Vim prompts for a shell command - `{motion}` defines the range (e.g., `ip` for inner paragraph, `G` for to end of file, `5j` for 5 lines down) - `{command}` is any shell program that reads stdin and writes stdout - `` confirms and runs the filter `!!{command}` is the shorthand that filters only the current line. ## Example Sort a list in place. Place the cursor inside an unordered list and run: ```vim !ipsort ``` Before: ```text banana apple cherry ``` After: ```text apple banana cherry ``` Or right-align a column of numbers with `awk` on the current line: ```vim !!awk '{printf "%10s ", $0}' ``` ## Tips - `!Gsort` sorts everything from the cursor to end of file - `!ipcolumn -t` aligns tabular data in the inner paragraph - Chain filters with pipes: `!ipsort | uniq` - The entire filtered region is one undoable action — press `u` to restore the original - For visual selection filtering use `!{cmd}` after making a visual selection; Vim pre-fills `:'<,'>!`

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