How do I generate multiple lines of text using a Vimscript for loop from the command line?

Explanation

Vimscript's for loop is available directly from Vim's command line and can be used to generate repetitive or parameterized text without a macro or external script. Combined with :put =expression, this technique inserts dynamically computed lines into the buffer instantly.

How it works

• :for i in range(start, end) — iterates over a sequence of integers
• | put ='expression' — inserts the evaluated expression as a new line below the cursor
• | endfor — closes the loop; all three statements are joined with | for single-line execution

The range(start, end) function produces [start, start+1, ..., end]. An optional third argument sets the step: range(0, 10, 2).

Example

Generate a numbered list:

:for i in range(1,5) | put ='  '.i.'. Item '.i | endfor

Produces (inserted below the current line):

  1. Item 1
  2. Item 2
  3. Item 3
  4. Item 4
  5. Item 5

Generate HTML <li> elements:

:for i in range(1,4) | put ='<li>Entry '.i.'</li>' | endfor

Tips

• Use put! instead of put to insert lines above the current line
• Generate a sequence of letters: nr2char(64 + i) converts integers to uppercase letters (A=65)
• Compute values inline: :for i in range(1,5) | put =(i * i) | endfor inserts squares 1, 4, 9, 16, 25
• Use map() for transformations over a list: :put =map(range(1,5), '"item_".v:val')
• Chain with execute to run arbitrary commands per iteration