How do I move the current line up or down using an Ex command?

Explanation

The :move (:m) command relocates a line to a new position without cutting and pasting. :m.+1 moves the current line down one line, and :m.-2 moves it up one line. This is faster and more composable than ddp/ddkP because it works on ranges, accepts counts, and can be combined with mappings for a true "move line" experience.

How it works

• :m is the :move command — it moves the addressed line(s) to after the target address
• . refers to the current line
• +1 means "one line below the current position" (so the current line ends up one lower)
• .-2 means "two lines above the current position" — the destination is one above the current line, effectively moving it up

The address arithmetic can feel counterintuitive: to move down by one, the target is +1 (after the next line); to move up by one, the target is .-2 (before the line above).

Example

Before (cursor on "banana"):
  apple
  banana
  cherry

After :m.+1:

  apple
  cherry
  banana

After :m.-2:

  banana
  apple
  cherry

Tips

• Works on ranges: :'<,'>m. moves the visual selection after the current line
• Add convenient mappings: nnoremap <A-j> :m.+1<CR>== and nnoremap <A-k> :m.-2<CR>== — the == re-indents after moving
• :m 0 moves the current line to the very top of the file; :m $ moves it to the bottom