How do I run normal mode commands on a range while ignoring custom mappings?

Explanation

The :norm! (or :normal!) command executes normal mode keystrokes while ignoring all user-defined mappings. The ! is critical in scripts and when applying changes to ranges — it ensures the command behaves consistently regardless of what mappings exist in your vimrc. Without it, remapped keys could produce unexpected results.

How it works

• :norm — Executes the following characters as if typed in normal mode.
• ! — The bang forces Vim to use the default key meanings, bypassing all nmap, nnoremap, and plugin mappings.
• :%norm! A; — Appends a semicolon to the end of every line in the file, using the default A behavior regardless of any remapping.

Example

Append semicolons to every line in a file:

Before:
let x = 1
let y = 2
let z = 3

After :%norm! A;
let x = 1;
let y = 2;
let z = 3;

Comment out a range of lines (lines 5-15):

:5,15norm! I// 

Tips

• Always use :norm! (with bang) in scripts and plugin code to avoid depending on user mappings.
• Works with visual selection: select lines, then :norm! applies to each selected line.
• You can chain multiple keystrokes: :norm! 0dwA, deletes the first word and appends a comma on each line.
• The command stops at the first error — use :silent! norm! to continue past lines where the command fails.