What is the difference between :norm and :norm! when running normal commands from the command line?

Explanation

Both :norm and :norm! execute a sequence of Normal mode keystrokes from the command line or a script, but they differ in how they handle user-defined mappings. :norm respects your custom key mappings, while :norm! bypasses them entirely and uses Vim's built-in behavior. This distinction is subtle but critical when writing scripts or using :norm inside :g commands.

How it works

• :norm {keys} — plays back {keys} in Normal mode, running any user-defined mapping that matches
• :norm! {keys} — plays back {keys} in Normal mode, ignoring all mappings and using only built-in key behavior

This is analogous to map vs noremap: :norm is like calling a mapped key, :norm! is like using a non-recursive binding.

Example

Suppose your vimrc contains:

nnoremap w j

With this mapping, w moves down a line instead of jumping forward a word.

:norm w     " runs the mapping → moves cursor down one line
:norm! w    " ignores mapping → moves cursor forward one word (built-in)

In a global command this matters:

:g/TODO/norm dd    " deletes line, but 'dd' could be remapped
:g/TODO/norm! dd   " always deletes line using built-in dd

Tips

• In plugin code, always prefer :norm! to avoid breaking users who have remapped common keys
• Use :norm (without !) only when you deliberately want the user's mappings to apply, for example when automating user-facing workflows
• Both forms require the keys to be specified without a trailing <CR> unless you explicitly want to press Enter as part of the sequence