How do I capture the output of a Vim command into a register or buffer?

Explanation

The :redir command redirects the output of Ex commands to a register, file, or variable instead of displaying it on the screen. This lets you capture command output and then paste, search, or manipulate it like regular text — turning Vim's informational messages into actionable data.

How it works

• :redir @a starts redirecting all subsequent command output into register a
• Run any Ex commands that produce output (:ls, :marks, :hi, :map, etc.)
• :redir END stops the redirection
• Now "ap pastes the captured output into your buffer

You can redirect to different targets:

:redir @a       " redirect to register a
:redir @+       " redirect to system clipboard
:redir > file   " redirect to a file (overwrite)
:redir >> file  " redirect to a file (append)
:redir => var   " redirect to a Vimscript variable

Example

Capture the output of :marks into register a and paste it:

:redir @a
:marks
:redir END
"ap

Your buffer now contains the full marks listing, which you can search, edit, or save.

Capture all key mappings for documentation:

:redir @m
:map
:redir END
"mp

A modern alternative

Vim 8+ provides execute() which is often simpler for one-off captures:

:put =execute('ls')

This inserts the output of :ls directly into the buffer without the :redir ceremony. You can use it with any command:

:put =execute('marks')
:put =execute('highlight')
:put =execute('version')

Tips

• Use :redir @A (uppercase) to append to register a instead of overwriting it — useful for capturing output from multiple commands
• Always remember to run :redir END when you are done — forgetting it causes all subsequent command output to keep accumulating in the register
• :put =execute('scriptnames') is a quick way to see all loaded scripts in an editable buffer
• Combine with :silent to suppress output from appearing on screen during redirection: :silent map
• Use :redir => g:output to capture into a variable for use in Vimscript functions or conditionals
• The execute() function can be nested inside other expressions: :echo len(split(execute('ls'), "\n")) counts the number of open buffers