How do I replace a visual selection with yanked text without losing my clipboard?

Explanation

When you paste over a visual selection with p, Vim replaces the selection with the register contents — but it also puts the deleted selection into the unnamed register, overwriting your yank. Using "0p instead always pastes from the yank register, which is never affected by deletes.

The problem

yiw       " Yank 'foo'
viwp      " Select 'bar' and paste 'foo' — but now 'bar' is in your register!
viwp      " You wanted 'foo' again, but you get 'bar' instead

The solution

yiw       " Yank 'foo'
viw"0p    " Select 'bar', paste from yank register — 'foo' replaces it
viw"0p    " Works again! Still pastes 'foo'
viw"0p    " And again!

Why this works

• "0 (register 0) always holds the last yank — it's never overwritten by visual put
• "" (unnamed register) gets the deleted text from the visual put, losing your yank
• By using "0p, you bypass the unnamed register entirely

Useful mapping

Many users add this to their vimrc to make visual paste always use the yank register:

vnoremap p "0p
vnoremap P "0P

Tips

• This is the single most common Vim frustration for users who don't know about "0
• The "0 register is your safe haven — deletes, changes, and visual puts never touch it
• Use :reg 0 to inspect what's in the yank register
• Alternative: use "_dP to delete to the black hole register first, then paste
• For a full understanding, read about Vim's register hierarchy: unnamed, yank, numbered, named