What is the difference between cw and ciw when changing a word?
cw vs ciw
The cw and ciw commands both change a word, but they behave differently depending on cursor position.
editing #editing #text-objects #motions #normal-mode #productivity
Search: ciw
21 results for "ciw"
How do I replace a word under the cursor?
ciw
The ciw command deletes the inner word under the cursor and drops you into insert mode so you can type a replacement.
How do I quickly surround a word with quotes, brackets, or parentheses?
ciw""<Esc>P
Vim doesn't have a built-in "surround" operator, but you can wrap any word in quotes or brackets with a short sequence: ciw""P.
editing #editing #text-objects #normal-mode #productivity #surround
How do I make word motions like w, b, and e treat hyphens or other characters as part of a word?
:set iskeyword+=-
By default, Vim treats hyphens, dots, and many punctuation characters as word boundaries.
How do I quickly replace a word and then repeat it elsewhere?
ciw + new text + Esc, then n.
The ciw command followed by new text, combined with and .
How do I combine the dot command with macros for powerful repeat workflows?
qq;.q then @q or @@
The dot command (.
How do I convert a recorded macro into a permanent key mapping?
:let @q then use in nnoremap
Macros are stored in registers as plain keystroke strings.
How do I define or fix a macro using Vimscript instead of re-recording it?
:let @q = 'commands'
Macros in Vim are just text stored in named registers.
How do I change from the cursor to the end of the word?
ce
The ce command changes from the cursor position to the end of the current word.
How do I delete a word under the cursor?
diw
The diw command deletes the inner word under the cursor.
How do I record a macro to wrap each word in quotes?
qaciw"<C-r>""<Esc>wq
This macro wraps the current word in double quotes by changing the word, inserting quotes around the original content, and moving to the next word.
How do I customize what Vim considers a 'word' for motions and text objects?
:setlocal iskeyword+=-
The iskeyword option defines which characters are part of a "word" for motions like w, b, e, , and text objects like iw.
What is the difference between word and WORD motions in Vim?
w vs W, b vs B, e vs E
Vim distinguishes between "words" (sequences of keyword characters) and "WORDS" (sequences of non-blank characters).
How do I repeat the last change in Vim?
.
The .
How do I duplicate a line in Vim?
yyp
The yyp command duplicates the current line by yanking it and immediately pasting it below.
How do I create a macro by typing it out instead of recording it interactively?
:let @q = "dwelp"
Recording macros with q works well for simple sequences, but complex macros with special keys can be hard to get right in one take.
How do I copy the word under the cursor regardless of cursor position within it?
yiw
How it works The command yiw yanks (copies) the inner word under the cursor.
How do I make my macros robust regardless of cursor position?
0 or ^ at start of macro
A common macro pitfall is assuming the cursor starts at a specific column.
How do I delete text without overwriting my yank register?
"_d
The "d command deletes text using the black hole register ("), which discards the deleted content instead of storing it.
How do I manage files and directories as a regular Vim buffer?
oil.nvim: edit directory listing like a buffer
oil.