How do I use relative line offsets in Ex commands to target lines near the cursor?
:.+1,.+3d
Vim's Ex command addresses support arithmetic offsets relative to the current line (.
command-line #ex-commands #editing #navigation #command-line
All Vim Tricks
How do I reverse the order of all lines in a file using Vim?
:g/^/m 0
This clever use of the :global command reverses every line in the current buffer.
command-line #editing #ex-commands #global #text-manipulation
How do I open a terminal in the current window instead of a new split?
:terminal ++curwin
By default, :terminal opens a new split window for the terminal emulator.
buffers-windows #terminal #buffers #windows #shell #ex-commands
How do I set different Vim options for specific programming languages?
autocmd FileType python setlocal ts=4 sw=4 et
Using autocmd FileType, you can configure Vim to automatically apply buffer-local settings whenever a file of a particular type is opened.
How do I transfer diff hunks between files in Vim's diff mode?
dp and do
When comparing two files side by side in Vim's diff mode (:diffsplit or vim -d file1 file2), you often want to accept or push individual changes between the fil
How do I reformat a paragraph or visual selection to fit a specific line width?
gq
The gq operator reformats text to fit within your configured textwidth.
How do I list all lines matching a pattern across the current file and its includes?
:ilist /pattern/
The :ilist command searches for a pattern not only in the current buffer but also in files referenced by #include directives (or whatever 'include' is set to).
How do I indent or dedent the current line without leaving insert mode?
<C-t> and <C-d>
When you're typing in insert mode and realize the current line needs more or less indentation, you don't have to leave insert mode to fix it.
How do I return to normal mode from absolutely any mode in Vim?
<C-\><C-n>
While works to leave insert or visual mode, it does not work in every situation — particularly in terminal mode (:terminal), where is consumed by the running
How do I create custom folds to collapse specific sections of code?
zf{motion}
Vim supports several fold methods, but manual folding with zf gives you precise control over exactly which lines to collapse.
How do I fix broken or incorrect syntax highlighting in Vim?
:syntax sync fromstart
Vim's syntax highlighting engine does not always parse the entire file from the beginning — it uses sync points to determine where to start parsing for the vi
How do I get a detailed word, character, and byte count in Vim?
g<C-g>
While shows basic file info (filename, line count, position), g provides a much more detailed statistical breakdown of your file or visual selection.
How do I run commands without polluting the jump list?
:keepjumps
When writing scripts or running commands that move the cursor (like :g, :s, or :normal), Vim normally adds each cursor position to the jump list.
How do I populate the quickfix list from any shell command?
:cexpr system('grep -rn pattern .')
While :make and :grep populate the quickfix list, they are limited to their configured programs.
How do I make a macro repeat itself until it fails?
qaq qa...@aq @a
A recursive macro calls itself at the end of its recording, causing it to repeat indefinitely until a command inside it fails (like a search hitting the end of
How do I run commands without disturbing my marks?
:lockmarks
Many Ex commands silently adjust or delete marks as a side effect of modifying buffer content.
How do I create a custom operator that works with motions and text objects?
:set operatorfunc=MyFunc<CR>g@
Vim lets you define custom operators that behave like built-in ones (d, c, y) — they wait for a motion or text object, then act on the selected region.
How do I profile Vimscript functions to find what is slowing down Vim at runtime?
:profile start profile.log | profile func *
When Vim feels sluggish during editing—not just at startup—you need runtime profiling to pinpoint which functions are consuming the most time.
config #profiling #debugging #config #ex-commands #performance
How do I execute a single normal mode command without leaving insert mode?
<C-o> (in insert mode)
Pressing while in insert mode drops you into a special "insert-normal" mode where you can execute exactly one normal mode command, then immediately return to in
How do I list only modified or active buffers in Vim?
:ls +
The :ls command (or :buffers) supports filter flags that narrow the buffer list to specific states.