How do I configure Vim's command-line completion to first expand to the longest match, then show a list?
set wildmode=longest:list,full
Setting wildmode=longest:list,full gives Vim a completion behavior similar to shells like bash and zsh.
Search: :e!
488 results for ":e!"
How do I run a shell command from inside Vim?
:!command
The :!command syntax lets you execute any shell command directly from within Vim without leaving the editor.
How do I see what keystrokes a macro contains?
:reg a
The :reg a command shows the contents of register a, which reveals the keystrokes stored in the macro.
How do I access the alternate file register?
"# register
The # register contains the name of the alternate file — the previously edited file in the current window.
How do I control which number formats Vim uses when incrementing and decrementing with Ctrl-A and Ctrl-X?
:set nrformats
The nrformats option tells Vim how to interpret numbers when you press (increment) or (decrement).
How do I run commands automatically when certain events occur?
:autocmd Event pattern command
Autocommands let you execute commands automatically in response to events like opening a file, saving, or changing buffers.
How do I record a self-repeating recursive macro that automatically stops when it hits an error?
qa{motions}@aq
A recursive macro is one that calls itself at the end of its own recording.
How do I write a Vim macro that automatically repeats until it fails?
qa{actions}@aq
A recursive macro is one that calls itself as its final action, causing it to repeat indefinitely until any command in the body fails (e.
How do I run a command on every open buffer?
:bufdo command
The :bufdo command executes an Ex command on every buffer in the buffer list.
How do I see the search match count in the statusline?
:set shortmess-=S
The shortmess option controls which messages are shortened.
How do I create a custom Ex command?
:command Name action
The :command command defines a new user Ex command.
How do I move the cursor to a specific column on the current line?
{count}|
The command moves the cursor to a specific screen column on the current line.
How do I chain multiple ex commands together on one line in Vim?
:%s/foo/bar/g | %s/baz/qux/g | w
The (bar) character in Vim's command line acts as a command separator, allowing you to chain multiple ex commands together on a single line.
How do I select text character by character in Vim?
v
The v command enters character-wise visual mode, letting you select text one character at a time.
How do I insert shell command output without leaving the command line?
<C-r>=system('cmd')
In command-line mode, =system('command') evaluates the shell command and inserts its output into the command line.
How do I configure Vim's built-in auto-completion?
:set completeopt=menu,menuone,noselect
The completeopt option controls the behavior of the completion popup menu.
How do I jump to any visible word or character on screen instantly in Vim?
<Leader><Leader>w
The vim-easymotion plugin replaces Vim's default motion commands with a visual overlay system that lets you jump to any visible position on screen in just two o
How do I extend a visual selection to a search match?
v/pattern<CR>
Starting a search while in visual mode extends the selection to the search match.
How do I perform the same operation across multiple files using the argument list?
:args **/*.js | argdo %s/old/new/ge | update
The argument list (arglist) is Vim's mechanism for loading a set of files and running commands across all of them.
command-line #command-line #ex-commands #arglist #productivity #batch #editing
How do I jump directly to a specific line number in Vim?
:<line-number>
When you know the exact line number you want to navigate to, the colon command is the quickest way to get there.