How do I reformat a paragraph to fit a specific line width in Vim?
gqap
The gq operator reformats text by wrapping lines to fit within the textwidth setting.
All Vim Tricks
How do I move all lines matching a pattern to the end of the file in Vim?
:g/pattern/m $
The :g (global) command combined with :m (move) lets you collect all lines matching a pattern and relocate them to a specific position in the file.
command-line #ex-commands #editing #global #search #formatting
How do I match only part of a search pattern in Vim using \zs and \ze?
/\vfoo\zsbar\ze/
Vim's \zs (start of match) and \ze (end of match) atoms let you control which portion of a pattern is treated as the actual match.
How do I do a case-preserving search and replace across different naming conventions?
:%Subvert/old{,s}/new{,s}/g
Tim Pope's vim-abolish plugin provides the :Subvert command (aliased as :S), which performs substitutions that automatically preserve case variants and handle p
plugins #plugins #substitution #editing #ex-commands #search
How do I copy or transfer text between Vim registers?
:let @+ = @"
Vim's :let @{reg} syntax lets you read from one register and write to another.
How do I filter the output of an Ex command to show only matching lines?
:filter /pattern/ command
The :filter command restricts the output of another Ex command to only lines matching a given pattern.
How do I move the cursor to the other end of a Visual selection in Vim?
o (in Visual mode)
When you make a Visual selection in Vim, the cursor sits at one end while the other end is anchored.
How do I match only part of a search pattern in Vim using \zs and \ze?
/pattern\zs.*\ze/
Vim's \zs (start of match) and \ze (end of match) atoms let you define a search pattern but only highlight or operate on a portion of it.
How do I look up documentation for the keyword under the cursor?
K
Pressing K in normal mode runs a lookup program on the word under the cursor.
navigation #navigation #help #documentation #normal-mode #keywordprg
How do I cycle through previously deleted text using numbered registers?
"1p then u then . to cycle
Vim stores your last 9 deletions in numbered registers "1 through "9.
How do I preview a tag definition in a preview window using :ptag?
:ptag function_name
The :ptag command opens a tag definition in a small preview window at the top of the screen, letting you read the definition without losing your place in the cu
buffers-windows #buffers #windows #tags #preview #navigation
How do I automatically equalize window sizes when the terminal is resized?
:autocmd WinResized * wincmd =
When you resize your terminal window, Vim's split layout can become unbalanced.
How do I prevent a split window from being resized by Vim?
:set winfixheight
When you have a specific window you want to keep at a fixed size — like a terminal, log viewer, or reference file — winfixheight and winfixwidth prevent Vim
How do I create a floating window in Neovim?
:lua vim.api.nvim_open_win(0, true, {relative='editor', width=80, height=20, row=5, col=10})
Neovim's floating windows hover above the main layout, creating popup-like UI elements.
How do I preview quickfix entries without leaving the quickfix window?
<C-w>z or :pclose
The preview window shows file contents temporarily without switching your editing context.
buffers-windows #buffers-windows #quickfix #preview #navigation
How do I rotate or swap window positions in Vim?
<C-w>R
Vim provides commands to rotate windows within a row or column, and to swap the current window with another.
How do I progressively expand or contract a visual selection by text objects?
v3aw
In visual mode, repeating text object motions progressively expands the selection.
How do I indent lines multiple times without reselecting in visual mode?
>gv
Normally, pressing > in visual mode indents the selection but exits visual mode, requiring you to press gv to reselect.
How do I yank a visual selection to a specific named register?
"ayv
Using named registers with visual mode lets you store multiple independent snippets simultaneously.
How do I run the same command across all windows, buffers, or tabs?
:windo set wrap
Vim provides iterator commands that execute an Ex command across all windows, buffers, tabs, or argument list files.
buffers-windows #buffers-windows #windo #bufdo #batch-commands