How do I use marks inside a macro to return to a specific position?
qama{edits}'aq
How it works When a macro needs to jump to different parts of the file and then return to a starting position, marks are the perfect tool.
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How do I increment and decrement dates, times, and other structured sequences in Vim?
<C-a> / <C-x> (vim-speeddating)
vim-speeddating (by Tim Pope) extends Vim's built-in and increment/decrement operators to understand dates, times, roman numerals, and other ordered sequences.
How do I run a normal mode command on every line matching a pattern?
:g/pattern/normal {cmd}
Combining :global with :normal lets you run any normal-mode keystrokes on every line that matches a pattern.
How do I create an incrementing number sequence from identical numbers in Vim?
g<C-a> in visual mode
When you have multiple lines with the same number and want to turn them into a sequence (1, 2, 3.
How do I inspect what key sequences are stored in a macro register?
:echo strtrans(@q)
When a macro behaves unexpectedly, :echo strtrans(@q) reveals exactly what is stored in register q—including invisible control characters—as human-readable
How do I create text abbreviations that auto-expand while typing in Vim?
:iabbrev {abbr} {expansion}
How it works The :iabbrev command creates abbreviations that automatically expand when you type them in insert mode.
How do I call one macro from inside another macro in Vim?
When recording a macro, you can execute another macro inside it by pressing @b (or any register) during the recording.
How do I append text at the end of multiple lines using visual block?
<C-v>jj$A
Combining visual block mode with $ and A lets you append text at the end of multiple lines, even when the lines have different lengths.
How do I center or right-align text to a specific width in Vim?
:center 80
Vim has built-in text alignment commands that adjust lines relative to a specified width.
How do I open a file in a new tab in Vim?
:tabedit
Vim's tab pages let you keep separate window layouts open at the same time, each with its own set of splits.
How do I switch to a specific buffer by number?
:b {number}
The :b command followed by a buffer number switches directly to that buffer.
How do I set the maximum line width for automatic text wrapping?
:set textwidth=80
The textwidth option sets the maximum width for text.
How do I move forward or backward by sentence in Vim?
) and (
The ) and ( motions move by sentence boundaries.
How do I delete text and save it to a specific named register?
"add
How it works When you delete text in Vim with commands like dd, dw, or x, the deleted text goes into the unnamed register and the numbered registers (1-9).
How do I define or modify a macro directly as a string without recording it?
:let @q='commands'
Macros in Vim are stored in registers as plain text.
How do I append text to a register instead of replacing it?
"Ayy
The "Ayy command appends the current line to register a instead of overwriting it.
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 repeat the last change in Vim?
.
The .
How do I match a pattern only when it is preceded or followed by another pattern, without including that context in the match?
\@=
Vim's regex engine supports zero-width lookahead and lookbehind assertions using the \@ family of atoms.
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.