How do I clear or empty a macro register in Vim?
qaq
How it works To clear a macro register, you simply start recording into that register and immediately stop.
Search: i{ a{
2125 results for "i{ a{"
How do I join all lines in a file into one, or use a custom separator when joining?
:%s/\n/ /g
Using \n in the pattern of :substitute matches the newline character at the end of each line, letting you join lines with any separator you choose — something
How do I preserve the last full-line deletion before register 1 is overwritten?
:let @a=@1
When you delete full lines repeatedly, Vim rotates those deletions through numbered registers.
How do I break a line at the cursor position without entering Insert mode?
r<CR>
You can split a line at the cursor without entering Insert mode by using r.
How do I restrict a Vim search to match only within a specific range of line numbers?
/\%>5l\%<10l pattern
Vim's \%>{lnum}l and \%5l — matches only at positions after line 5 (i.
How do I make a buffer completely read-only and unmodifiable?
:setlocal nomodifiable
While :set readonly prevents accidental writes, nomodifiable goes further by preventing any changes to the buffer contents entirely.
buffers-windows #buffers-windows #readonly #modifiable #protection
How do I read a single keystroke from the user inside a Vimscript mapping or function?
getchar()
getchar() blocks and waits for the user to press a key, returning its numeric character code.
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 right-justify a line of text to a specific width using a built-in Vim command?
:right
Vim has three built-in Ex commands for text alignment that most users never discover: :right [width] right-justifies lines, :left [width] left-justifies (strips
How do I collapse multiple consecutive blank lines into a single blank line throughout a file?
:g/^$/,/./-j
The command :g/^$/,/.
How do I execute buffer text as a macro dynamically?
:let @a=getline('.')<CR>@a
How it works Instead of recording keystrokes interactively, you can write a sequence of Vim commands as plain text in your buffer and then execute that text as
How do I swap two adjacent words on a line using a substitute command in Vim?
:s/\v(\w+)\s+(\w+)/\2 \1/
By using capture groups in a substitute command with very magic mode (\v), you can swap two adjacent words in a single operation.
How do I open the current file in a preview window at a specific pattern?
:pedit +/TODO %
When you need a second read-only view of the same file, opening more normal splits can disrupt your working layout.
How do I open the file under the cursor and jump to a specific line?
gF
The gF command opens the file under the cursor and jumps to the line number that appears after the filename.
How do I delete all lines matching a pattern?
:g/pattern/d
The :g/pattern/d command deletes every line in the file that matches the given pattern.
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.
How do I execute the contents of a register as an Ex command?
:@a
How it works The command :@a executes the contents of register a as an Ex command.
How do I right-align a block of text to a specific column width using an Ex command?
:[range]right {width}
Vim has built-in Ex commands for text alignment — :right, :left, and :center — that work over any line range without plugins.
command-line #formatting #indentation #command-line #ex-commands
How do I capitalize the first letter of every word in a file using a substitute command?
:%s/\w\+/\u&/g
Vim's substitute command supports case-conversion modifiers in the replacement string.
How do I use a named mark as a motion target for operators like delete, yank, or indent in Vim?
d'a
Named marks are not just jump destinations — they serve as motion targets for any operator.
navigation #navigation #marks #editing #motions #normal-mode