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.
Search: G
414 results for "G"
How do I run a substitute command on every file in the quickfix list at once?
:cfdo %s/old/new/ge | update
When you grep across your project and want to perform a search-and-replace on every file that matched, :cfdo is the most efficient approach.
command-line #quickfix #substitute #search #ex-commands #editing
How do I switch to the previous buffer in Vim?
:bprev
The :bprev (or :bp for short) command switches to the previous buffer in Vim's buffer list.
How do I search and replace with confirmation for each match?
:%s/old/new/gc
Adding the c flag to a substitute command makes Vim pause at every match and ask you whether to replace it.
How do I run a Vim command without triggering any autocommands?
:noautocmd write
The :noautocmd modifier (abbreviated :noa) runs any subsequent Ex command while temporarily disabling all autocommand events.
How do I sort selected lines in Vim?
:'<,'>sort
The :'sort command sorts the currently selected lines in visual mode alphabetically.
How do I append text to the end of multiple lines of different lengths?
<C-v>$A
When you need to append text to the end of several lines that have different lengths, visual block mode with $ is the key.
How do I run a substitute command without overwriting my current search pattern?
:keeppatterns
Normally, any command that uses a pattern — including :substitute, :global, and :vimgrep — replaces the current search register @/ with the new pattern.
How do I insert a Unicode character by its codepoint in insert mode?
<C-v>u{hex}
In insert mode, pressing followed by u and a 4-digit hexadecimal codepoint inserts the corresponding Unicode character directly into the buffer.
What are Vim's read-only special registers and how do I use them?
". / "% / ": / "# registers
Vim has four read-only special registers that automatically contain useful contextual information.
registers #registers #special-registers #workflow #productivity
How do I customise Vim's status line to show useful file information?
:set statusline=%f\ %h%m%r%=%-14.(%l,%c%V%)\ %P
Vim's built-in statusline option lets you build a custom status bar that displays exactly the information you want — without any plugin.
How do I evaluate expressions and insert results inline in Vim?
<C-r>=system("date")<CR>
The expression register (=) is one of Vim's most powerful yet underused features.
How do I create a key mapping that behaves differently depending on context?
:nnoremap <expr> j (v:count == 0 ? 'gj' : 'j')
Expression mappings use the flag to evaluate a Vimscript expression at the time the key is pressed.
How do I highlight a pattern in Vim without jumping the cursor to the next match?
:let @/ = 'pattern'
Writing to the @/ register via :let @/ = 'pattern' sets Vim's last-search pattern directly — without performing a search or moving the cursor.
How do I paste text and leave the cursor after the pasted content instead of on it?
gp
The standard p command pastes text after the cursor but leaves the cursor at the beginning of the pasted text.
How do I preview a function or tag definition without leaving my current position?
<C-w>}
How it works The } command opens a preview window showing the tag definition of the word under your cursor.
How do I edit a recorded macro without re-recording it from scratch?
"qp
Macros are stored as plain text in named registers.
How do I align text around a delimiter character using vim-lion?
gl{motion}{char}
vim-lion (by Tom McDonald) adds gl and gL as alignment operators.
How do I use PCRE-style regex in Vim without escaping every special character?
\v
Vim's default regex mode ("magic") requires backslashes before many special characters: \(, \ , \+, \{.
How do I jump to the beginning of the previous word?
b
The b command moves the cursor backward to the beginning of the previous word.