How do I make Vim highlight matching brackets when typing?
:set showmatch
How it works The :set showmatch option makes Vim briefly jump the cursor to the matching opening bracket when you type a closing bracket.
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How do I view the list of positions where I made edits in Vim?
:changes
How it works Vim maintains a change list that records the position of every change you make to a buffer.
How do I search for text I just yanked using the register?
/<C-r>0
How it works After yanking text, you can use it directly as a search pattern by inserting the yank register contents into the search prompt.
How do I jump back to my previous cursor position?
<C-o>
The (Ctrl+o) command jumps the cursor backward through the jump list, returning you to previous cursor positions.
How do I yank and paste a vertical block of text using blockwise registers?
<C-v>jj"ay then "ap
How it works Vim registers remember not just the text content but also the type of selection that was used to yank it: characterwise, linewise, or blockwise.
How do I stop Vim from creating backup and swap files in my project directories?
:set backupdir=~/.vim/backup// directory=~/.vim/swap//
How it works By default, Vim creates backup files (ending in ~) and swap files (ending in .
How do I jump back to where I last made an edit?
g; / g,
The g; and g, commands let you navigate Vim's changelist — a per-buffer history of every position where you made a change.
navigation #navigation #changelist #editing #normal-mode #marks
How do I run a macro until it can no longer proceed without specifying an exact count?
100@a
When you give a large count to a macro — such as 100@a — Vim automatically stops replaying the macro as soon as any step inside it fails.
How do I search for text only within a visual selection?
/\%Vpattern
The \%V atom restricts a search pattern to only match inside the most recent visual selection.
How do I prevent a macro from stopping when a command fails?
Use :s/pat/rep/e flag or :silent! prefix
By default, Vim macros abort on the first error — a failed search, a substitute with no matches, or a movement that can't be performed.
How do I jump between folds in Vim without opening them?
zj and zk
How it works When working with folded code in Vim, you often want to skip from one fold to another without unfolding anything.
How do I configure Vim's built-in file explorer netrw to look like a sidebar?
let g:netrw_liststyle=3 and let g:netrw_banner=0
How it works Vim ships with a built-in file explorer called netrw that you can access with :Explore (or :Ex).
How do I run a macro on every line in a visual selection?
:'<,'>normal @a
The :'normal @a command executes the macro stored in register a on every line within the current visual selection.
How do I move the current line up or down without cutting and pasting?
:m+1 / :m-2
The :m (move) command relocates lines to a new position in the file without using registers.
editing #editing #ex-commands #lines #productivity #mappings
How do I paste the current filename into the buffer?
"%p
The % register in Vim always contains the name of the current file.
registers #registers #editing #insert-mode #productivity #filename
How do I use capture groups to rearrange text in a Vim substitute command?
:%s/\(pattern1\)\(pattern2\)/\2\1/g
Vim's substitute command supports capture groups that let you match parts of text, remember them, and rearrange or reuse them in the replacement.
How do I use a counter variable inside a Vim macro?
:let i=1 then use <C-r>=i<CR> in macro
By combining a Vimscript variable with the expression register inside a macro, you can create a counter that increments on each replay.
How do I insert the output of a shell command into my file?
:r !command
The :r !command command executes a shell command and inserts its output directly into the current buffer below the cursor line.
How do I jump to the position of my last edit?
`.
The ` .
How do I edit a recorded macro in Vim?
"ap, edit, "ayy
Vim stores macros in registers, which means you can paste a macro's contents into a buffer, edit it as regular text, and yank it back into the register.