How do I change the working directory for only the current window without affecting other windows or tabs?
:lcd
:cd changes the global working directory, affecting every window and tab in the session.
All Vim Tricks
How do I insert the full WORD under the cursor (including slashes and dots) into the command line?
<C-r><C-a>
When you are in command-line mode, inserts the word under the cursor (alphanumeric and _ only).
How do I open a split window that spans the full width or height of the editor instead of splitting only the current window?
:botright split
When you split a window with :split or :vsplit, Vim subdivides only the current window.
buffers-windows #buffers #windows #ex-commands #command-line
How do I temporarily highlight a custom text pattern in my buffer without changing the syntax file?
:match {group} /{pattern}/
:match lets you apply a highlight group to any pattern in the current window without touching the buffer or its syntax rules.
How do I make Ctrl-A and Ctrl-X increment and decrement alphabetic characters?
:set nrformats+=alpha
By default, and only increment and decrement numbers (decimal, hex, and octal depending on format).
How do I send Telescope results to the quickfix list for bulk editing?
<C-q> (Telescope)
While inside any Telescope picker, pressing sends all current results to the quickfix list and closes the picker.
How do I set a different working directory for each split window in Vim?
:lcd {dir}
:lcd (local cd) sets the working directory for the current window only, leaving other windows at their previous directory.
buffers-windows #buffers-windows #navigation #ex-commands #config
How do I use a VimScript expression as the replacement in a substitution?
:s/pattern/\=expression/g
Prefixing the replacement string with \= in a :substitute command tells Vim to evaluate the rest as a VimScript expression rather than literal text.
How do I programmatically combine or modify the contents of Vim registers?
:let @a = @a . @b
You can manipulate register contents directly using the :let command with the @{reg} syntax.
How do I adjust the width of a visual block selection without restarting it?
O (visual block mode)
In visual block mode (), pressing O (uppercase) moves your cursor to the other end of the current line — letting you expand or contract the block's horizontal
How do I see a list of recently opened files and quickly jump back to one?
:oldfiles
:oldfiles displays a numbered list of every file Vim has recorded in its viminfo (or shada in Neovim) file.
How do I reindent a block of code using a visual selection?
= (in visual mode)
After making a visual selection, pressing = applies Vim's auto-indent to every selected line at once.
How do I view my complete Vim command and search history?
:history
:history displays a numbered list of your recently entered Ex commands, giving you a full audit of what you have run in the current session (and across sessions
How do I apply a recorded macro to every line in a visual selection?
:'<,'>norm @a
Combining :normal with a visual range lets you replay a macro on each line of a selection individually — far more targeted than recursive macros or @@ repeati
How do I programmatically set the contents of a register from the command line?
:let @a = "value"
The :let @{reg} = expr command lets you assign any string or expression directly into a named register without entering insert mode or performing a yank.
How do I quickly switch between the current file and the last file I was editing?
:e #
:e # opens the alternate file — the file you were editing just before the current one.
How do I insert a newline in the replacement string of a :s substitution?
:s/,/,\r/g
In Vim's :substitute command, \r in the replacement string inserts a literal newline — it splits the line at that point.
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.
How do I run a substitution or command on every line in the quickfix list?
:cdo
:cdo {cmd} executes {cmd} on each entry in the quickfix list — one by one, jumping to each location in turn.
command-line #ex-commands #quickfix #search #editing #buffers
What is the difference between ' and ` when jumping to a mark in Vim?
' vs `
Vim provides two distinct ways to jump to a mark, and they behave differently: the apostrophe ' jumps to the first non-blank character of the marked line, while