How do I use gn as a text object to delete or yank the next search match?
dgn
The gn motion is a versatile text object that selects the next occurrence of the last search pattern.
editing #editing #search #text-objects #normal-mode #motions
Search: :normal
953 results for ":normal"
How do I scroll the view left and right when lines are wider than the screen?
zl
When nowrap is set and lines extend beyond the screen width, Vim provides dedicated horizontal scroll commands.
How do I copy the contents of one register into another register?
:let @a = @"
Vim's :let command lets you read and write register contents as strings, making it possible to copy, combine, or modify register values without ever leaving the
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.
How do I create custom folds to collapse specific sections of code?
zf{motion}
Vim supports several fold methods, but manual folding with zf gives you precise control over exactly which lines to collapse.
How do I search for and highlight text that exceeds a specific column width like 80 or 120?
/\%>80v.
The pattern /\%>80v.
How do I copy characters from the line above or below the cursor while staying in insert mode?
<C-y> (above) / <C-e> (below)
In insert mode, inserts the character from the same column one line above, and inserts the character from the same column one line below.
What is the difference between the inner word (iw) and inner WORD (iW) text objects in Vim?
iW vs iw
Vim has two flavors of the "inner word" text object that are easy to confuse: iw (lowercase) and iW (uppercase).
How do I open a file path that appears in my code without manually typing it?
gf
The gf command ("go to file") opens the file whose path is under the cursor.
navigation #navigation #normal-mode #buffers #productivity #file-management
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.
How do I change text from the cursor up to a specific character?
ct{char}
The ct{char} command deletes everything from the cursor up to (but not including) the specified character and drops you into insert mode.
editing #editing #motions #normal-mode #text-objects #productivity
How do I store different pieces of text in separate registers for later pasting?
"ayy "byy "cyy
How it works Vim provides 26 named registers (a through z) that you can use as independent clipboards.
How do I insert text at the very first column of a line, ignoring indentation?
gI
Most Vim users know I to insert at the start of a line — but I actually jumps to the first non-blank character, skipping leading whitespace.
How do I use a count with a text object to operate on multiple words, sentences, or paragraphs at once?
d3aw
Most Vim users know you can put a count before an operator (3dw) or use a text object once (daw).
editing #text-objects #editing #delete #normal-mode #motions
How do I create a macro that runs continuously until it hits an error?
@q
A recursive macro is a macro that calls itself as its last step, causing it to loop automatically until an operation fails (such as reaching the end of the file
How do I create a macro that repeats itself until it hits an error or end of file?
qq{cmds}@qq
A recursive macro is one that calls itself at the end of its own body.
How do I select an entire paragraph in Vim?
vip
The vip command visually selects the inner paragraph — all contiguous non-blank lines surrounding the cursor.
visual-mode #visual-mode #text-objects #editing #normal-mode
How do I use a macro to align text on a specific character like the equals sign?
qa0f=20i <Esc>20|C= <Esc>lDjq
How it works Aligning text on a delimiter such as = without plugins requires a clever macro technique.
How do I match a pattern but only highlight or capture part of it using \zs and \ze?
\zs and \ze
How it works Vim's \zs (set start) and \ze (set end) atoms let you define which portion of a pattern counts as the actual match, even though the full pattern is
How do I reformat a paragraph or motion to fit within the text width without moving my cursor?
gw
The gw operator reformats text to fit within textwidth, just like gq — but with one key difference: gw leaves the cursor in its original position after format