How do I auto-complete words in insert mode without any plugins?
<C-n> / <C-p>
Vim has a powerful built-in completion system that requires zero plugins.
Search: {n}G
162 results for "{n}G"
How do I count the number of pattern matches in a file without making substitutions?
:s/pattern//gn
The :s///gn command counts how many times a pattern appears in the file without actually replacing anything.
command-line #search #ex-commands #substitution #command-line
How do I search for a character by its ASCII or Unicode code point value in a Vim pattern?
/\%d{decimal}
Vim's regex engine supports special atoms that match characters by their numeric value rather than their glyph.
How do I modify the contents of a register without re-recording it?
:let @a = substitute(@a, 'old', 'new', 'g')
After recording a macro or yanking text into a named register, you may need to tweak it — fix a typo in a recorded macro, change a variable name in yanked tex
How do I run a substitution without overwriting my current search pattern?
:keeppatterns {command}
The :keeppatterns modifier runs an Ex command — typically :s, :g, or :v — without modifying @/ (the last search pattern) or the command history.
command-line #ex-commands #search #substitution #command-line #scripting
How do I see the search match count in the statusline?
:set shortmess-=S
The shortmess option controls which messages are shortened.
How do I count the number of matches for a search pattern?
:%s/pattern//gn
The :%s/pattern//gn command counts how many times a pattern appears in the file without making any changes.
What are the useful flags for the substitute command?
:s/pattern/replace/flags
The substitute command supports several flags that modify its behavior.
How do I replace the next search match and repeat it easily with dot?
cgn
The cgn command combines the change operator with the gn motion to change the next occurrence of your last search pattern.
How do I quickly replace all occurrences of the word under my cursor?
* then :%s//new/g
Pressing searches for the word under the cursor, which also loads it into the search register.
How do I use relative line offsets in Ex commands to target lines near the cursor?
:.+1,.+3d
Vim's Ex command addresses support arithmetic offsets relative to the current line (.
command-line #ex-commands #editing #navigation #command-line
How do I count substitution matches before changing anything?
:%s/pattern/replacement/gn
When you are about to run a broad substitution, it is often safer to measure impact first.
command-line #command-line #ex-commands #substitution #search
How do I list all open buffers in Vim?
:ls
The :ls command displays a list of all open buffers in Vim, showing their buffer number, status indicators, file name, and the line the cursor was last on.
How do I search for an exact multi-word phrase or special text I've selected?
* (in visual mode)
In normal mode, searches for the word under the cursor with word-boundary anchors.
How do I programmatically remove or unmap a keybinding in Neovim Lua without knowing its original definition?
vim.keymap.del()
vim.
How do I search for a pattern only within specific columns of a line?
/\%>5c\%<20cpattern
How it works Vim's search patterns support column position constraints using the \%c family of atoms.
How do I combine the dot command with macros for powerful repeat workflows?
qq;.q then @q or @@
The dot command (.
How do I save and restore the current window layout after temporarily changing window sizes in a Vim script?
winrestcmd()
The winrestcmd() function returns a string of Ex commands that, when executed, restore all window sizes to their state at the time of the call.
How do I reorder tab pages in Vim without specifying an absolute position?
:tabmove +1
:tabmove normally takes an absolute position (:tabmove 0 moves the tab to the far left), but it also accepts relative offsets using + and -.
How do I view or manipulate the search pattern register in Vim?
:echo @/
The / register holds the most recent search pattern.