How do I use \zs to set the start of a search match so only part of the pattern is highlighted or operated on?
/prefix\zsword
Vim's \zs atom marks the start of the match within a longer pattern.
Search: g* g#
795 results for "g* g#"
How do I look up which two-character code produces a special character when using Vim's digraph system?
:digraphs
:digraphs (abbreviated :dig) displays a full reference table of every digraph registered in Vim.
command-line #editing #special-characters #insert-mode #command-line
How do I manually add the current position to the jump list before making a large movement?
m'
Vim's jump list automatically records your position whenever you make large motions (like G, /pattern, or ).
How do I save and automatically restore a buffer's fold state and cursor position across Vim sessions?
:mkview / :loadview
:mkview saves a snapshot of the current window — its fold states, cursor position, and local option values — to a view file on disk.
buffers-windows #folding #buffers-windows #config #ex-commands
How do I force a normally linewise motion to operate characterwise when combined with an operator?
dv{motion}
In operator-pending mode — after typing an operator like d, y, or c but before the motion — you can press v, V, or to override the motion type to characterw
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 restrict a search or substitution to exactly the characters I visually selected?
\%V (in search/substitute pattern)
The \%V atom in a Vim pattern matches only inside the last visual selection.
search #search #visual-mode #substitution #regex #normal-mode
How do I control which sources Vim searches when triggering keyword completion with Ctrl-N?
set complete=.,w,b,u,t
The complete option controls which sources Vim scans when you press or for generic keyword completion.
How do I control how many fold levels are open when first opening a file?
set foldlevelstart=N
When Vim opens a file with folds enabled, it uses the foldlevelstart option to decide how many fold levels to open automatically.
How do I run a full-buffer substitution without disturbing marks, jumplist, or search history?
:lockmarks keepjumps keeppatterns %s/foo/bar/ge
Large substitutions are efficient, but they often leave side effects: your last search changes, your jumplist gets noisy, and marks can shift in ways that break
command-line #command-line #editing #substitution #navigation
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 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 make half-page scrolling move through wrapped lines instead of jumping over them in Neovim?
set smoothscroll
By default, Neovim's half-page scroll commands (, , , ) count movement by text lines, not screen rows.
How do I run a targeted health check for a specific Neovim plugin or module to diagnose issues?
:checkhealth {module}
:checkhealth {module} runs the health check only for the specified module, making it much faster than the full :checkhealth which interrogates every registered
command-line #neovim #diagnostics #debugging #plugins #health
How do I scroll the view horizontally so the cursor sits at the leftmost or rightmost visible column?
zs and ze
When nowrap is set and lines extend beyond the screen width, zs and ze snap the horizontal scroll position so the cursor sits exactly at the left or right edge
How do I repeat my last change on every line in a visual selection?
:'<,'>norm .
The :'norm .
visual-mode #visual-mode #editing #normal-mode #repeat #dot-operator
How do I add custom filetype detection for a new file extension without modifying Vim's built-in filetypes?
ftdetect/{filetype}.vim
Vim automatically sources every file in ftdetect/ directories on the runtimepath when filetype detection runs.
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 reformat text to fit the line width without moving the cursor?
gwip
The gw operator reformats text just like gq, but leaves the cursor in its original position after reformatting.
How do I set a bookmark that takes me back to a specific line in any file?
mA
Uppercase marks (A–Z) are global marks in Vim — they persist across files and even across sessions (when viminfo or shada is configured).