How do I jump to the beginning of a file in Vim?
gg
The gg command moves the cursor to the first line of the file.
Search: i" a"
2125 results for "i" a""
How do I keep a horizontal margin between the cursor and the edge of the screen when scrolling sideways?
set sidescrolloff
set sidescrolloff={n} keeps at least n columns of context to the left and right of the cursor when long lines cause the view to scroll horizontally.
How do I center, right-justify, or left-justify lines of text in Vim without a plugin?
:'<,'>center / :'<,'>right / :'<,'>left
Vim has built-in Ex commands to align text within a specified width: :center, :right, and :left.
How do I paste from a register while staying in insert mode?
<C-r>{register}
Pressing followed by a register name in insert mode inserts the contents of that register at the cursor position without leaving insert mode.
How do I create a Vim mapping where the keys it produces are computed dynamically at runtime?
:nnoremap <expr> {key} {expression}
The argument to any map command (:nmap, :inoremap, etc.
config #config #macros #insert-mode #normal-mode #ex-commands
How do I run a single normal-mode command without leaving insert mode?
<C-o>{command}
While typing in insert mode, you sometimes need to do a quick normal-mode action — center the screen, jump to a mark, or delete a word backward.
How do I create a fold that spans the current paragraph in manual fold mode?
zfap
Combining the fold-creation operator zf with the ap (around paragraph) text object gives you a quick way to collapse any paragraph into a single fold line.
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 replace a single character without entering insert mode?
r{char}
The r{char} command replaces the character under the cursor with {char} without ever entering insert mode.
How do I create a custom operator that works with any motion in Vim?
:set operatorfunc=MyFunc<CR>g@{motion}
Vim's operatorfunc and g@ let you define custom operators that accept any motion or text object, just like built-in operators d, c, and y.
How do I load a pre-built compiler configuration to set makeprg and errorformat together?
:compiler {name}
The :compiler command loads a compiler plugin from Vim's runtime path, setting both makeprg (the build command) and errorformat (the error parsing pattern) in o
How do I make a single search case-insensitive without changing my global ignorecase setting?
/pattern\c
Vim's \c and \C atoms let you override the global ignorecase and smartcase settings on a per-search basis.
How do I increment or decrement hexadecimal and binary numbers with Ctrl-A and Ctrl-X?
:set nrformats+=hex,bin
By default, Vim's and only increment and decrement decimal numbers.
How do I jump to the start or end of a C-style comment block?
[/ and ]/
Vim provides two motions for navigating C-style block comments (/ .
How do I integrate a custom build tool like cargo or pytest with Vim's :make and quickfix workflow?
:set makeprg=
The makeprg option defines the command that :make runs.
How do I open the alternate buffer in a new split while keeping my current window unchanged?
:leftabove sbuffer #
If you often compare your current file against the previously visited buffer, replacing the current window is disruptive.
How do I run a command on lines between two search patterns?
:/start/,/end/command
Vim allows pattern-based ranges in Ex commands, letting you operate on lines between two search matches.
How do I browse and edit my backward search history in a full Vim buffer?
q?
Vim provides three command-line history windows accessible from normal mode: q: for Ex commands, q/ for forward searches, and q? for backward searches.
How do I match text only when it is preceded by a specific pattern in Vim regex?
:%s/\(prefix\)\@<=target/replacement/g
Vim's \@<= is a zero-width look-behind assertion.
How do I make Vim completion menu appear without auto-inserting a candidate?
:set completeopt=menuone,noinsert,noselect
When completion inserts text too early, you lose control over what gets committed and where undo breakpoints land.