How do I run a substitution in Vim without getting an error when the pattern is not found?
:%s/pattern/replacement/ge
The e flag on :substitute silences the "Pattern not found" error that Vim normally reports when a substitution has no matches.
Search: @a
2277 results for "@a"
How do I replace only part of a match in :substitute without capture groups?
:%s/\vfoo\zsbar/baz/g
When your match has a stable prefix but you only want to replace the trailing segment, \zs is often cleaner than introducing extra capture groups.
How do I jump directly to the top-left or bottom-right window in a complex split layout?
<C-w>t and <C-w>b
When managing multiple splits, t jumps to the top-left window and b jumps to the bottom-right window.
How do I force a search to be case-sensitive even when ignorecase is enabled?
\C in search pattern
Adding \C anywhere in a search pattern forces case-sensitive matching for that search, overriding the global ignorecase setting.
How do I run a search-and-replace across all files in my argument list and only save changed buffers?
:argdo %s/\<old\>/new/ge | update
When you need to apply the same substitution across a curated set of files, :argdo is safer than a broad project-wide command.
command-line #command-line #ex-commands #search #buffers #formatting
How do I run a replacement only over the current window's location-list matches?
:ldo s/foo/bar/ge | update\<CR>
:ldo is one of the most effective ways to perform targeted, multi-file edits without touching unrelated text.
How do I revert a file to its state from a specific time ago?
:earlier {time} / :later {time}
Vim's :earlier and :later commands let you navigate the undo history by wall-clock time rather than by individual undo steps.
editing #editing #undo-redo #ex-commands #advanced #productivity
How do I pipe a range of lines through an external command and replace them with the output?
!{motion}{command}
The ! operator filters the text covered by a motion through an external shell command, replacing the original lines with the command's stdout.
How do I trigger a custom user-defined completion function in insert mode?
<C-x><C-u>
Vim's invokes a user-defined completion function, letting you plug any completion logic you want into the standard insert-mode completion popup.
How do I fix the indentation of a code block without affecting surrounding code?
=i{
When editing code with messy indentation — after a paste, a merge conflict, or a refactor — you often need to fix just one block rather than the entire file
How do I highlight a custom pattern in the current window without affecting the search register?
:call matchadd('ErrorMsg', 'TODO')
matchadd() lets you highlight arbitrary patterns using any highlight group — without touching the search register or search highlighting.
How do I go back to a specific point in time using Vim's undo history?
:earlier 5m
Vim's :earlier and :later commands let you travel through your undo history using time-based offsets — not just individual changes.
How do I collapse consecutive duplicate words across a file?
:%s/\v<(\w+)\s+\1>/\1/g\<CR>
OCR cleanup, copy-paste artifacts, and rushed note-taking often produce repeated words like the the or is is.
How do I search for a pattern only when it's preceded or followed by another pattern?
/\(pattern\)\@<=target or /target\(pattern\)\@=
Vim supports zero-width assertions (lookahead and lookbehind) in its regex engine.
How do I define a custom Ex command that forwards arguments with file completion?
:command! -nargs=* -complete=file W w <args>
When you repeatedly type a long Ex command with filenames, define a user command that keeps the behavior but shortens the keystrokes.
command-line #command-line #ex-commands #completion #workflow
How do I configure Vim's command-line completion to first expand to the longest match, then show a list?
set wildmode=longest:list,full
Setting wildmode=longest:list,full gives Vim a completion behavior similar to shells like bash and zsh.
How do I force a motion to act blockwise, linewise, or characterwise?
d<C-v>2j
Vim lets you override the natural type of any motion by pressing v, V, or between the operator and the motion.
editing #editing #motions #visual-mode #advanced #normal-mode
How do I populate the quickfix list from the output of a shell command?
:cexpr system('command')
The :cexpr command parses any expression into the quickfix list using the current errorformat.
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 complete words using a thesaurus for synonym suggestions in Vim insert mode?
<C-x><C-t>
Vim's insert-mode completion includes a thesaurus mode triggered by .