How do I search and replace with confirmation for each match?
:%s/old/new/gc
Adding the c flag to a substitute command makes Vim pause at every match and ask you whether to replace it.
All Vim Tricks
How do I use expressions in Vim's substitute replacement?
:%s/pattern/\=expression/g
Vim's substitute command supports expression replacements using \= in the replacement string.
How do I quickly surround a word with quotes, brackets, or parentheses?
ciw""<Esc>P
Vim doesn't have a built-in "surround" operator, but you can wrap any word in quotes or brackets with a short sequence: ciw""P.
editing #editing #text-objects #normal-mode #productivity #surround
How do I swap a word with the contents of a register using visual mode?
viwp
The viwp command visually selects the word under the cursor and replaces it with the contents of the unnamed register (your last yank or delete).
visual-mode #editing #visual-mode #registers #paste #productivity
How do I use tab pages in Vim to organize multiple files?
:tabnew / gt / gT
Vim's tab pages let you organize your workspace into separate views, each containing its own window layout.
buffers-windows #buffers #windows #tabs #navigation #productivity
How do I quickly switch between the current file and the last edited file?
<C-^>
Pressing (Ctrl-6 on most keyboards) instantly toggles between the current buffer and the alternate file — the last file you were editing.
buffers-windows #navigation #buffers #normal-mode #productivity #windows
How do I toggle the case of an entire word in Vim?
g~iw
The g~iw command toggles the case of every character in the word under the cursor — uppercase letters become lowercase and vice versa.
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 navigate undo branches to recover changes that were overwritten by a new edit?
g- / g+
Vim doesn't have a simple linear undo stack — it maintains a full undo tree with branches.
editing #editing #undo-redo #normal-mode #advanced #productivity
How do I use normal regex syntax in Vim search without escaping everything?
/\v
Vim's default regex syntax requires backslashes before most special characters like +, (, ), {, and , which is the opposite of what most developers expect from
How do I search for a pattern across multiple files and navigate the results?
:vimgrep /pattern/ **/*.ext | copen
The :vimgrep command searches for a regex pattern across multiple files and populates the quickfix list with every match.
search #search #quickfix #ex-commands #navigation #productivity #grep
How do I change the same column of text across multiple lines at once?
<C-v>jjc replacement<Esc>
Visual block mode's change command lets you replace a rectangular column of text across multiple lines in a single operation.
visual-mode #editing #visual-mode #block-mode #normal-mode #productivity
How do I expand or shrink a visual selection to the next text object boundary?
v + repeated iw/aw/i(/a(/ip/ap
Once you enter visual mode, you can progressively expand your selection by typing increasingly larger text objects.
visual-mode #visual-mode #text-objects #editing #selection #productivity
How do I save a recorded macro permanently so it persists across Vim sessions?
let @a = 'macro_contents'
Recorded macros are stored in registers, which are lost when you quit Vim (unless viminfo saves them).
How do I scroll the screen so the current line is at the top?
zt
The zt command repositions the viewport so that the line where your cursor sits moves to the top of the screen, without changing your cursor position within the
navigation #navigation #scrolling #normal-mode #viewport #productivity
How do I scroll two split windows in sync so they move together?
:windo set scrollbind
The scrollbind option locks two or more windows together so that scrolling in one window automatically scrolls the others by the same amount.
buffers-windows #windows #navigation #splits #diff #productivity
How do I search for a pattern that spans multiple lines?
/foo\_.*bar
Vim's default .
How do I search and replace text across multiple files in Vim?
:args **/*.py | argdo %s/old/new/gc | update
Vim can perform search-and-replace across multiple files without any plugins by combining the arglist with :argdo.
search #search #substitution #ex-commands #productivity #quickfix #arglist
How do I land the cursor a few lines above or below a search match?
/pattern/+3
Vim's search command accepts an offset after the pattern that shifts where the cursor lands relative to the match.
How do I search for text only within a visual selection?
/\%Vpattern
The \%V atom restricts a search pattern to only match inside the most recent visual selection.