How do I search forward but place the cursor at the end of the match?
/TODO/e
Most users know /pattern, but fewer use search offsets to control where the cursor lands after the match.
Search: n N
415 results for "n N"
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 land on a specific position relative to a search match?
/pattern/e
Search offsets let you place the cursor at a specific position relative to the match.
How do I run a substitute command without changing my current search pattern?
:keeppattern s/old/new/g
When you run a :s or :g command, Vim updates the search register (@/) with the pattern you used.
How do I jump to the last line of a file in Vim?
G
The G command moves the cursor to the last line of the file.
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 navigate quickfix entries, buffers, and conflicts with consistent bracket mappings?
]q
The vim-unimpaired plugin (by Tim Pope) provides a consistent [x / ]x mnemonic for navigating any list-like structure in Vim.
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.
How do I highlight a custom pattern persistently in a window without changing the search register?
matchadd()
The matchadd() function adds a persistent highlight for a pattern in the current window without touching your search register or interfering with n/N navigation
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 replace only the current match and then stop when doing an interactive substitution in Vim?
l (in :%s///gc confirm prompt)
When running an interactive substitution with the c flag (e.
editing #search #editing #substitution #ex-commands #normal-mode
How do I open a terminal inside Vim?
:terminal
The :terminal command opens an interactive terminal emulator directly inside a Vim window.
How do I programmatically read and write Vim register contents including their type from Vimscript?
setreg()
The setreg(reg, value, type) and getreg(reg, 1, 1) functions give you full programmatic control over registers, including their type (characterwise, linewise, o
How do I navigate between diagnostics with filtering by severity in Neovim 0.10+?
vim.diagnostic.jump()
Neovim 0.
How do I visually select the next occurrence of my last search pattern?
gn
The gn motion searches forward for the next match of the last search pattern and visually selects it.
search #navigation #search #motions #normal-mode #repeat #editing
How do I search for the word under the cursor?
*
The command searches forward for the exact word under the cursor, jumping to the next occurrence.
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 see a summary of all previous quickfix lists from my current session and navigate between them?
:chistory
Every time you run :grep, :vimgrep, :make, or :cexpr, Vim creates a new quickfix list and pushes the previous one onto a history stack.
buffers-windows #buffers-windows #quickfix #navigation #ex-commands
How do I configure Vim's completion menu to show a popup without auto-selecting the first candidate?
:set completeopt=menuone,noselect
By default, Vim's and completion can auto-insert the first match, or only show a menu when there are multiple matches.