How do I create text shortcuts that auto-expand while typing in Vim?
iabbrev
:iabbrev defines insert-mode abbreviations that expand automatically when you type a non-keyword character (space, punctuation, ) after the abbreviation.
Search: i" a"
2125 results for "i" a""
How do I add more keystrokes to the end of an existing macro without re-recording the whole thing?
qQ (or any uppercase register letter)
When recording a macro with qq, you can append additional keystrokes to the existing macro by recording into the uppercase version of the same register.
How do I move the cursor to the horizontal midpoint of the current screen view?
gm
The gm command moves the cursor horizontally to the middle of the current screen width on the current line.
How do I rotate or swap window positions in Vim?
<C-w>R
Vim provides commands to rotate windows within a row or column, and to swap the current window with another.
How do I change the working directory for only the current window without affecting other windows or tabs?
:lcd
:cd changes the global working directory, affecting every window and tab in the session.
How do I recover the last small deletion without disrupting my numbered registers?
"-
Vim silently stores every deletion of less than one line in the special "- register (the "small delete" register).
How do I control windows using Ex commands in scripts and mappings instead of Ctrl-W shortcuts?
:wincmd {cmd}
:wincmd {key} is the Ex command equivalent of every {key} window shortcut.
buffers-windows #buffers-windows #windows #ex-commands #normal-mode
How do I open another file without saving the current modified buffer first?
:hide edit {file}<CR>
Normally, trying to :edit another file from a modified buffer triggers a warning and blocks the switch unless you save or force the command.
buffers-windows #buffers #windows #workflow #command-line #editing
How do I list only search-pattern history entries in Vim?
:history /
Power users tend to run long, composable searches during refactors, but the default / and ? history navigation can be noisy when command history and search hist
How do I insert the contents of another file into the current buffer?
:r filename
The :r filename command reads the contents of filename and inserts them into the current buffer below the cursor line.
How do I repeat the last Ex command I ran?
@:
The @: command re-executes the most recently run Ex command (any command starting with :).
command-line #command-line #ex-commands #repeat #normal-mode #productivity
How do I rename, move, or delete the current file from inside Vim using vim-eunuch?
:Rename {newname}
vim-eunuch (by Tim Pope) adds Unix shell operations as first-class Vim commands.
How do I access text from small deletes like dw or x?
"-p
The small delete register ("-) captures text from delete operations that are less than one line — like dw, x, dt.
How do I paste text that automatically matches the indentation of the current line?
[p
When you copy code from one indentation level and paste it at another, p preserves the original indentation, leaving your code misaligned.
How do I force Vim to check if open files were changed externally and reload them?
:checktime
The :checktime command tells Vim to check whether any open buffers have been modified outside of Vim and prompt you to reload them.
How do I insert shell command output without leaving the command line?
<C-r>=system('cmd')
In command-line mode, =system('command') evaluates the shell command and inserts its output into the command line.
How do I visualize and navigate Vim's undo tree?
:UndotreeToggle
The undotree plugin provides a visual tree representation of Vim's undo history.
How do I switch back to the previous working directory in Vim?
:cd -
The :cd - command switches Vim's global working directory back to the previous one, just like cd - in the shell.
How do I open the current file on GitHub directly from Vim?
:GBrowse
The vim-fugitive plugin combined with vim-rhubarb (for GitHub support) provides the :GBrowse command, which opens the current file on your repository's web host
How do I create custom fold regions with markers in my code?
:set foldmethod=marker
Setting foldmethod=marker lets you define fold boundaries using special comment markers — {{{ to start a fold and }}} to end it.