How do I sort a range of lines by piping them through an external sort command using the ! operator?
!{motion}sort
The ! operator in Vim filters a motion's text through an external shell command, replacing it with the output.
Search: {n}G
162 results for "{n}G"
How do I create a dynamic abbreviation that inserts live content like the current date?
:iabbrev <expr> {trigger} {expression}
The flag on :iabbrev turns the right-hand side into a Vimscript expression that is evaluated at expansion time rather than stored as a literal string.
How do I write a non-greedy (lazy) quantifier in Vim's search regex?
\{-}
In Vim's regex engine, \{-} is the non-greedy (lazy) quantifier — it matches as few characters as possible, unlike .
How do I create a key mapping that behaves differently depending on context?
:nnoremap <expr> j (v:count == 0 ? 'gj' : 'j')
Expression mappings use the flag to evaluate a Vimscript expression at the time the key is pressed.
How do I search for and highlight text that exceeds a specific column width like 80 or 120?
/\%>80v.
The pattern /\%>80v.
How do I anchor a Vim search pattern to match only at the very start or end of the entire file?
\%^ and \%$
Vim's ^ and $ anchors match the start and end of a line, but sometimes you need to match the very beginning or very end of the entire buffer.
How do I create a normal mode mapping that correctly captures and passes a count prefix to a function?
nnoremap <key> :<C-u>call MyFunc(v:count)<CR>
When writing custom mappings that call Vimscript functions, a common pitfall is that any count you type before the key (e.
How do I search for a string containing special regex characters like dots or asterisks without escaping them?
\V
Vim's default search mode gives special meaning to characters like .
How do I run normal mode commands in a script without triggering user-defined key mappings?
:normal! {cmd}
When you use :normal {cmd} in a Vimscript function, macro, or Ex command, Vim expands any keys through the user's current mappings first.
How do I copy a range of lines to another location without yanking and pasting?
:10,20t30
The :t command (short for :copy) duplicates lines from one location to another without touching any registers.
command-line #editing #ex-commands #lines #productivity #ranges
How do I make a macro repeat itself until it fails?
qaq qa...@aq @a
A recursive macro calls itself at the end of its recording, causing it to repeat indefinitely until a command inside it fails (like a search hitting the end of
How do I format the current buffer using the language server protocol in Neovim?
vim.lsp.buf.format()
Neovim's built-in LSP client exposes vim.
How do I keep concealed text hidden while navigating but automatically reveal it when my cursor enters insert mode?
:set concealcursor=nv
The 'concealcursor' option controls in which modes concealed text is revealed on the cursor line.
How do I automatically apply the preferred LSP code action without a selection prompt in Neovim?
vim.lsp.buf.code_action({ apply = true, filter = function(a) return a.isPreferred end })
When an LSP server marks a code action as isPreferred (e.
How do I make a macro that finds and operates on specific patterns?
qq /pattern<CR> {commands} q
By incorporating a search command inside a macro, you can make it jump to the next occurrence of a pattern before performing its edits.
How do I build a macro programmatically using Vimscript instead of recording it?
:call setreg('q', keys, 'c')
The setreg() function writes any string directly into a named register, letting you construct macro keystrokes from Vimscript expressions rather than live recor
How do I jump to any visible word or character on screen instantly in Vim?
<Leader><Leader>w
The vim-easymotion plugin replaces Vim's default motion commands with a visual overlay system that lets you jump to any visible position on screen in just two o
How do I open a file explorer sidebar in Vim with NERDTree?
:NERDTreeToggle
The NERDTree plugin provides a full-featured file explorer sidebar in Vim, giving you a visual directory tree that you can navigate, search, and manipulate file
How do I suppress the 'Pattern not found' error when a substitution has no match?
:s/pattern/replacement/e
The e flag in Vim's :substitute command silently ignores the "E486: Pattern not found" error when the pattern does not match anything.
How do I manage files and directories as a regular Vim buffer?
oil.nvim: edit directory listing like a buffer
oil.