How do I indent the current line without changing local marks in Vim?
:lockmarks normal! >>
When you run editing commands from the command line, Vim usually updates special marks like '[ and '] to the changed text.
Search: i' a'
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How do I scroll the screen while also jumping to the first non-blank character of the current line?
z<CR> and z. and z-
Vim has two sets of scroll-and-position commands: zt/zz/zb (which reposition the screen but keep the cursor column intact) and z/z.
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 repeat or reverse inline character search with f, t, ; and , in Vim?
f{char} ; ,
The f, F, t, and T motions search for a character on the current line.
How do I ROT13 only the word under the cursor for quick anonymization?
g?iw
g? is Vim’s built-in ROT13 operator.
How do I profile Vimscript functions to find what is slowing down Vim at runtime?
:profile start profile.log | profile func *
When Vim feels sluggish during editing—not just at startup—you need runtime profiling to pinpoint which functions are consuming the most time.
config #profiling #debugging #config #ex-commands #performance
How do I transfer diff hunks between files in Vim's diff mode?
dp and do
When comparing two files side by side in Vim's diff mode (:diffsplit or vim -d file1 file2), you often want to accept or push individual changes between the fil
How do I replace matches one-by-one using cgn and dot-repeat?
*cgn
Global substitution is fast, but sometimes you need selective control over each occurrence.
How do I get improved % matching for language keywords like if/else/endif in Vim?
vim-matchup
The vim-matchup plugin by Andy Massimino is a drop-in replacement for Vim's built-in matchit plugin that supercharges the % key to work with language-specific k
plugins #plugins #matchup #navigation #text-objects #matching
How do I manage Neovim plugins with lazy loading using lazy.nvim?
:Lazy
lazy.
How do I write autocommands that don't duplicate when I reload my vimrc?
augroup name | autocmd! | autocmd ... | augroup END
Autocommand groups (augroup) with autocmd! prevent duplicate autocommands from accumulating every time you source your vimrc.
What is the difference between :map and :noremap, and why should I use non-recursive mappings?
:nnoremap / :inoremap / :vnoremap
Vim has two types of key mappings: recursive (:map, :nmap, :imap) and non-recursive (:noremap, :nnoremap, :inoremap).
How do I reindent the whole buffer without adding jumplist entries?
:keepjumps normal! gg=G<CR>
Whole-buffer reindent is common, but doing it naively can pollute your jumplist and break navigation flow during review.
How do I open the command-line window mid-command to edit it with full Vim capabilities?
<C-f> (in command-line mode)
When you're already on the Vim command line and realize you need complex edits — inserting text from multiple positions, reordering arguments, or referencing
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 auto-indent an entire file in Vim?
gg=G
The gg=G command re-indents every line in the current file according to Vim's indentation rules.
How do I make Vim highlight matching brackets when typing?
:set showmatch
How it works The :set showmatch option makes Vim briefly jump the cursor to the matching opening bracket when you type a closing bracket.
How do I customize which invisible characters are shown in list mode, including trailing spaces and off-screen indicators?
:set listchars=
The listchars option controls exactly which invisible characters Vim highlights when list mode is active.
How do I preview quickfix entries without leaving the quickfix window?
<C-w>z or :pclose
The preview window shows file contents temporarily without switching your editing context.
buffers-windows #buffers-windows #quickfix #preview #navigation
How do I copy the current file's path into the system clipboard from Vim?
:let @+=@%
The % register always holds the name of the current file (as a relative path).