:diffget LOCAL
When Vim is configured as a git mergetool, it opens a three-way split with the LOCAL (your branch), REMOTE (their branch), and MERGED (the output file) buffers.
buffers-windows #buffers-windows #diff #editing #command-line
gh (in netrw)
When browsing files with Vim's built-in netrw file explorer (:Explore or :Ex), hidden files starting with a dot (.
:tabdo
The :tabdo {cmd} command executes an Ex command in each open tab page sequentially, visiting every tab and running the command there.
buffers-windows #tabs #buffers #ex-commands #buffers-windows
:set splitright splitbelow
By default, :split opens a new window above the current one and :vsplit opens to the left — the opposite of most modern IDEs and editors.
:mksession
:mksession saves a snapshot of the current Vim session — all open buffers, window splits, tab pages, cursor positions, and folds — to a file called Session.
:w !diff % -
The command :w !diff % - pipes the current buffer's contents to an external diff command that compares it against the saved file on disk.
buffers-windows #buffers-windows #ex-commands #editing #navigation
:sp +/{pattern} {file}
The +{cmd} syntax lets you run an Ex command immediately after a file is opened.
:sball
The :sball command (short for split all) opens every loaded buffer in its own horizontal split window in one shot.
:set switchbuf=useopen
The switchbuf option controls how Vim decides where to display a buffer when switching to it via commands like :sb, :cc, :cn, quickfix jumps, or .
buffers-windows #buffers-windows #navigation #ex-commands #config
:set sessionoptions
The sessionoptions option (abbreviated ssop) is a comma-separated list of flags that determine what :mksession stores in the session file.
buffers-windows #buffers-windows #config #workflow #sessions
:wincmd
:wincmd {key} executes any {key} window command from the Ex command line or from inside a Vimscript function.
:tab ball
:tab ball (short for :tab sball, "split all buffers in tabs") opens every listed buffer in its own tab page in a single command.
zl
When nowrap is set and lines extend beyond the screen width, Vim provides dedicated horizontal scroll commands.
:sbuffer {N}
:sbuffer {N} opens buffer number N in a new horizontal split, leaving your current window untouched.
buffers-windows #buffers-windows #buffers #windows #navigation
<C-w><C-^>
Press (Ctrl+W followed by Ctrl+6) to open the alternate file in a horizontal split.
:windo {cmd}
:windo {cmd} executes an Ex command in every window in the current tab page, cycling through each one and applying the command before returning focus to the ori
buffers-windows #windows #buffers #ex-commands #buffers-windows
<C-q> (Telescope)
While inside any Telescope picker, pressing sends all current results to the quickfix list and closes the picker.
:lcd {dir}
:lcd (local cd) sets the working directory for the current window only, leaving other windows at their previous directory.
buffers-windows #buffers-windows #navigation #ex-commands #config
<C-w>^
Vim tracks the alternate buffer — the last file you were editing before the current one.
:autocmd WinResized * wincmd =
When you resize your terminal window, Vim's split layout can become unbalanced.
