How do I use the location list for per-window navigation?
:lnext and :lprev
The location list is a per-window alternative to the quickfix list.
Tag: buffers
How do I navigate through the quickfix list?
:cnext and :cprev
The quickfix list holds a set of file positions, typically from compiler errors, grep results, or other tools.
How do I open the file under the cursor and jump to a specific line?
gF
The gF command opens the file under the cursor and jumps to the line number that appears after the filename.
How do I configure Vim's built-in file explorer netrw to look like a sidebar?
let g:netrw_liststyle=3 and let g:netrw_banner=0
How it works Vim ships with a built-in file explorer called netrw that you can access with :Explore (or :Ex).
How do I stop Vim from creating backup and swap files in my project directories?
:set backupdir=~/.vim/backup// directory=~/.vim/swap//
How it works By default, Vim creates backup files (ending in ~) and swap files (ending in .
How do I configure Vim to auto-save files when I switch away?
:set autowriteall and autocmd FocusLost * silent! wa
How it works Vim can be configured to automatically save your files when you switch to another window or application.
How do I write a visual selection to a separate file in Vim?
:'<,'>w filename
How it works Vim's :w command can take a range, and when used with a visual selection, it writes only the selected lines to a file.
How do I create key mappings that only apply to the current buffer?
:nnoremap <buffer> <leader>r :!python %<CR>
How it works By adding to a mapping command, the mapping only applies to the current buffer.
How do I run shell commands without leaving Vim?
:!ls -la
Vim lets you execute any shell command directly from within the editor using the :! (bang) command.
How do I close all buffers except the current one in Vim?
:%bd | e#
How it works Vim does not have a built-in single command to close all buffers except the current one, but you can achieve this with a two-part command: :%bd e#.
How do I open an existing buffer in a new tab page in Vim?
:tab sb N
How it works The :tab sb N command opens buffer number N in a brand new tab page.
How do I open the file path under my cursor in a new split window?
<C-w>f
How it works You may already know that gf opens the file path under the cursor in the current window.
How do I run database queries directly from Vim using vim-dadbod?
:DB sqlite:mydb.sqlite SELECT * FROM users
vim-dadbod by Tim Pope is a plugin that lets you interact with databases directly from Vim.
How do I switch to a specific buffer by its number in Vim?
:b N
How it works Every buffer in Vim is assigned a unique number when it is opened.
How do I close the current buffer in Vim?
:bdelete
How it works The :bdelete command (often abbreviated :bd) removes the current buffer from Vim's buffer list and closes it.
How do I run the same command across all windows, buffers, or tabs?
:windo / :bufdo / :tabdo {command}
Vim's do commands iterate over collections and execute a command in each context.
buffers-windows #buffers #windows #tabs #batch-editing #ex-commands
How do I find and open a file by name without knowing its full path?
:find filename
The :find command searches for a file by name across all directories in your path setting and opens it.
buffers-windows #buffers #file-management #navigation #workflow
How do I browse through my previous quickfix lists?
:colder / :cnewer
Vim remembers up to 10 previous quickfix lists.
How do I switch to a buffer by typing part of its filename?
:b partial<Tab>
The :b (buffer) command accepts partial filename matching with tab completion.
How do I use the alternate file register to quickly reference the previous file?
"#p or <C-r># in insert mode
The # register always contains the name of the alternate file — typically the file you were editing just before the current one.