How do I resize split windows using the keyboard in Vim?
<C-w>+ / <C-w>- / <C-w>> / <C-w><
Vim provides keyboard shortcuts to resize split windows without reaching for the mouse.
Tag: buffers
How do I use Vim's built-in file explorer netrw to browse and manage files?
:Explore
Netrw is Vim's built-in file explorer plugin that comes with every Vim installation.
How do I make Vim automatically reload a file when it changes on disk?
:set autoread
The autoread option tells Vim to automatically re-read a file when it detects the file has been changed outside of Vim.
How do I open Vim help pages in a new tab instead of a split?
:tab help
By default, :help opens in a horizontal split, which can feel cramped.
How do I open a file explorer in a vertical split without any plugins?
:Vexplore
Vim ships with netrw, a built-in file explorer that requires no plugins.
How do you create a quick mapping to toggle between buffers?
nnoremap <leader>b :b#<CR>
Map b to :b# which switches to the alternate buffer.
How do you unload a buffer while keeping it in the list?
:bunload
Use :bunload or :bun to unload the current buffer from memory while keeping it in the buffer list.
How do you open a buffer in a new horizontal split?
:sb 3
Use :sb (sbuffer) followed by the buffer number to open that buffer in a new horizontal split.
How do you open a buffer in a vertical split?
:vert sb 3
Use :vert sb 3 to open buffer 3 in a vertical split.
How do you cycle between next and previous buffers?
:bn and :bp
Use :bn (bnext) to go to the next buffer and :bp (bprevious) to go to the previous one.
How do you run a command across all open buffers?
:bufdo %s/old/new/g
Use :bufdo to execute a command in every buffer.
How do you switch to a buffer by partial name?
:b name
Use :b with a partial filename.
How do you switch to a buffer by its number?
:b3
Use :b followed by the buffer number.
How do you delete all hidden buffers in Vim?
:call DeleteHiddenBuffers()
Define a function or use a plugin.
How do you delete a specific buffer by its number?
:bd 3
Use :bd (bdelete) followed by the buffer number.
How do I access the alternate file register?
"# register
The # register contains the name of the alternate file — the previously edited file in the current window.
How do I completely remove a buffer from Vim?
:bwipeout
The :bwipeout command (:bw) completely removes a buffer from Vim's memory, including its marks, options, and variables.
How do I create a new empty buffer?
:enew
The :enew command creates a new unnamed empty buffer in the current window.
How do I switch to a specific buffer by number?
:b {number}
The :b command followed by a buffer number switches directly to that buffer.
How do I save and restore my entire Vim session?
:mksession and :source
The :mksession command saves the current Vim session (windows, buffers, tabs, cursor positions) to a file.