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.
Tag: buffers
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.
How do I run a command on every open buffer?
:bufdo command
The :bufdo command executes an Ex command on every buffer in the buffer list.
How do I open all buffers in split windows?
:ball
The :ball command opens a window for every buffer in the buffer list.
How do I compare two files side by side using diff mode?
:diffthis in both windows
The :diffthis command enables diff mode for the current buffer.
How do I close a buffer without closing the window?
:bp | bd #
The :bp bd # command switches to the previous buffer and then deletes the alternate buffer.