How do I re-open a file in Vim with a specific encoding without restarting?
:e ++enc={encoding}
When Vim auto-detects the wrong character encoding — mojibake where é shows as é is a classic symptom — you can reload the current buffer with a specifi
Tag: command-line
How do I get just the filename without its path or extension to use in a command?
%:t:r
Vim's % special character expands to the current filename and accepts a chain of colon-delimited modifiers.
command-line #command-line #ex-commands #editing #navigation
How do I run an external shell command from Vim without the press-enter prompt afterward?
:silent !{cmd}
Running :!cmd in Vim shows the command's output and then pauses with a "Press ENTER or type command to continue" prompt.
How do I quickly delete all lines in the current buffer?
:%d
The % range address in Ex commands stands for the entire file — it is shorthand for 1,$ (first line to last line).
How do I read man pages inside Neovim with syntax highlighting and tag navigation?
:Man {name}
Neovim ships with a built-in :Man command (the man.
command-line #neovim #navigation #documentation #command-line
How do I quickly configure Vim to parse compiler errors for a specific language using a built-in compiler plugin?
:compiler
Vim ships with built-in compiler plugins for many languages and tools — including gcc, python, cargo, eslint, tsc, and more.
command-line #ex-commands #config #buffers-windows #command-line
How do I instantly erase everything I have typed on the command line and start the command over?
<C-u> (command line)
When you are typing a long Ex command on the : prompt and realise you've made a mistake, pressing erases everything from the cursor back to the beginning of the
command-line #command-line #ex-commands #editing #insert-mode
How do I reference just the filename without its extension in a Vim command?
%:r
The %:r expression expands to the current filename with its extension removed (the "root" of the filename).
How do I step through a Vimscript command or function to debug it interactively?
:debug
The :debug command prefix puts Vim into its built-in interactive debugger before executing the given command.
command-line #ex-commands #debugging #command-line #vimscript
How do I open the command-line window while I am already typing a command?
<C-f> (command-line mode)
Pressing while in the command-line (:, /, or ? prompt) opens the command-line window with your partially-typed command already loaded and ready for full Vim edi
command-line #command-line #ex-commands #editing #navigation
How do I define a custom user command in Neovim Lua config that accepts arguments and has a description?
vim.api.nvim_create_user_command()
Neovim's Lua API provides vim.
How do I configure Vim's command-line tab completion to show a list of matches?
:set wildmode=longest,list
By default, Vim's command-line completion just cycles through matches one at a time.
How do I center, right-align, or left-align lines of text within a fixed column width using Ex commands?
:{range}center {width}
Vim has built-in Ex commands for text alignment: :center, :right, and :left.
command-line #ex-commands #formatting #editing #command-line
How do I run a :normal command that ignores user-defined mappings?
:normal! {cmds}
:normal {cmds} executes normal-mode keystrokes from the command line, but it honors your custom key mappings — so remapped keys produce unexpected results in
command-line #ex-commands #macros #normal-mode #command-line
How do I use a pattern-based range with an offset to operate on lines relative to a search match?
:/pattern/+N and :/pattern/-N
Vim's Ex command ranges can use search patterns as line addresses, and those addresses can include a numeric offset (+N or -N) to target lines relative to the m
How do I filter the quickfix list to only show entries matching a pattern?
:Cfilter /pattern/
Vim ships with an optional built-in package called cfilter that adds :Cfilter and :Lfilter commands for narrowing down quickfix and location list entries by pat
How do I insert a new line of text after every line matching a pattern using the global command?
:g/pattern/put ='text'
Combining :global with :put = lets you insert synthesized lines of content after every line matching a pattern — without plugins or complex macros.
How do I export the current buffer as syntax-highlighted HTML from within Vim?
:%TOhtml
Vim ships with a built-in plugin that converts the current buffer into a standalone HTML file, complete with your exact syntax highlighting colors.
How do I suspend Vim to the background shell and return to it later?
<C-z> / :stop
Pressing in Vim sends it to the background of your shell session — just like suspending any Unix process.
How do I configure Vim's command-line completion to first expand to the longest match, then show a list?
set wildmode=longest:list,full
Setting wildmode=longest:list,full gives Vim a completion behavior similar to shells like bash and zsh.