How do I insert the current filename into the buffer or use it in commands?
"%p
Vim has several read-only registers that hold special values.
Tag: editing
How do I insert the full WORD under the cursor (including slashes and dots) into the command line?
<C-r><C-a>
When you are in command-line mode, inserts the word under the cursor (alphanumeric and _ only).
How do I make Ctrl-A and Ctrl-X increment and decrement alphabetic characters?
:set nrformats+=alpha
By default, and only increment and decrement numbers (decimal, hex, and octal depending on format).
How do I use a VimScript expression as the replacement in a substitution?
:s/pattern/\=expression/g
Prefixing the replacement string with \= in a :substitute command tells Vim to evaluate the rest as a VimScript expression rather than literal text.
How do I programmatically combine or modify the contents of Vim registers?
:let @a = @a . @b
You can manipulate register contents directly using the :let command with the @{reg} syntax.
How do I adjust the width of a visual block selection without restarting it?
O (visual block mode)
In visual block mode (), pressing O (uppercase) moves your cursor to the other end of the current line — letting you expand or contract the block's horizontal
How do I reindent a block of code using a visual selection?
= (in visual mode)
After making a visual selection, pressing = applies Vim's auto-indent to every selected line at once.
How do I quickly switch between the current file and the last file I was editing?
:e #
:e # opens the alternate file — the file you were editing just before the current one.
How do I insert a newline in the replacement string of a :s substitution?
:s/,/,\r/g
In Vim's :substitute command, \r in the replacement string inserts a literal newline — it splits the line at that point.
How do I insert a Unicode character by its codepoint in insert mode?
<C-v>u{hex}
In insert mode, pressing followed by u and a 4-digit hexadecimal codepoint inserts the corresponding Unicode character directly into the buffer.
How do I run a substitution or command on every line in the quickfix list?
:cdo
:cdo {cmd} executes {cmd} on each entry in the quickfix list — one by one, jumping to each location in turn.
command-line #ex-commands #quickfix #search #editing #buffers
How do I split a line by inserting a newline with the substitute command?
:s/,/\r/g
In Vim's substitute command, use \r (not \n) in the replacement to insert a real newline.
How do I sort lines based on a specific field or column rather than the beginning of each line?
:sort /regex/
The :sort /pattern/ command sorts lines by the text that appears after the first match of a pattern, not from the start of each line.
How do I create a macro that runs continuously until it hits an error?
@q
A recursive macro is a macro that calls itself as its last step, causing it to loop automatically until an operation fails (such as reaching the end of the file
How do I create text shortcuts that auto-expand while typing in Vim?
iabbrev
:iabbrev defines insert-mode abbreviations that expand automatically when you type a non-keyword character (space, punctuation, ) after the abbreviation.
How do I replace a line (or range) with the output of a shell command in Vim?
:.!{cmd}
:.
How do I extract the directory, filename, or extension from the current file path inside a Vim command?
%:h
Vim's filename modifiers let you derive path components from the current buffer's filename directly on the command line.
How do I copy a character from the line directly above or below while staying in insert mode?
<C-y> and <C-e>
In Insert mode, copies the character at the same column position from the line above the cursor, and copies the character from the line below.
How do I run a command on every individual quickfix entry in Vim?
:cdo s/old/new/ | update
:cdo {cmd} executes a command at every entry in the quickfix list, visiting each location in turn.
How do I run a normal mode command on every line in a visual selection?
:'<,'>norm I//
After making a visual selection, :norm {commands} executes normal-mode keystrokes on every line in the range.