How do I indent or dedent the current line without leaving insert mode?
<C-t> and <C-d>
When you're typing in insert mode and realize the current line needs more or less indentation, you don't have to leave insert mode to fix it.
Tag: editing
How do I create custom folds to collapse specific sections of code?
zf{motion}
Vim supports several fold methods, but manual folding with zf gives you precise control over exactly which lines to collapse.
How do I fix broken or incorrect syntax highlighting in Vim?
:syntax sync fromstart
Vim's syntax highlighting engine does not always parse the entire file from the beginning — it uses sync points to determine where to start parsing for the vi
How do I run commands without polluting the jump list?
:keepjumps
When writing scripts or running commands that move the cursor (like :g, :s, or :normal), Vim normally adds each cursor position to the jump list.
How do I make a macro repeat itself until it fails?
qaq qa...@aq @a
A recursive macro calls itself at the end of its recording, causing it to repeat indefinitely until a command inside it fails (like a search hitting the end of
How do I run commands without disturbing my marks?
:lockmarks
Many Ex commands silently adjust or delete marks as a side effect of modifying buffer content.
How do I append text to the end of multiple lines of different lengths?
<C-v>$A
When you need to append text to the end of several lines that have different lengths, visual block mode with $ is the key.
How do I use Vim expressions and functions in substitute replacements?
:%s/\<\w\+\>/\=toupper(submatch(0))/g
The \= flag in the replacement part of :substitute tells Vim to evaluate what follows as a Vimscript expression instead of treating it as a literal string.
How do I run normal mode edits on every line matching a pattern?
:g/pattern/normal A;
The :global command combined with :normal lets you execute arbitrary normal mode keystrokes on every line that matches a pattern.
command-line #global #normal-mode #editing #ex-commands #batch-editing
How do I jump between method or function definitions in code?
]m / [m / ]M / [M
When navigating large source files, ]m and [m let you jump directly to the start of the next or previous method.
How do I run a single normal-mode command without leaving insert mode?
<C-o>{command}
While typing in insert mode, you sometimes need to do a quick normal-mode action — center the screen, jump to a mark, or delete a word backward.
How do I repeat the last substitute command preserving its flags?
:&&
After running a :s/pattern/replacement/g command, you often need to repeat it on another line or range.
How do I run a substitute command on every file in the quickfix list at once?
:cfdo %s/old/new/ge | update
When you grep across your project and want to perform a search-and-replace on every file that matched, :cfdo is the most efficient approach.
command-line #quickfix #substitute #search #ex-commands #editing
How do I create a custom operator that works with any motion in Vim?
:set operatorfunc=MyFunc<CR>g@{motion}
Vim's operatorfunc and g@ let you define custom operators that accept any motion or text object, just like built-in operators d, c, and y.
How do I edit a binary file in hex mode using Vim?
:%!xxd
Vim can serve as a hex editor by piping buffer contents through xxd, a hex dump utility that ships with Vim.
How do I append text to the end of multiple lines that have different lengths?
<C-v>jj$A;
Visual block mode normally selects a fixed-width column, which makes appending tricky when lines have different lengths.
How do I make a macro run repeatedly until it reaches the end of the file or encounters an error?
qaqqa{actions}@aq@a
A recursive macro is a macro that calls itself at the end of its recording.
How do I run an Ex command on all lines between two pattern matches?
:/start/,/end/ {command}
Vim's range addressing lets you specify a line range using search patterns instead of explicit line numbers.
How do I paste the contents of a register into the command line or search prompt?
:<C-r>"
When typing an Ex command or search pattern, you often need to insert text you've already yanked or deleted.
How do I increment or decrement hexadecimal and binary numbers with Ctrl-A and Ctrl-X?
:set nrformats+=hex,bin
By default, Vim's and only increment and decrement decimal numbers.