:%s/\v(\w+)/\u\L\1/g
Vim's substitution engine supports case-modifier sequences in the replacement string, making it possible to convert text to title case in a single command.
search #search #substitution #regex #editing #case #formatting
:set sidescroll=1
When wrap is off and the cursor moves past the edge of the screen, Vim jumps the view horizontally by a number of columns determined by sidescroll.
:'<,'>w {filename}
After making a visual selection, you can write only those lines to a new file using :'w {filename}.
:sort i
By default, :sort uses byte-value ordering, which places all uppercase letters before lowercase.
:sort /pattern/
The :sort /{pattern}/ command sorts lines by their content after the first match of the pattern.
%: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
:silent !{cmd}
Running :!cmd in Vim shows the command's output and then pauses with a "Press ENTER or type command to continue" prompt.
:%retab!
The :retab command converts leading whitespace according to the current tabstop and expandtab settings, but it only touches indentation at the start of lines.
:'a,'bs/old/new/g
Named marks can serve as range endpoints for any Ex command, including :substitute.
:%d
The % range address in Ex commands stands for the entire file — it is shorthand for 1,$ (first line to last line).
gd and gD
Vim's gd and gD commands jump to the declaration of the identifier under the cursor by searching upward through the file — no ctags setup required.
:let @q = substitute(@q, 'old', 'new', '')
Vim macros are stored as plain text in named registers, which means you can inspect and modify them directly using :let and :echo.
:next
When Vim is opened with multiple files (e.
command-line #buffers-windows #ex-commands #navigation #editing
:keepmarks
When Vim executes commands that move or reorder lines — such as :sort, :%!sort, or :s/// across ranges — it automatically adjusts named marks to follow the
<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
d2iw
Text objects in Vim accept a count, letting you operate on a span of multiple adjacent text objects in one command.
%:r
The %:r expression expands to the current filename with its extension removed (the "root" of the filename).
:%s/pattern/replacement/ig
The :s substitute command accepts /i and /I flags that override your global ignorecase and smartcase settings for that single substitution, letting you choose c
<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
gP
The gP command works like P (paste before the cursor) but leaves your cursor after the pasted text rather than at its beginning.
