:s/pattern/\=expr/
Prefixing the replacement field of :s with \= makes Vim evaluate the rest as a Vimscript expression and use the result as the replacement string.
:g/pattern/normal {cmd}
Combining :global with :normal lets you run any normal-mode keystrokes on every line that matches a pattern.
:e +{line} {file}
The :edit command accepts a +{cmd} prefix that executes an Ex command immediately after the file is loaded.
command-line #buffers #ex-commands #navigation #command-line
:s/\d\+/\=submatch(0)+1/g
The \= prefix in a :substitute replacement field tells Vim to evaluate the following as a Vimscript expression rather than treating it as a literal string.
:'<,'>s/\%Vpattern/replacement/g
When you press : after making a visual selection, Vim inserts ' to restrict the substitution to the selected lines.
visual-mode #visual-mode #search #editing #ex-commands #normal-mode
/\cfoo
Vim's \c and \C flags let you force a search to be case-insensitive or case-sensitive on a per-search basis, regardless of your ignorecase and smartcase setting
:vim /pattern/ **
:vimgrep /pattern/ (shortened to :vim) is Vim's built-in project-wide search.
:let @a = system('cmd')
You can populate any Vim register with the output of an external shell command using :let @{register} = system('{command}').
:let @q='commands'
Macros in Vim are stored in registers as plain text.
:%s/\%Vpattern/replacement/g
The \%V atom restricts a regex match to the last visual selection — more precisely than :'s/.
:e %:r.html
In Vim's command line, % expands to the current buffer's filename.
command-line #ex-commands #command-line #buffers #navigation
:lcd
:cd changes the global working directory, affecting every window and tab in the session.
:botright split
When you split a window with :split or :vsplit, Vim subdivides only the current window.
buffers-windows #buffers #windows #ex-commands #command-line
:match {group} /{pattern}/
:match lets you apply a highlight group to any pattern in the current window without touching the buffer or its syntax rules.
:lcd {dir}
:lcd (local cd) sets the working directory for the current window only, leaving other windows at their previous directory.
buffers-windows #buffers-windows #navigation #ex-commands #config
: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.
:let @a = @a . @b
You can manipulate register contents directly using the :let command with the @{reg} syntax.
:oldfiles
:oldfiles displays a numbered list of every file Vim has recorded in its viminfo (or shada in Neovim) file.
:history
:history displays a numbered list of your recently entered Ex commands, giving you a full audit of what you have run in the current session (and across sessions
:'<,'>norm @a
Combining :normal with a visual range lets you replay a macro on each line of a selection individually — far more targeted than recursive macros or @@ repeati
