:windo / :bufdo / :tabdo {command}
Vim's do commands iterate over collections and execute a command in each context.
buffers-windows #buffers #windows #tabs #batch-editing #ex-commands
:{range}!command
The :{range}!command syntax pipes the specified lines through an external shell command and replaces them with the output.
command-line #command-line #shell #filtering #unix #ex-commands
:argdo normal @q | update
The :argdo command runs a command in every file in the argument list.
macros #macros #batch-editing #multi-file #ex-commands #workflow
Use :s/pat/rep/e flag or :silent! prefix
By default, Vim macros abort on the first error — a failed search, a substitute with no matches, or a movement that can't be performed.
:g/pattern/cmd1 | cmd2
The :g (global) command can execute multiple Ex commands per matching line by chaining them with .
command-line #command-line #global #ex-commands #batch-editing #advanced
:%sort u
The :sort u command sorts all lines in the file and removes duplicate lines in one operation.
command-line #command-line #ex-commands #editing #text-manipulation #sort
g&
The g& command repeats the last substitute command across the entire file.
:cq
The :cq command quits Vim and returns a non-zero exit code to the calling process.
:'a,'b s/old/new/g
Marks can be used as range specifiers in any Ex command.
command-line #marks #command-line #ex-commands #ranges #editing
:g/pattern/y A
The :g/pattern/y A command yanks every line matching the pattern and appends it to register a.
command-line #command-line #registers #global #ex-commands #filtering
:g/pattern/normal @q
The :global command combined with :normal lets you execute a recorded macro on every line that matches a given pattern.
macros #macros #command-line #ex-commands #global #batch-editing
:g/pattern/m$
The :g (global) command combined with :m (move) relocates all matching lines to a specified destination.
command-line #command-line #ex-commands #global #editing #organization
:X
The :X command sets an encryption key for the current file.
command-line #command-line #security #file-management #ex-commands
:'<,'>normal A;
The :normal command executes normal-mode keystrokes on every line in a range.
command-line #command-line #ex-commands #editing #normal-mode #batch-editing
:%s/\<old\>/new/g
Wrapping your search pattern in \ word boundary anchors ensures that Vim only matches the exact whole word, preventing accidental replacements inside longer wor
:%s/old/new/gc
Adding the c flag to a substitute command makes Vim pause at every match and ask you whether to replace it.
:%s/pattern/\=expression/g
Vim's substitute command supports expression replacements using \= in the replacement string.
:earlier {time} / :later {time}
Vim's :earlier and :later commands let you navigate the undo history by wall-clock time rather than by individual undo steps.
editing #editing #undo-redo #ex-commands #advanced #productivity
/\v
Vim's default regex syntax requires backslashes before most special characters like +, (, ), {, and , which is the opposite of what most developers expect from
:vimgrep /pattern/ **/*.ext | copen
The :vimgrep command searches for a regex pattern across multiple files and populates the quickfix list with every match.
search #search #quickfix #ex-commands #navigation #productivity #grep
