How do I register a Lua callback that fires before every keystroke to react to keyboard input?
vim.on_key()
vim.
Tag: ex-commands
How do I safely run Neovim API calls from inside a fast callback or loop without causing errors?
vim.schedule()
vim.
How do I step through a Vimscript command or function to debug it interactively?
:debug
The :debug command prefix puts Vim into its built-in interactive debugger before executing the given command.
command-line #ex-commands #debugging #command-line #vimscript
How do I force a case-insensitive substitution without changing the global ignorecase setting?
:%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
How do I open the command-line window while I am already typing a command?
<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
How do I define a custom user command in Neovim Lua config that accepts arguments and has a description?
vim.api.nvim_create_user_command()
Neovim's Lua API provides vim.
How do I undo all changes made in the last N minutes using time-based undo?
:earlier {N}m
Vim's :earlier command lets you travel back through the undo history by wall-clock time rather than by the number of changes.
How do I configure Vim's command-line tab completion to show a list of matches?
:set wildmode=longest,list
By default, Vim's command-line completion just cycles through matches one at a time.
How do I center text on the current line using a built-in Vim command?
:ce
Vim has three built-in ex commands for text alignment that most users never discover: :ce (center), :ri (right-justify), and :le (left-justify).
How do I center, right-align, or left-align lines of text within a fixed column width using Ex commands?
:{range}center {width}
Vim has built-in Ex commands for text alignment: :center, :right, and :left.
command-line #ex-commands #formatting #editing #command-line
How do I delete all lowercase marks in the current buffer at once?
:delmarks!
Marks accumulate as you work — ma, mb, mc and so on record positions for later jumps.
How do I run a :normal command that ignores user-defined mappings?
:normal! {cmds}
:normal {cmds} executes normal-mode keystrokes from the command line, but it honors your custom key mappings — so remapped keys produce unexpected results in
command-line #ex-commands #macros #normal-mode #command-line
How do I check whether a register contains characterwise, linewise, or blockwise text?
:echo getregtype('a')
The getregtype() function returns the motion type of a register's content — whether it was yanked characterwise, linewise, or as a visual block.
How do I save my current window and return to it after navigating other windows from a script or function?
:let winid = win_getid() | ... | call win_gotoid(winid)
The wingetid() and wingotoid() functions let you bookmark a window by its stable integer ID and jump back to it reliably.
How do I edit the contents of a macro using Vimscript string functions without re-recording it?
:let @q = substitute(@q, 'from', 'to', 'g')
Macros are stored as plain text in named registers, so you can manipulate them with any Vimscript string function.
How do I rearrange or transform captured groups in a substitution using Vimscript?
:s/\(\w\+\) \(\w\+\)/\=submatch(2) . ' ' . submatch(1)/
The submatch(N) function lets you access individual capture groups inside a \= (expression replacement) in a substitution.
How do I use a pattern-based range with an offset to operate on lines relative to a search match?
:/pattern/+N and :/pattern/-N
Vim's Ex command ranges can use search patterns as line addresses, and those addresses can include a numeric offset (+N or -N) to target lines relative to the m
How do I change an option's global default without affecting the current buffer's local value?
:setglobal
Vim maintains two values for most options: a global default that applies to new windows and buffers, and a local copy that can be overridden per-buffer or per-w
How do I filter the quickfix list to only show entries matching a pattern?
:Cfilter /pattern/
Vim ships with an optional built-in package called cfilter that adds :Cfilter and :Lfilter commands for narrowing down quickfix and location list entries by pat
How do I insert a new line of text after every line matching a pattern using the global command?
:g/pattern/put ='text'
Combining :global with :put = lets you insert synthesized lines of content after every line matching a pattern — without plugins or complex macros.