How do I keep file ownership and metadata stable when Vim writes through symlinks?
:set backupcopy=yes
When Vim saves a file, it may use a rename-style write strategy that can replace the original inode.
Tag: files
How do I make Vim transparently edit .gz files using built-in tooling?
:packadd gzip
Compressed logs and artifacts often appear in debugging workflows, and repeatedly shelling out to decompress and recompress wastes time.
How do I use glob() in Vimscript to get a list of files matching a wildcard pattern?
glob()
The glob() built-in function expands a wildcard pattern into a list of matching filesystem paths, entirely within Vimscript.
How do I reference just the extension, stem, or directory of the current file in a Vim command?
%:e
Vim exposes the current filename as % in Ex commands, and you can apply modifiers to extract specific parts of the path.
How do I fuzzy-find and open any file in a project without using plugins?
:set path+=** | :find
By adding to Vim's path option and using :find, you can search for any file recursively through your project tree with tab completion — no plugins required.
How do I prevent Vim from adding a newline at the end of a file when saving?
:set nofixendofline
By default, Vim enforces POSIX compliance by appending a final newline to any file that lacks one.
How do I quickly browse the directory of the current file without leaving Vim?
- (vim-vinegar)
The vim-vinegar plugin by Tim Pope enhances Neovim's built-in netrw file browser.
How do I search across files using the location list instead of quickfix?
:lvimgrep /pattern/ %
While :vimgrep populates the global quickfix list, :lvimgrep uses the window-local location list instead.
How do you use the argument list to edit multiple files?
:args *.py
Use :args *.
How do I open a file explorer sidebar in Vim with NERDTree?
:NERDTreeToggle
The NERDTree plugin provides a full-featured file explorer sidebar in Vim, giving you a visual directory tree that you can navigate, search, and manipulate file
How do I fuzzy find and open files instantly in Vim?
:Files
The fzf.