How do I visually display tabs, trailing spaces, and end-of-line characters in Vim?
:set list listchars=tab:>-,trail:~,eol:$
Enabling list mode makes Vim render normally invisible characters using configurable symbols defined in listchars.
Tag: formatting
How do I highlight the column just past my textwidth to visually mark line length limits?
set colorcolumn=+1
The colorcolumn option highlights one or more vertical columns to help keep lines within a length limit.
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 keep concealed text hidden even on the cursor line so Markdown or LaTeX stays formatted while I navigate?
:set concealcursor=nvi
When 'conceallevel' is 2 or higher, Vim hides syntax markers—turning raw Markdown like bold into visual bold or collapsing LaTeX commands.
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 hard-wrap or reformat a paragraph to fit the current textwidth?
gq{motion}
The gq{motion} operator reformats text to fit within Vim's textwidth setting, inserting hard line breaks where lines are too long.
How do I add a visual indicator at the start of soft-wrapped continuation lines?
:set showbreak=+++
When wrap is enabled, Vim wraps long lines at the screen edge, but there is no built-in visual marker to distinguish a wrapped continuation from a brand-new lin
How do I center, right-align, or left-align lines of text using Ex commands?
:center / :right / :left
Vim has built-in Ex commands to align text: :center, :right, and :left.
How do I right-align visually selected lines to a specific column width?
:'<,'>right {width}
The :right Ex command right-aligns lines within a given column width by padding them with spaces on the left.
visual-mode #visual-mode #formatting #ex-commands #alignment
How do I define the comment format Vim uses for auto-commenting and plugins like vim-commentary?
:set commentstring=//\ %s
The commentstring option controls the template Vim uses to represent commented-out lines.
How do I customize the sign column and line number display with a single expression in Neovim?
:set statuscolumn=%s%=%l\
Neovim 0.
config #config #neovim #statusline #line-numbers #formatting
How do I format the current buffer using the language server protocol in Neovim?
vim.lsp.buf.format()
Neovim's built-in LSP client exposes vim.
How do I use a Vimscript function to control how the gq operator formats text?
:set formatexpr=MyFormat()
The formatexpr option lets you replace Vim's built-in line-breaking logic for the gq operator with your own Vimscript expression or function.
How do I uppercase or lowercase the entire current line in one keystroke?
gUU
The gUU command uppercases every character on the current line instantly — no visual selection or motion required.
How do I join all lines in a file into one, or use a custom separator when joining?
:%s/\n/ /g
Using \n in the pattern of :substitute matches the newline character at the end of each line, letting you join lines with any separator you choose — something
How do I change the filetype of the current buffer to get correct syntax highlighting and indent rules?
:setfiletype {filetype}
:setfiletype {filetype} sets the filetype option for the current buffer only if it has not already been set.
How do I make the gq operator format code with an external tool like prettier or black?
:set formatprg=<cmd>
When formatprg is set, the gq operator pipes the selected text through that external program and replaces it with the program's output.
How do I reformat a paragraph or motion to fit within the text width without moving my cursor?
gw
The gw operator reformats text to fit within textwidth, just like gq — but with one key difference: gw leaves the cursor in its original position after format
How do I make Vim show the beginning of long lines that don't fit on screen instead of just showing @@@ placeholders?
:set display=lastline
By default, when the last visible line of a window is too long to fit on screen, Vim shows @@@ in its place — hiding the content entirely.
How do I use an external formatter with the gq operator in Vim?
:set formatprg={program}
Vim's gq operator normally reflows text to fit textwidth, but by setting formatprg you can delegate formatting to any external tool — a language formatter, a