How do I delete characters, words, and lines without leaving insert mode?
<C-h> / <C-w> / <C-u>
Vim provides three levels of deletion directly in insert mode, so you don't need to switch to normal mode for small corrections.
Tag: insert-mode
How do I use Vim as an inline calculator with the expression register?
<C-r>=expression<CR>
The expression register ("=) evaluates Vimscript expressions and returns the result.
registers #registers #insert-mode #expression #calculator #vimscript
How do I paste or reuse my last search pattern?
<C-r>/
Vim stores your last search pattern in the / register.
How do I trigger language-aware autocompletion in Vim?
<C-x><C-o>
The keystroke triggers omni completion, Vim's built-in language-aware completion system.
How do I paste text in insert mode without triggering auto-indent or mappings?
<C-r><C-o>"
The {register} sequence in insert mode pastes register contents literally — without triggering auto-indentation, abbreviations, or mappings.
How do I rapidly generate HTML boilerplate using abbreviations in Vim?
<C-y>,
The emmet-vim plugin brings the full power of Emmet (formerly Zen Coding) to Vim, letting you type a short CSS-like abbreviation and expand it into a complete H
How do I execute a single normal mode command without leaving insert mode?
<C-o>{cmd}
Pressing in insert mode lets you execute one normal mode command and then automatically returns you to insert mode.
How do I overwrite existing text character by character without deleting first?
R
Replace mode lets you type over existing text one character at a time, like the "Insert" key behavior in traditional editors.
How do I jump back to where I last inserted text and continue typing?
gi
The gi command moves the cursor to the position where you last exited insert mode and immediately enters insert mode again.
navigation #navigation #insert-mode #marks #normal-mode #productivity
What is the difference between :map and :noremap, and why should I use non-recursive mappings?
:nnoremap / :inoremap / :vnoremap
Vim has two types of key mappings: recursive (:map, :nmap, :imap) and non-recursive (:noremap, :nnoremap, :inoremap).
How do I paste the current filename into the buffer?
"%p
The % register in Vim always contains the name of the current file.
registers #registers #editing #insert-mode #productivity #filename
How do I paste the text I just typed in insert mode?
".p
The ".
registers #registers #editing #insert-mode #normal-mode #productivity
How do I insert special characters like ©, ±, or → without leaving Vim?
<C-k>{char1}{char2}
Vim has a built-in digraph system that lets you insert hundreds of special characters by typing two-character mnemonics.
editing #editing #insert-mode #special-characters #unicode #productivity
How do I paste from a register while staying in insert mode?
<C-r>{register}
Pressing followed by a register name in insert mode inserts the contents of that register at the cursor position without leaving insert mode.
How do I delete the word before the cursor without leaving insert mode?
<C-w>
Pressing in insert mode deletes the word before the cursor instantly, without requiring you to switch to normal mode.
How do I auto-complete words in insert mode without any plugins?
<C-n> / <C-p>
Vim has a powerful built-in completion system that requires zero plugins.
How do I autocomplete an entire line based on existing lines in the file?
<C-x><C-l>
The command triggers whole-line completion in insert mode.
How do I do math calculations without leaving insert mode?
<C-r>=
The expression register (=) lets you evaluate Vimscript expressions on the fly and insert the result directly into your text.
registers #editing #insert-mode #registers #productivity #math
How do I autocomplete file paths while typing in insert mode?
<C-x><C-f>
The command triggers filename completion in insert mode.
editing #editing #insert-mode #completion #file-management #productivity
How do I append text to the end of multiple lines at once using visual block mode?
<C-v>jj$A text<Esc>
Visual block mode combined with $A lets you append text to the end of multiple lines simultaneously, even when those lines have different lengths.
visual-mode #editing #visual-mode #block-mode #productivity #insert-mode