:'[,']normal! =
When you need to run a command on exactly the text you just changed, yanked, or pasted, Vim's automatic marks are faster and safer than reselecting manually.
command-line #command-line #marks #indentation #ex-commands #normal-mode
:lockmarks normal! >>
When you run editing commands from the command line, Vim usually updates special marks like '[ and '] to the changed text.
mzgUiw`z
When you run an operator like gUiw, Vim can leave your cursor in a slightly different place than where you started.
:keepmarks {command}
Many batch edits in Vim update special marks like '[ and '], which can disrupt follow-up motions or tooling that depends on those positions.
navigation #navigation #marks #command-line #refactoring #editing
]`
Most users jump to marks directly ('a, ` a `), but when a file has many lowercase marks, stepping through them in order is faster than remembering each name.
:'a,'bnormal! @q<CR>
When you need to replay a macro on a precise region, selecting lines manually can be slow and error-prone.
:set shada='200,<1000,s100,h
Default ShaDa settings are conservative, which can make long-running workflows lose useful context between sessions.
''
When you jump around a file, Vim tracks prior locations.
navigation #navigation #motions #marks #jumplist #normal-mode
`0
Vim automatically saves your cursor position when you exit, storing it as the 0 mark in the viminfo file (or shada file in Neovim).
:keepmarks %s/pattern/replacement/g
The :keepmarks modifier prevents Vim from adjusting mark positions when a buffer-modifying command runs.
\%'m
Vim's \%'m regex atom matches the exact position of mark m in a search pattern.
d'a
Named marks are not just jump destinations — they serve as motion targets for any operator.
navigation #navigation #marks #editing #motions #normal-mode
`"
The " mark is an automatic mark Vim sets whenever you leave a buffer — switching to another file, hiding the buffer, or quitting Vim (with viminfo/shada enabl
:'a,'bs/old/new/g
Named marks can serve as range endpoints for any Ex command, including :substitute.
:keepmarks
When Vim executes commands that move or reorder lines — such as :sort, :%!sort, or :s/// across ranges — it automatically adjusts named marks to follow the
'^
Vim automatically maintains a special mark ^ that records the exact position of the cursor the last time you left insert mode.
]' and ['
The ]' and [' motions let you traverse every lowercase mark set in the current buffer without needing to remember which registers you used.
:delmarks!
Marks accumulate as you work — ma, mb, mc and so on record positions for later jumps.
m'
Vim's jump list automatically records your position whenever you make large motions (like G, /pattern, or ).
:lua require('harpoon.mark').add_file()
Harpoon by ThePrimeagen is a Neovim plugin that maintains a small, numbered list of the files you're actively working on.
