How do I quickly jump between function definitions or top-level blocks in a source file?
[[
The [[ and ]] commands navigate between top-level code blocks — specifically, lines where { appears in column 1.
Tag: motions
How do I jump between function or section boundaries in Vim?
[[ and ]]
[[ and ]] navigate between section boundaries — typically the start of the previous or next top-level block.
How do I jump between method or function definitions in Vim?
]m / [m
Vim's ]m and [m motions navigate between method and function boundaries in curly-brace languages like C, Java, JavaScript, and Go.
How do I make word motions like w, b, and e treat hyphens or other characters as part of a word?
:set iskeyword+=-
By default, Vim treats hyphens, dots, and many punctuation characters as word boundaries.
How do I add or subtract a specific number to a number under the cursor?
{count}<C-a> / {count}<C-x>
While increments and decrements a number by 1, you can prefix either with a count to add or subtract a specific amount.
How do I move the cursor to the other end of a visual selection to adjust it?
v_o
When you start a visual selection, the cursor is at one end and the anchor is at the other.
How do I jump to the enclosing curly brace or parenthesis in code?
[{ / ]}
When editing code inside a deeply nested block, [{ jumps backward to the unmatched { that encloses the current position, and ]} jumps forward to its matching }.
How do I quickly jump between method or function definitions in code?
]m and [m
The ]m and [m motions let you jump forward and backward between the start of method or function definitions.
How do I create a custom operator that works with motions and text objects?
:set operatorfunc=MyFunc<CR>g@
Vim lets you define custom operators that behave like built-in ones (d, c, y) — they wait for a motion or text object, then act on the selected region.
How do I jump between method or function definitions in code?
]m / [m / ]M / [M
When navigating large source files, ]m and [m let you jump directly to the start of the next or previous method.
How do I run a single normal-mode command without leaving insert mode?
<C-o>{command}
While typing in insert mode, you sometimes need to do a quick normal-mode action — center the screen, jump to a mark, or delete a word backward.
How do I move the cursor to the other end of a Visual selection in Vim?
o (in Visual mode)
When you make a Visual selection in Vim, the cursor sits at one end while the other end is anchored.
How do I progressively expand or contract a visual selection by text objects?
v3aw
In visual mode, repeating text object motions progressively expands the selection.
How do I navigate by sentences, paragraphs, and sections in Vim?
( ) { } [[ ]]
Vim provides structural navigation motions that move by sentences, paragraphs, and sections.
What is the difference between word and WORD motions in Vim?
w vs W, b vs B, e vs E
Vim distinguishes between "words" (sequences of keyword characters) and "WORDS" (sequences of non-blank characters).
How do I navigate through wrapped lines visually instead of by actual lines?
gj and gk
When wrap is enabled, long lines wrap across multiple screen lines.
How do I use count prefixes to amplify motions and operators in Vim?
{count}{motion}
Almost every Vim motion and operator accepts a numeric count prefix that repeats or amplifies the action.
What is the difference between 0 and ^ for moving to the beginning of a line?
^ vs 0
Vim has two distinct motions for moving to the start of a line: 0 goes to column 1 (the absolute start), while ^ goes to the first non-blank character.
navigation #navigation #motions #line-navigation #indentation
What is the difference between backtick and apostrophe when jumping to marks?
`a vs 'a
Vim has two ways to jump to marks: backtick (` `) jumps to the exact line AND column, while apostrophe (') jumps to the line only, positioning the cursor at the
How do I jump between method or function definitions in Vim?
[m and ]m
The [m and ]m motions jump to the start of method/function definitions in languages with brace-delimited blocks.