How do I reformat text to fit the line width without moving the cursor?
gwip
The gw operator reformats text just like gq, but leaves the cursor in its original position after reformatting.
Tag: motions
How do I jump to the start of the previous method or function in code?
[m
The [m motion jumps backward to the start of the nearest enclosing or preceding method definition.
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.
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