:Explore / :Vexplore / :Sexplore
Vim ships with netrw, a built-in file explorer that lets you browse directories, open files, create new files, rename, and delete — all without plugins.
buffers-windows #navigation #buffers #file-management #netrw #productivity
gf
The gf command ("go to file") opens the file whose path is under the cursor.
navigation #navigation #normal-mode #buffers #productivity #file-management
:copen / :cnext / :cprev
The quickfix list is Vim's built-in mechanism for navigating a list of file locations — compiler errors, grep results, search matches, or any structured outpu
navigation #navigation #quickfix #ex-commands #productivity #workflow
zf / zo / zc / za
Vim's folding system lets you collapse blocks of code into a single line, hiding the details so you can focus on the structure.
editing #editing #folding #navigation #normal-mode #productivity
mA / 'A
Uppercase marks (A-Z) are global marks — they remember not only the line and column position, but also the file where they were set.
navigation #navigation #marks #normal-mode #buffers #productivity
gn
The gn motion searches forward for the next match of the last search pattern and visually selects it.
search #navigation #search #motions #normal-mode #repeat #editing
{N}%
The {N}% command jumps the cursor to the line that is N percent of the way through the file.
:lopen / :lnext / :lprev
The location list is a per-window variant of the quickfix list.
buffers-windows #navigation #quickfix #ex-commands #windows #productivity
` vs '
Vim offers two ways to jump to a mark, and the difference is crucial: the backtick (` `) jumps to the exact line and column where the mark was set, while the si
<C-w><C-w>
The (Ctrl+w Ctrl+w) command cycles the cursor to the next window in the current tab.
/pattern
The /pattern command searches forward through the file for the given pattern.
#
The # command searches backward for the exact word under the cursor, jumping to the previous occurrence.
*
The command searches forward for the exact word under the cursor, jumping to the next occurrence.
ma and 'a
The ma command sets a mark named a at the current cursor position.
:set relativenumber
The :set relativenumber command displays line numbers relative to the cursor position instead of absolute line numbers.
<C-d>
The (Ctrl+d) command scrolls the window down by half a screen, moving both the viewport and the cursor.
<C-u>
The (Ctrl+u) command scrolls the window up by half a screen, moving the cursor along with it.
?pattern
The ?pattern command searches backward through the file for the given pattern, starting from the cursor position and wrapping around to the end of the file if n
$
The $ command moves the cursor to the last character of the current line.
^
The ^ command moves the cursor to the first non-blank character of the current line.
