How do I select a word under the cursor in visual mode?
viw
How it works The command viw selects the word under the cursor in visual mode.
Tag: navigation
How do I see git diff changes in the Vim sign column with vim-gitgutter?
:GitGutterToggle
vim-gitgutter is a plugin that shows git diff markers in the sign column (the narrow column to the left of line numbers).
How do I close the current buffer in Vim?
:bdelete
How it works The :bdelete command (often abbreviated :bd) removes the current buffer from Vim's buffer list and closes it.
How do I move the cursor to the other end of a visual selection?
o (in visual mode)
While in visual mode, pressing o swaps the cursor to the opposite end of the selection.
How do I navigate through code using tags and the tag stack?
<C-]> / <C-t>
The command jumps to the definition of the keyword under the cursor using a tags file, and jumps back.
How do I search for a pattern and land on a specific line offset from the match?
/pattern/+N or /pattern/-N
Vim's search command accepts an offset that places your cursor on a line relative to the match.
How do I find and open a file by name without knowing its full path?
:find filename
The :find command searches for a file by name across all directories in your path setting and opens it.
buffers-windows #buffers #file-management #navigation #workflow
How do I browse through my previous quickfix lists?
:colder / :cnewer
Vim remembers up to 10 previous quickfix lists.
How do I jump back and forth between my two most recent cursor positions?
<C-o> / <C-i>
Vim maintains a jumplist — a history of every "jump" you make (searches, marks, gg, G, %, etc.
How do I jump to a specific column number on the current line?
{N}|
The command (pipe character) moves the cursor to a specific column number on the current line.
How do I quickly jump between a small set of frequently used files?
Harpoon: mark files and jump with <leader>1-4
Harpoon by ThePrimeagen provides instant access to a curated list of files you're actively working on.
How do I switch to a buffer by typing part of its filename?
:b partial<Tab>
The :b (buffer) command accepts partial filename matching with tab completion.
How do I scroll the screen so the current line is at the top or bottom?
zt / zb
The zt and zb commands scroll the viewport so the current cursor line appears at the top or bottom of the screen respectively, without moving the cursor.
How do I open a URL under the cursor in my web browser from Vim?
gx
The gx command opens the URL, file path, or identifier under the cursor using the system's default handler.
navigation #navigation #netrw #workflow #browser #normal-mode
How do I move by visible screen lines instead of actual lines?
gj / gk
When a long line wraps across multiple screen rows, the regular j and k motions skip the entire logical line.
How do I navigate and operate on sentences and paragraphs in Vim?
( / ) / { / }
Vim treats sentences and paragraphs as first-class navigation units.
navigation #navigation #motions #text-objects #prose #editing
How do I jump between matching if/else/endif or other language constructs?
% with matchit plugin
The % command jumps between matching brackets by default, but with the built-in matchit plugin, it extends to match language-specific keywords like if/else/endi
How do I quickly toggle options and navigate lists using bracket mappings in Vim?
[on / ]on / yon
The vim-unimpaired plugin by Tim Pope provides a consistent set of bracket-based mappings for toggling Vim options, navigating paired lists, and performing comm
How do I get improved % matching for language keywords like if/else/endif in Vim?
vim-matchup
The vim-matchup plugin by Andy Massimino is a drop-in replacement for Vim's built-in matchit plugin that supercharges the % key to work with language-specific k
plugins #plugins #matchup #navigation #text-objects #matching
How do I open a file explorer sidebar in Vim with NERDTree?
:NERDTreeToggle
The NERDTree plugin provides a full-featured file explorer sidebar in Vim, giving you a visual directory tree that you can navigate, search, and manipulate file