How do I append additional keystrokes to a recorded macro using Vimscript without re-recording it?
:let @q .= "keys"
The string concatenation assignment :let @q .
Tag: normal-mode
How do I delete consecutive duplicate lines from a file using a single Ex command?
:g/\(.\+\)\n\1/d
The :g command with a backreference pattern can detect and delete consecutive duplicate lines in one pass.
How do I force a Vim operator to act linewise even when the motion is normally characterwise?
dV{motion}
In operator-pending mode — the brief state after typing an operator like d, c, or y but before entering the motion — you can prefix the motion with v, V, or
How do I position the cursor at a specific character offset from a search match?
/pattern/e+2
Vim's search command supports an offset suffix that controls where the cursor lands after a match.
How do I display the contents of only certain registers instead of all of them at once?
:reg a b c
The :reg (alias :registers) command accepts a string of register names as its argument.
How do I push or pull a single diff hunk between buffers with a single keystroke in diff mode?
dp
In Vim's diff mode, dp (diff put) and do (diff obtain) are single-keystroke shorthands for :diffput and :diffget.
buffers-windows #diff #buffers-windows #editing #normal-mode
How do I write a Vim search pattern that matches text at or between mark positions?
\%'m
Vim's \%'m regex atom matches the exact position of mark m in a search pattern.
How do I inspect a Vim register's full details including its type (charwise, linewise, or blockwise) in Vimscript?
getreginfo('a')
getreginfo('{reg}') (Vim 8.
How do I edit a recorded macro by treating it as plain text?
"qp {edit} 0"qy$ dd
When you record a macro and realize it has a mistake, the easiest fix is to paste the macro's keystrokes as text, edit them, and yank the corrected version back
How do I open folds one level at a time in Vim without revealing all nested folds at once?
zr
zr ("reduce" fold level) decrements the global foldlevel option by 1, opening the next layer of folds across the entire file.
How do I create a Neovim mapping that runs an Ex command without entering command-line mode or changing the current mode?
<Cmd>
The pseudo-key in Neovim allows a mapping to execute an Ex command directly, without going through command-line mode.
How do I replay the last executed macro with a single key in Neovim?
Q
In Neovim, the Q key is mapped to replay the last executed macro — the same as @@ in both Vim and Neovim.
How do I indent all lines from the cursor to the matching closing bracket in Vim?
>%
Vim's > operator (indent) works with any motion or text object — including %, which jumps to the bracket, parenthesis, or brace matching the one under the cur
editing #editing #indentation #text-objects #normal-mode #motions
How do I use a named mark as a motion target for operators like delete, yank, or indent in Vim?
d'a
Named marks are not just jump destinations — they serve as motion targets for any operator.
navigation #navigation #marks #editing #motions #normal-mode
How do I shift-indent all lines from the current cursor position to the end of the file?
>G
The >G command applies a right-indent shift to every line from the cursor through the last line of the buffer.
How do I replace exactly N consecutive characters with the same character without entering visual mode?
{count}r{char}
The {count}r{char} command replaces a precise number of characters starting at the cursor position with a single repeated character.
How do I jump to the start or end of a C-style block comment from anywhere inside or near it?
[* and ]*
The [ and ] motions (also written as [/ and ]/) let you jump directly to the opening / or closing / of a C-style block comment.
How do I highlight a custom pattern persistently in a window without changing the search register?
matchadd()
The matchadd() function adds a persistent highlight for a pattern in the current window without touching your search register or interfering with n/N navigation
How do I record a self-repeating recursive macro that automatically stops when it hits an error?
qa{motions}@aq
A recursive macro is one that calls itself at the end of its own recording.
How do I send a visual selection to an external command as input without replacing the selected text?
:'<,'>w !{cmd}
The :'w !{cmd} command writes the visually selected lines to the stdin of an external shell command — without modifying the buffer.