readfile() and writefile()
readfile({path}) reads a file and returns its contents as a list of lines, and writefile({list}, {path}) writes a list of lines back to disk.
systemlist()
systemlist({cmd}) runs a shell command and returns the output as a list of strings, one per line — unlike system() which returns everything as a single string
:let @q = 'keystrokes'
You can assign a string directly to any register using :let, turning it into a macro instantly.
:sign define and :sign place
Vim's built-in sign system lets you define custom symbols and place them in the sign column — the narrow gutter to the left of line numbers.
winrestcmd()
The winrestcmd() function returns a string of Ex commands that, when executed, restore all window sizes to their state at the time of the call.
has('nvim')
The has() function tests whether a feature or capability is available, returning 1 (true) or 0 (false).
v:count1
The v:count1 variable holds the count typed before a command, defaulting to 1 if no count was given.
:let @a .= "text"
Vim registers are just strings, and you can read and write them directly using the :let command.
autocmd ++once
The ++once flag, added in Vim 8.
matchlist()
matchlist({str}, {pattern}) runs a regex match and returns a list of all captured groups, making it the idiomatic way to extract structured data from strings in
getchar()
getchar() blocks and waits for the user to press a key, returning its numeric character code.
:keepjumps {command}
The :keepjumps modifier lets you run any movement or command without recording a new entry in the jump list.
navigation #navigation #ex-commands #jump-list #normal-mode #vimscript
:let @a = substitute(@a, "old", "new", "g")
When a recorded macro has a typo or wrong command buried inside it, you don't have to re-record the entire thing.
:let @q = substitute(@q, "old", "new", "g")
Vim macros are stored as plain text in registers, which means you can inspect and modify them like any other string.
:norm! {cmd}
Both :norm and :norm! execute a sequence of Normal mode keystrokes from the command line or a script, but they differ in how they handle user-defined mappings.
:call setreg("a", substitute(getreg("a"), "old", "new", "g"))
The getreg() and setreg() functions let you read and write register contents as plain strings, making it possible to surgically edit a macro without re-recordin
:let @a = @a . "\<CR>extra"
Vim stores macros as plain text in registers — the same registers used for yanked text.
:call setreg('q', 'dd')
The setreg() VimScript function lets you populate any register with arbitrary content directly from the command line or a script — no recording required.
<C-\>e
Pressing e on the command line opens a special prompt that lets you type a Vimscript expression.
command-line #command-line #ex-commands #vimscript #insert-mode
:let @a = 'text'
Vim's :let command lets you assign a value directly to any named register without performing a yank or delete operation.
registers #registers #macros #vimscript #ex-commands #normal-mode
