How do I launch a GDB session in Vim with the built-in termdebug plugin?
:packadd termdebug | Termdebug
For quick debugging without leaving Vim, the built-in termdebug plugin wires a GDB session directly into your editing workflow.
Tag: workflow
How do I keep a split at a fixed width when opening and closing other windows?
:setlocal winfixwidth
When you use a sidebar-style split for file trees, docs, or logs, automatic window equalization can constantly resize it.
How do I keep folds and viewport context when navigating jumps in Neovim?
:set jumpoptions=stack,view
By default, jump navigation can feel lossy in long files: you jump back, but folds, topline, and viewport context do not always match what you were looking at b
How do I fill quickfix from ripgrep output without leaving Vim?
:cexpr system('rg --vimgrep "TODO"')
When you already know you want an external search tool, :cexpr lets you import results directly into quickfix without opening a terminal buffer or shelling out
How do I save only real file buffers when running bufdo across many open buffers?
:bufdo if &buftype ==# '' | update | endif
bufdo is powerful for multi-buffer automation, but a naive write pass can error on special buffers (help, terminal, quickfix, prompts).
buffers-windows #buffers #windows #ex-commands #automation #workflow
How do I append extra keystrokes to a recorded macro from the command line without re-recording it?
:let @q .= "j^"
Live macro recording is fast, but adjusting the tail of a macro by re-recording can be risky once it already works in most places.
macros #macros #registers #automation #normal-mode #workflow
How do I inspect only Ex command history so I can quickly rerun a complex command?
:history :
When you work with long substitution pipelines or multi-part Ex commands, digging through all history (:history) adds noise.
How do I reindent the whole buffer without adding jumplist entries?
:keepjumps normal! gg=G<CR>
Whole-buffer reindent is common, but doing it naively can pollute your jumplist and break navigation flow during review.
How do I set each window's local working directory to its buffer path?
:windo lcd %:p:h<CR>
When multiple splits point at files from different projects, relative-path commands can become inconsistent and error-prone.
How do I capture command-line output directly into a register?
:redir @a | messages | redir END<CR>
When debugging a session or building repeatable edits, it is useful to turn command output into editable text.
How do I configure :make to run the current file as a script with a specific interpreter?
:set makeprg=python3\ %
Setting makeprg to include % lets :make always execute the file you're currently editing.
How do I quickly open my vimrc configuration file from anywhere in Vim?
:e $MYVIMRC
The :e $MYVIMRC command opens your Vim or Neovim configuration file instantly, no matter where it lives.
How do I open a diff between my current buffer and the last saved version of the file?
:DiffOrig
:DiffOrig opens a side-by-side split comparing your current (unsaved) buffer against the version on disk.
buffers-windows #diff #buffers #editing #workflow #buffers-windows
How do I save a file and automatically create missing parent directories in Neovim?
:w ++p
Neovim's :w ++p flag automatically creates any missing intermediate directories when writing a file.
How do I switch back to the previous working directory in Vim?
:cd -
The :cd - command switches Vim's global working directory back to the previous one, just like cd - in the shell.
How do I save my last Ex command into a register so I can replay it as a macro?
:let @q = @:
The : register always holds the last Ex command you ran.
How do I control exactly what Vim saves when I create a session with :mksession?
:set sessionoptions
The sessionoptions option (abbreviated ssop) is a comma-separated list of flags that determine what :mksession stores in the session file.
buffers-windows #buffers-windows #config #workflow #sessions
How do I run GDB inside Vim to debug programs without leaving the editor?
:packadd termdebug
Vim ships with a built-in termdebug plugin that integrates GDB directly into the editor.
How do I list only modified or active buffers in Vim?
:ls +
The :ls command (or :buffers) supports filter flags that narrow the buffer list to specific states.
How do I combine the dot command with macros for powerful repeat workflows?
qq;.q then @q or @@
The dot command (.