To startup vi:
vi filename
Vi has three main modes Command mode, Insert mode and Command-Line mode.
The editor begins in command mode, where cursor movement and copy/paste commands can be issued. If you are ever unsure which mode you're in, press Esc to return to command mode.
Insert text (Insert mode):Open line above cursor |
O | ||||||
Insert text at beginning of line |
I | Insert text at cursor |
i | append text after cursor |
a | Append text at line end |
A |
Open line below cursor |
o |
Switch to Command mode:
Switch to command mode: [ESC]
Most commands execute as soon as typed except for "colon" commands which execute when you press the return key.
Cursor Movement (command mode):
Scroll Backward 1 screen |
[ctrl] b | ||||
Scroll Up 1/2 screen |
[ctrl] u | ||||
Go to beginning of line |
0 | Go to line n |
nG | Go to end of line |
$ |
Scroll Down 1/2 screen |
[ctrl] d | Go to line number ## |
:## |
||
Scroll Forward 1 screen |
[ctrl] f | ||||
Go to last line |
G | ||||
Scroll by sentence f/b |
( ) | ||||
Scroll by word f/b |
w b | Move left, down, up, right |
h j k l | Left 6 chars |
6h |
Scroll by paragraph f/b |
{ } | Move left, down, up, right |
← ↓ ↑ → Arrow Keys | Go to line #6 |
6G |
Delete text (command mode):
Change word |
cw | Replace one character |
r | ||
Delete word |
dw | Delete text at cursor |
x | Delete entire line (to buffer) |
dd |
Delete (backspace) text at cursor |
X | Delete 5 lines (to buffer) |
5dd | ||
Delete current to end of line |
D | Delete lines 5-10 |
:5,10d |
Editing (command mode):
Copy line |
yy | Copy n lines |
nyy | Copy lines 1-2 /paste after 3 |
:1,2t3 |
Paste above current line |
P | ||||
Paste below current line |
p | Move lines 4-5 /paste after 6 |
:4,5m6 | ||
| Find the next t | ft | Join previous line |
J | ||
Search backward for string |
?string | Search forward for string |
/string | Find next string occurrence |
n |
% (entire file) s (search and replace) /old text with new/ c (confirm) g (global - all) |
:%s/oldstring/newstring/cg | Ignore case during search |
:set ic | ||
Repeat last command |
. | Undo previous command |
u | Undo all changes to line |
U |
Save and Quit (command mode):
Save changes to buffer |
:w
|
Save changes and quit vi |
ZZ or :wq |
Save file to new file |
:w file
|
Quit without saving |
:q!
|
Save lines to new file |
:10,15w file
|
In general a number n preceding any vi command will tell vi to repeat that command n times.
:syntax on Turn on syntax highlighting
:syntax off Turn off syntax highlighting
:set number Turn on Line numbering (shorthand :set nu)
:set nonumber Turn off Line numbering (shorthand :set nonu)
:set ignorecase Ignore case sensitivity when searching
:set noignorecase Restore case sensitivity (default)
:set autoindent Turn on Auto-indentation
Use the command >> to indent and the << command to outdent
:set shiftwidth=4 Set indentation to four spaces
:set noautoindent Turn off Auto-indentation
Change all Windows CR/LF to Unix style LF line endings in the current file:
:g/^M/s///g
(To enter the ^M, type CTRL-V CTRL-M)
Command-line mode
Command-line mode commands are typed at the bottom of the screen.
To enter Command-line mode from Command mode, push colon : a colon will appear at the bottom.
Command-line (Ex) commands:
q [Enter]If you haven’t made any modifications, or have already saved them beforehand.
quit [Enter]If you haven’t made any modifications, or have already saved them beforehand.
q! [Enter]ignore any modifications and quit.
w [Enter]Save and return to Command mode.
wq [Enter]Save and quit.
x [Enter]Save and quit, same as wq
The Ex mode is similar to the command line mode as it also allows you to enter Ex commands. Unlike the command-line mode you won’t return to normal mode automatically. You can enter an Ex command by typing a Q in normal mode and leave it again with the :visual command. Note that the Ex mode is designed for Batch processing and as such won’t support mappings or command-line editing.
vi is pronounced as the two letters: "vee eye"
The vi editor was an update on the earlier ex (and ed) editors, it introduced a Visual Interactive mode which was contracted to give the name vi.
“vi was written for a world that doesn’t exist anymore - unless you decide to get a satellite phone and use it to connect to the Net at 2400 baud” ~ Bill Joy
Full list of VI commands
OpenVIM tutorial
Learning the vi Editor - How to use the vi editor.
History and effective use of Vim - Joe Nelson.
How to grok vi - Stack Overflow.
bcvi - Back Channel vi - remote file editing with SSH.
book - Practical vim by Drew Neil.
book - Learning the vi & vim Editor
MacVim & MacVim vs TextMate