The Buffer List in Vim¶

Table of Contents¶

Use :ls (or :files, or :buffers) to see the buffer list.

In vim's buffer list (:ls), there's a current file and alternate file.

When there's more than one buffer loaded, you'll have an alternate file.

The CTRL-^ command toggles between the current and alternate file.

It can be represented with # on the command line.

#n (where n is a number) is replaced with the file name of buffer n.
- #0 is the same as #.
## Is replaced with all names in the argument list concatenated, separated by spaces.
#<n (where n is a number > 0) is replaced with old file name n.
- See :oldfiles or v:oldfiles to get the number.

:bad {fname} / :badd {fname}: Add a file to the buffer list without loading it, if it wasn't listed yet. (Pneumonic: Buffer Add)
- You can specify a line number to go to when it's first entered.
- :bad 16 file.txt will go to line 16 of file.txt when you first enter it.
- :balt {fname}: Same as :badd, but also set the alternate file for the current window to {fname}. (Pneumonic: Buffer Alternate)
:b: Edit buffer given by number, name, or partial name.
:sb: Like :b but edit in a split.
:br/:bf: Go to the first buffer in the buffer list.
- :sbr/:sbf: Same as above but do it in a split.
:bl: Go to the last buffer in the buffer list.
- :sbl: Same as above but do it in a split.
:bm: Go to the next buffer that has been modified.
- You can specify a number and go to the nth modified buffer.
- Also finds buffers not in the buffer list.
:unhide: Rearranges the screen to open one window for each loaded buffer in the buffer list.
:ba/:ball Rearrange the screen to open one window for each buffer in the buffer list.
- When a count is given, this is the maximum number of windows to open.

There are different buffer types, here are a few: