Vim Keybindings, Hotkeys & Shortcuts¶

Pressing ! and then doing a motion will select the lines that the motion
would have traversed, and put them in the Ex command line.
E.g., !} at the top of a paragraph will put the whole paragraph selection
into the Ex Command Line (for example, :.,.+4 for a 4-line paragraph).

Quickref¶

gf: Go to file under cursor
gF: Go to file under cursor and, if there's a number after the file name, the cursor is positioned on that line in the file.
<C-w>gF: Same as gF, but the file is opened in a new tab.
gx: Go to the filepath or URL under the cursor.
- Uses the system default handler, by calling vim.ui.open().
- Returns (doesn't show) an error message on failure.
gue will lowercase all characters from the cursor to the end of the word.
<C-a>: Increment the number under the cursor.
- g<C-a> (visual): Increment the first number on each line in the selected area.
<C-x>: Decrement the number under the cursor.
- g<C-x> (visual): Decrement the first number on each line in the selected area.
[I: Show all the lines in the file that contain the word under the cursor.
]m: Go to the next braces - { }

Making Custom Keybindings¶

:h map-precedence¶

:h map-arguments¶

:h key-notation¶

Mapping Modes¶

Command mode:	Norm	Ins	Cmd	Vis	Sel	Opr	Term	Lang
`[nore]map`	yes	-	-	yes	yes	yes	-	-
`[nore]map!`	-	yes	yes	-	-	-	-	-
`n[nore]map`	yes	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
`i[nore]map`	-	yes	-	-	-	-	-	-
`c[nore]map`	-	-	yes	-	-	-	-	-
`v[nore]map`	-	-	-	yes	yes	-	-	-
`x[nore]map`	-	-	-	yes	-	-	-	-
`s[nore]map`	-	-	-	-	yes	-	-	-
`o[nore]map`	-	-	-	-	-	yes	-	-
`t[nore]map`	-	-	-	-	-	-	yes	-
`l[nore]map`	-	yes	yes	-	-	-	-	yes

The l mode (Lang / Language Argument Mode) is used when using an 'input method editor' (IME) for non-english characters.

Special Mapping Arguments¶

:h map-arguments¶

nnoremap <buffer> <leader>sa rhs  
nnoremap <nowait> <leader>sa rhs  
nnoremap <silent> <leader>sa rhs  
nnoremap <script> <leader>sa rhs  
nnoremap <expr>   <leader>sa rhs  
nnoremap <unique> <leader>sa rhs

These can be used in any order.
They must appear right after the command, before any other arguments.

Clearing / Deleting Mappings¶

:unmap <buffer> ,w  
:mapclear <buffer>

Normal Mode¶

Insert text at the same position on the line below/above¶

The CTRL-G j and CTRL-G k commands can be used to insert text in front of a column.
Example:

int i;  
int j;

Position the cursor on the first int, type istatic <C-G>j.
The result is:

static int i;  
       int j;

To insert the same text in front of the column in every line, use the Visual blockwise command I.
:h v_b_I.

Using CTRL-G u splits undo: the text typed before and after it is undone separately.
Using CTRL-O does the same thing after performing an action.

Toggling Case¶

gUgU / gUU: Make current line uppercase.
gugu / guu: Make current line lowercase.
gU{motion}: Make the text selected with {MOTION} uppercase
gu{motion}: Make the text selected with {MOTION} lowercase
g?{MOTION}: Rot13 encode/decode text selected by {MOTION}.

Editing Motions¶

d/word: Delete text up to a searched pattern
d?word: same as above, except deletes backwards to search term
c/word: Remove text up to a searched pattern and go into insert mode
c?word: same as above, except changes backwards to search term
y/word: Yank text up to a searched pattern
y?word: same as above, except yanks backwards to search term
vib: Go into visual mode and select inside parens (( ))
viB: Go into visual mode and select inside braces ({ })
ge/gE: Go to the end of the previous word / WORD respectively.
gv: Select last visual selection.
J: Join the line below with the current line.
gJ: Like J but don't add a space between the joined lines.

Macros¶

qa: Start recording macro into register a (where a is any letter).
- qA: Start appending to the macro in register a.
@a: Execute macro in register a.
Q: Repeat last recorded macro.
@@: Repeat last executed macro.

Swapping Lines, Chars, and Words¶

deep: exchange two words (start with the cursor in the blank space before the first word).
- dawelp: Does the same thing but you can be anywhere inside the first word.

Windows¶

<C-w><C-q>: Close the current window.
<C-w>hjkl: Move to the window in the corresponding direction
<C-w>r: Rotate the position of the windows

Insert Mode¶

CTRL-T: Indent the current line
CTRL-D: Unindent the current line
CTRL-W: Delete the previous word
CTRL-U: Delete all the text entered on the current line
- Deletes text only inserted since you went into insert mode.
- If you didn't enter any text, it deletes the whole line.
CTRL-Y: Insert the character above the cursor.

Insert Mode Completion¶

CTRL-X {mode}: enter CTRL-X sub mode (omni-completion)
- i_CTRL-X_index
CTRL-N: Pick the first available completion from the current buffer.

Visual Mode¶

:h visual-index¶

:h blockwise-operators¶

For Visual Block mode: blockwise-operators

Basic Operations¶

v_o (o): move cursor to other corner of area
v_r (r): replace highlighted area with a character
v_s (s): delete highlighted area and start insert
v_u (u): make highlighted area lowercase
v_U (U): make highlighted area uppercase
v_x (x): delete the highlighted area
v_y (y): yank the highlighted area
v_~ (~): swap case for the highlighted area
{Visual}g?: Rot13 encode/decode the selected text.
gv: Select last visual selection.

Highlingting Around (Inclusive)¶

v_ab (ab): extend highlighted area with a () block
v_aB (aB): extend highlighted area with a {} block
v_ap (ap): extend highlighted area with a paragraph
v_as (as): extend highlighted area with a sentence
v_at (at): extend highlighted area with a tag block
v_aw (aw): extend highlighted area with "a word"
v_aW (aW): extend highlighted area with "a WORD"

Highlingting Inside (Non-Inclusive)¶

v_iB (iB): extend highlighted area with inner {} block
v_ib (ib): extend highlighted area with inner () block
v_iW (iW): extend highlighted area with "inner WORD"
v_iw (iw): extend highlighted area with "inner word"
v_i[ (i[): extend highlighted area with inner [] block
v_i] (i]): same as i[
v_ip (ip): extend highlighted area with inner paragraph
v_is (is): extend highlighted area with inner sentence
v_it (it): extend highlighted area with inner tag block

Select mode¶

In Select mode, vim behaves more like a standard graphical editor.
The same keybindings for motion you would use in a non-vim-enabled
environment are applicable in Select mode.

Entering select mode:

From Normal mode with:
- gh for character-wise selection
- gH for line-wise selection
- g^H for block-wise selection
From Insert mode with:
- <C-o> followed by one of the above commands.
From Visual mode with <C-g> (v_CTRL-G)
- <C-g> Toggles between Visual and Select

The main movement keys for Select Mode are the same as other editors:

Cursor Keys
- <Up>
- <Down>
- <Left>
- <Right>
Nav Keys
- <Home>
- <End>
- <PageUp>
- <PageDown>

Commands in Select mode:¶

Non-movement characters (without <C-char>) delete the selection.
- The typed character is inserted.
Non-printable movement commands, with the Shift key pressed, extend the
selection.
- keymodel must include startsel.
- Non-printable movement commands, with the Shift key NOT pressed, stop Select mode.
- keymodel must include stopsel.
- Otherwise, extends selection.
- ESC stops Select mode.
- CTRL-O switches to Visual mode for the duration of one command.
- CTRL-G switches to Visual mode.
- CTRL-R {register} selects the register to be used for the text that is
  deleted when typing text.
- Unless you specify the _ (black hole) register, the unnamed register is
  also overwritten.

Ex Mode¶

Not Used by Default¶

CTRL-O: not used - available for keymapping
CTRL-X: not used (reserved for completion)
CTRL-Z: not used (reserved for suspend)

Basic Keybindings¶

c_CTRL-B (CTRL-B): cursor to start of command-line
c_CTRL-E (CTRL-E): cursor to end of command-line
c_<Home> (<Home>): cursor to start of command-line
c_<End> (<End>): cursor to end of command-line
c_CTRL-G (CTRL-G): next match when 'incsearch' is active
c_CTRL-J (CTRL-J): same as( <CR>)
c_CTRL-[ (CTRL-[): same as( <Esc>)
c_CTRL-\_CTRL-N (CTRL-\ CTRL-N): go to Normal mode, abandon command-line
c_CTRL-\_CTRL-G (CTRL-\ CTRL-G): go to Normal mode, abandon command-line
c_<Insert> (<Insert>): toggle insert/overstrike mode
c_<LeftMouse> (<LeftMouse>): cursor at mouse click
c_<Up> (<Up>): recall previous command-line from history that
matches pattern in front of the cursor
c_<S-Up> (<S-Up>): recall previous command-line from history
c_<Down> (<Down>): recall next command-line from history that
matches pattern in front of the cursor
c_<S-Down> (<S-Down>): recall next command-line from history

Ex Mode Completion¶

c_wildchar: 'wildchar' Do completion on the pattern in front of the
cursor (default:<Tab>)
c_<Tab> (<Tab>): if 'wildchar' is (<Tab>): Do completion on
the pattern in front of the cursor
c_CTRL-I (CTRL-I): same as <Tab>
c_CTRL-L (CTRL-L): do completion on the pattern in front of the
cursor and insert the longest common part
c_CTRL-N (CTRL-N):
- after using 'wildchar' with multiple matches: go to next match
- otherwise: recall older command-line from history.
c_CTRL-P (CTRL-P):
- after using 'wildchar' with multiple matches: go to previous match
- otherwise: recall older command-line from history.
c_<S-Tab> (<S-Tab>): same as (CTRL-P)

Quick Insertion¶

c_CTRL-R_CTRL-W (CTRL-R CTRL-W):
- Places the current word under cursor onto the command line
c_CTRL-R_CTRL-L (CTRL-R CTRL-L):
- Places the entire line under cursor onto the command line
c_CTRL-W (CTRL-W): delete the word in front of the cursor
(CTRL-Y) copy (yank) modeless selection
c_CTRL-R (CTRL-R {regname}): insert the contents of a register or object
under the cursor as if typed
c_CTRL-R_CTRL-R (CTRL-R CTRL-R {regname}):
c_CTRL-R_CTRL-O (CTRL-R CTRL-O {regname}): insert the contents of a register or object
under the cursor literally
Special Registers for <C-r>/CTRL-R:
- CTRL-F: the Filename under the cursor
- CTRL-P: the Filename under the cursor, expanded with path as in gf
- CTRL-W: the Word under the cursor
- CTRL-A: the WORD under the cursor; see WORD
- CTRL-L: the line under the cursor
c_CTRL-\_e (CTRL-\ e {expr}): replace the command line with the result of {expr}
c_CTRL-] (CTRL-]): trigger abbreviation (Doesn't work?)

Netrw¶

View / Opening Files¶

i: Cycle through the different listing styles.
o: Opens file under cursor in horizontal split.
v: Opens file under cursor in vertical split.
t: Opens file under cursor in a new tab.
gx: Open file with an external program
- This can be disabled by setting the g:netrw_nogx variable.

Browsing¶

Changing the current directory (or working directory):

gn: Change the "tree top" to the word below cursor (see :Ntree)
u/U: Jump to previous/next directory in browsing history.
- Change g:netrw_dirhistmax to increase the amount of directories saved. (default 10)
-: Go up a directory (../)

Modifying Files¶

D: Delete marked files/directories (and empty directories). If no files are marked, delete the file/directory under the cursor.
- Delete files matching a pattern: :MF pattern, then D
- gp: Ask for new permission for the file under cursor.
- Uses g:netrw_chgperm. Default: chmod PERM FILENAME (Windows: cacls FILENAME /e /p PERM)
X: When pressed when cursor is above an executable, it will prompt the
user for arguments. Netrw will call system() with that cmd and args.

Bookmarks¶

mb: Bookmark the currently browsed directory.
- Stored in .netrwbook (in the g:netrw_home directory).
mB: Remove the currently browsed directory from bookmarks.
qb: List bookmarks and history
{cnt}gb: Go to {cnt} bookmark.
Also available: :NetrwMB[!] [files/directories]
- No Argument (and in netrw buffer):
  - Adds marked files to bookmarks.
  - Else, adds file/directory under cursor.
- With arguments: glob() each arg and bookmark them.
- With bang (!): Removes files/directories from bookmarks.

File Display / Information¶

qf: Get file's size and last modification timestamp.
S: Specify priority via sorting sequence (g:netrw_sort_sequence).
gh: Toggle between hiding the "dotfiles" and not.
a: Toggle through three hiding modes. Set the hiding list with <C-h>
<Ctrl-H>: Brings up a requestor allowing user to change the file/directory hiding list in g:netrw_list_hide.