Vim Scoops / Lessons / Cheat sheet

Vim cheat sheet

Every essential Vim command on one page. Linked ones have a lesson with a game to practise on. Print it, or save it as a wallpaper so it's always behind your editor.

The commands

Save and quit

`:w`	Save
`:q`	Quit
`:q!`	Quit without saving
`:wq` `:x` `ZZ`	Save and quit
`ZQ`	Quit without saving
`:wa` `:qa`	Save / quit every file

Move

`h j k l`	Left, down, up, right
`w` `b` `e`	Next word, back, word end
`W` `B` `E`	Same, by spaces only
`0` `^` `$`	Line start, first char, end
`gg` `G`	First / last line
`:42` `42G`	Go to line 42
`fx` `Fx`	Jump to x, forward / back
`tx` `Tx`	Stop just before / after x
`;` `,`	Repeat the jump, same / other way
`%`	Matching bracket
`{` `}`	Previous / next paragraph
`Ctrl-D` `Ctrl-U`	Half a page down / up
`5j`	Any move with a count

Insert

`i` `a`	Type before / after the cursor
`I` `A`	Type at line start / end
`o` `O`	New line below / above
`Esc`	Back to Normal mode

Edit

`x`	Delete a character
`dd` `3dd`	Delete a line / three lines
`D`	Delete to end of line
`dw` `daw`	Delete a word
`cc` `C`	Change the line / to its end
`ciw`	Change a word
`ci"` `ci(`	Change inside quotes / brackets
`r`	Replace one character
`J`	Join the next line on
`~`	Flip case
`>>` `<<`	Indent / outdent

Copy and paste

`yy`	Copy a line
`yw` `y$`	Copy a word / to line end
`p` `P`	Paste below / above
`"+y` `"+p`	System clipboard copy / paste
`"ayy` `"ap`	Copy into / paste from register a

Undo and repeat

`u`	Undo
`Ctrl-R`	Redo
`.`	Repeat the last change
`:earlier 5m`	Wind back five minutes

Select

`v`	Select characters
`V`	Select lines
`Ctrl-V`	Select a block
`o`	Other end of the selection
`gv`	Reselect the last selection
`ggVG`	Select everything

Search and replace

`/word` `?word`	Search forward / back
`n` `N`	Next / previous match
`*`	Search the word under the cursor
`:%s/old/new/g`	Replace in the whole file
`:%s/old/new/gc`	Replace, asking each time
`:noh`	Clear the highlighting

Macros

`qa … q`	Record into register a
`@a` `@@`	Play it / play the last again
`10@a`	Play it ten times

Files and windows

`:e file`	Open a file
`:sp` `:vsp`	Split the window: stacked / side by side
`Ctrl-W w`	Next window
`:bn` `:bp`	Next / previous buffer

Get it as a wallpaper

The essentials, in Vim Scoops colours, dark or light, sized for your screen.

Get the wallpapers

Try it

Drive the van onto the customer with h j k l.

Want all of Vim, in order? Vim Scoops is a free game that starts at h j k l and builds up to macros.

Play the full game