Vim

Command	Description
`vim file.txt`	Open file
`vim +N file.txt`	Open file at line N
`vim +/pattern file.txt`	Open file at first match of pattern
`vim -R file.txt`	Open file in read-only mode
`:q`	Quit (fails if unsaved changes)
`:q!`	Force quit, discard changes
`:w`	Save file
`:wq` or `ZZ`	Save and quit
`:w filename`	Save as new filename
`:x`	Save only if changed, then quit

Mode	Enter with	Description
Normal	`Esc`	Default mode — navigate and run commands
Insert	`i`	Type and edit text
Visual	`v`	Select characters
Visual Line	`V`	Select whole lines
Visual Block	`Ctrl+v`	Select a block/column
Command-line	`:`	Run ex commands
Replace	`R`	Overwrite characters

Basic movement

Key	Move
`h`	Left
`j`	Down
`k`	Up
`l`	Right
`w`	Next word start
`b`	Previous word start
`e`	Next word end
`W` / `B` / `E`	Same but WORD (whitespace-delimited)

Line navigation

Key	Move
`0`	Start of line
`^`	First non-blank character
`$`	End of line
`gg`	First line of file
`G`	Last line of file
`:N` or `NG`	Go to line N

Screen navigation

Key	Move
`Ctrl+f`	Page down
`Ctrl+b`	Page up
`Ctrl+d`	Half page down
`Ctrl+u`	Half page up
`H`	Top of screen
`M`	Middle of screen
`L`	Bottom of screen
`zz`	Center cursor on screen

Entering insert mode

Key	Description
`i`	Insert before cursor
`I`	Insert at beginning of line
`a`	Append after cursor
`A`	Append at end of line
`o`	Open new line below
`O`	Open new line above
`s`	Delete character and insert
`S`	Delete line and insert
`C`	Delete to end of line and insert

Editing in normal mode

Key	Description
`x`	Delete character under cursor
`X`	Delete character before cursor
`dd`	Delete (cut) current line
`D`	Delete to end of line
`dw`	Delete word
`d$`	Delete to end of line
`d0`	Delete to start of line
`yy`	Yank (copy) current line
`yw`	Yank word
`p`	Paste after cursor
`P`	Paste before cursor
`r`	Replace single character
`~`	Toggle case of character
`u`	Undo
`Ctrl+r`	Redo
`.`	Repeat last change

Searching

Command	Description
`/pattern`	Search forward for pattern
`?pattern`	Search backward for pattern
`n`	Next match
`N`	Previous match
`*`	Search for word under cursor (forward)
`#`	Search for word under cursor (backward)
`:noh`	Clear search highlighting

Substitution

Command	Description
`:s/old/new/`	Replace first occurrence on current line
`:s/old/new/g`	Replace all on current line
`:%s/old/new/g`	Replace all in file
`:%s/old/new/gc`	Replace all with confirmation
`:5,10s/old/new/g`	Replace in lines 5–10

Key	Description
`v`	Start character selection
`V`	Start line selection
`Ctrl+v`	Start block selection
`o`	Move to other end of selection
`d`	Delete selected
`y`	Yank selected
`c`	Change selected (delete + insert)
`>`	Indent selected
`<`	Unindent selected
`=`	Auto-indent selected
`~`	Toggle case of selected
`u` / `U`	Lowercase / Uppercase selected

Splits

Command	Description
`:sp` or `Ctrl+w s`	Horizontal split
`:vsp` or `Ctrl+w v`	Vertical split
`Ctrl+w h/j/k/l`	Move between splits
`Ctrl+w =`	Equal size splits
`Ctrl+w _`	Maximize height
`Ctrl+w \|`	Maximize width
`:close`	Close current split

Tabs

Command	Description
`:tabnew file`	Open file in new tab
`gt`	Next tab
`gT`	Previous tab
`:tabclose`	Close tab
`:tabs`	List all tabs

Command	Description
`:e file`	Edit a file
`:ls` or `:buffers`	List open buffers
`:b N`	Switch to buffer N
`:bn`	Next buffer
`:bp`	Previous buffer
`:bd`	Delete (close) buffer
`:r file`	Read file contents into current buffer
`:r !cmd`	Read command output into buffer

Command	Description
`:set number`	Show line numbers
`:set relativenumber`	Show relative line numbers
`:set hlsearch`	Highlight search results
`:set incsearch`	Incremental search
`:set ignorecase`	Case-insensitive search
`:set smartcase`	Case-sensitive if uppercase used
`:set autoindent`	Auto-indent new lines
`:set tabstop=4`	Tab width = 4 spaces
`:set expandtab`	Use spaces instead of tabs
`:set wrap`	Wrap long lines
`:set syntax=on`	Enable syntax highlighting
`:set paste`	Paste mode (disables auto-indent)

Sample ~/.vimrc

set number
set relativenumber
set hlsearch
set incsearch
set ignorecase
set smartcase
set autoindent
set tabstop=4
set shiftwidth=4
set expandtab
set wrap
syntax on

Command	Description
`qa`	Start recording macro into register `a`
`q`	Stop recording
`@a`	Play macro `a`
`@@`	Repeat last macro
`5@a`	Run macro `a` 5 times
`"ay`	Yank into register `a`
`"ap`	Paste from register `a`
`:reg`	Show all registers

Vim¶