Introduction

This document contains learning notes for vi, based on practical usage and a LinkedIn online course https://www.linkedin.com/learning/learning-vi?u=2209602. It summarizes essential commands, modes, cursor movement, and editing techniques that are useful for beginners getting started with vi.

Basic

Save and quit:

[Shift] + zz
:wq
:q!

Modes:

Command mode
i I a A o O c

Insert mode
[Esc]

Prompt mode
: / ! ?
[Return]

Other basics:

Double [Esc]      Cancel command input
[Ctrl] + l        Redraw screen
:N                Go to previous file
:rew              Rewind to first file
:r                Read file into current file
[Ctrl] + g        Display line number and file status

Move Cursor

Basic movement:

H J K L
Arrow keys
[Space]           Forward
[Backspace]       Backward
[Return]          Beginning of next line
-                 Beginning of previous line

Word and sentence movement:

w     Forward a word
b     Backward a word
e     Forward to end of word

)     Forward a sentence
(     Backward a sentence
}     Forward a paragraph
{     Backward a paragraph

Line and file navigation:

^     Beginning of line
$     End of line
1G    First line of file
G     Last line of file
nG    Go to line n
%     Move to matching bracket

Scrolling:

[Ctrl] + e        Scroll down one line
[Ctrl] + y        Scroll up one line
[Ctrl] + d / u    Down / up half screen
[Ctrl] + f / b    Down / up full screen

Basic Text Editing

Insert text:

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

Delete text:

x     Delete current character
dd    Delete current line
dw    Delete current word
de    Delete to end of word
d^    Delete to beginning of line
d$    Delete to end of line
D     Delete to end of line

(d can be combined with any movement command and a number.)

Change text:

r     Replace character (command mode)
s     Replace character (insert mode)
cc    Change current line
cw    Change word
ce    Change to end of word
c^    Change to beginning of line
c$    Change to end of line
C     Change to end of line

Other editing commands:

R     Overwrite mode
~     Toggle character case
J     Join next line to current line

Undo, Delete, Yank, and Put

Undo and repeat:

u         Undo last change
[Ctrl] + r  Redo last change
U         Undo all changes on current line
.         Repeat last change

Delete, yank, and put:

dd    Delete (cut) line
yy    Yank (copy) line
dx    Delete amount
yx    Yank amount
p     Put after cursor
P     Put before cursor

Notes:

Deletes and yanks use vi’s internal buffer, not the OS clipboard
y can use number or any movement command

Search and Replace

Will be finished in the future.

Advanced Editing Features

Will be finished in the future.

References

LinkedIn - Learning vi

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Published

08 May 2023

Learning vi