Vim Cheatsheet for Beginners

These commands are tested in VSCode with Vim plugin.

1. Vim Philosophy & Essential Modes

Vim is a modal editor, meaning its behavior changes based on the current mode—no mouse required!

Modes Overview

Mode	Enter	Exit	Purpose
Normal	`Esc` / `Ctrl+[`	—	Navigation & commands (default)
Insert	`i`, `a`, `o`	`Esc`	Typing text
Visual	`v`, `V`, `Ctrl+V`	`Esc`	Text selection
Replace	`R`	`Esc`	Overwrite existing text
Command	`:`	`Enter`	Ex commands (`:w`, `:q`, etc.)

Mode Context Examples:

Normal mode: dd deletes a line, but in Insert mode types "dd"
Visual mode: select text with movement keys, then operate on selection
Replace mode: typing replaces existing characters (useful for tables)

2. Basic Navigation

2.1 Character & Word Motions

h/j/k/l: ← ↓ ↑ →
w: jump to start of next word
b: jump to start of previous word
e: move to end of current word
ge: move to end of previous word
* / #: search forward/backward for word under cursor
W/B/E: same as w/b/e but for WORDS (space-separated)

Examples:

In hello_world with cursor at h, w jumps to _, but W jumps to next space

2.2 Line & File Navigation

0 / ^ / $: line start / first non-blank / line end
gg / G: first line / last line
:n / nG: go to line n (e.g. :5 or 10G)
%: jump to matching bracket ((), {}, [])
{ / }: jump to previous/next paragraph
H / M / L: jump to Home/Middle/Last line of visible screen

Examples:

In function() {, pressing ^ from start jumps to f
With cursor on {, press % to jump to matching }

2.3 Screen Scrolling & Positioning

Ctrl+u / Ctrl+d: scroll up/down half-page
Ctrl+b / Ctrl+f: scroll up/down full-page
zt / zz / zb: move current line to top / center / bottom of screen

2.4 Jump to Character

f{c} / F{c}: forward/backward to {c} on line
t{c} / T{c}: forward/backward until before {c}
; / ,: repeat last f/t forward/backward

Examples:

In function(arg), with cursor at f, type f( to jump to (
Then ; to jump to next ( if any on the line

2.5 Jump List Navigation

Ctrl+o / Ctrl+i: jump backward/forward through positions
:jumps: display jump list

2.6 Advanced Navigation

g; / g,: jump to the last change (backward/forward)
]m / [m: jump to the start of the next/previous method or function
] / [: jump to the next/previous unmatched [{ or ]}
:help motion.txt: explore all motion commands in Vim's help system

Examples:

After editing multiple lines, use g; to revisit the last change.
In a code file, use ]m to jump to the next function definition.

3. Editing Basics

3.1 Inserting

i / I: insert before cursor / at first non-blank
a / A: insert after cursor / at end of line
o / O: open new line below / above
gi: resume insert at last insertion point

Examples:

A + type ; + Esc: add semicolon at end of line
O + type // Comment + Esc: add comment above current line

3.2 Deleting

x / X: delete character under/before cursor
dw / db: delete to start of next/previous word
dd / D: delete entire line / to end of line
d{motion}: delete text covered by {motion}
di{ / da{: delete inside/around curly braces (works with ()[]<>"')

Examples:

d$: delete from cursor to end of line
d2j: delete current line and 2 lines below
dit: delete inside HTML/XML tag

3.3 Yanking & Pasting

y{motion} / yy or Y: yank text or line
p / P: paste after / before cursor
"ay{motion} / "ap: yank to register 'a' / paste from register 'a'
:reg: view all registers
"0p: paste from yank register (not affected by deletes)

Examples:

yiw then move cursor and p: duplicate word
"ay3w then "ap: yank 3 words into register 'a', then paste them

3.4 Changing & Replacing

c{motion} / C: change text or to end of line
s / S: substitute char & insert / substitute line
r{c}: replace character under cursor with {c}
R: enter replace mode
~: toggle case of character under cursor

Examples:

ct): change text until next ) (excl.)
cw: change word (like dw then i)
cc: change entire line (like dd then i)

3.5 Undo & Redo

u / Ctrl+r: undo / redo changes
U: undo all changes on line
.: repeat last change

4. Visual Mode & Text Objects

4.1 Entering Visual Mode

v / V / Ctrl+V: character / line / block selection
gv: reselect last visual selection

Visual Block Examples:

Ctrl+V → select multiple lines → I → type text → Esc: insert at beginning of multiple lines
Ctrl+V → select block → d: delete block
Ctrl+V → select block → r{c}: replace with character

4.2 Text Objects

Operate on semantic blocks using operator + text-object:

Object	Inner (`i`)	Around (`a`)
Word	`iw`	`aw`
Sentence	`is`	`as`
Paragraph	`ip`	`ap`
Quotes `"`	`i"`	`a"`
Parentheses	`i(`	`a(`
Tags	`it`	`at`

Examples:

ci" changes inside quotes ("hello" → "" with cursor between quotes)
dap deletes around paragraph (including trailing blank line)
vib visually select inside parentheses
ya] yank around square brackets (including the brackets)
dit delete inside HTML/XML tag (leaves the tags intact)

5. Search & Replace

Vim's search and replace feature is powerful and supports regular expressions.

Basic Commands:

/pattern / ?pattern: Search forward / backward for pattern.
n / N: Repeat the search forward / backward.
:%s/old/new/g: Replace all occurrences of old with new in the file.
:%s/old/new/gc: Replace all occurrences with confirmation.
:%s/old/new/gi: Replace all occurrences, case-insensitive.

Advanced Examples:

/\<word\>: Search for the exact word word (not part of another word).
/\d\+: Search for one or more digits.
/^\s*function: Search for lines starting with function (ignoring leading spaces).
:%s/$\w\+$/"\1"/g: Surround every word with quotes.
:g/TODO/d: Delete all lines containing "TODO".

Tip for Beginners: Use :set hlsearch to highlight search results and :noh to clear the highlights.

6. Marks & Jumps

ma: set mark a at cursor
`a / 'a: jump to exact position / line of mark a
`. / '.: jump to last edit position / line
`[ / `]: jump to start/end of last change or yank
`< / `>: jump to start/end of last visual selection
`0 through `9: jump to position when Vim was last closed

Examples:

ma at start of function, mz at end, then `a and `z to navigate
d'a: delete from current line to line marked with a
ya'b: yank text from mark ato markb`

7. Registers

7.1 Register Types

Registers are like "named clipboards" in Vim. They store text for yanking, deleting, or copying. Here are the main types:

Unnamed Register (""): Stores the last deleted or yanked text. This is the default register used when no specific register is mentioned.
Numbered Registers ("0 to "9):
- "0: Stores the last yanked text.
- "1 to "9: Store the last nine deletions, with "1 being the most recent.
Named Registers ("a to "z): Manually store text using "ay{motion} (e.g., "ayw yanks a word into register a).
System Clipboard ("+): Interact with the system clipboard. Use "+y to copy to the clipboard and "+p to paste from it.
Black Hole Register ("_): Discards text without saving it to any register. Useful for deleting without overwriting the unnamed register.

Examples:

Yank text into a named register: "ayw (yank a word into register a).
Paste from the system clipboard: "+p.
Delete without saving: "_dd (deletes the current line without affecting registers).

7.2 Register Commands

"{reg}y{motion}: yank into register {reg}
"{reg}p: paste from register {reg}
"+y{motion} / "+p: yank to / paste from system clipboard
"_d{motion}: delete without saving to register (black hole)
"0p: paste from yank register (not affected by d or c)
:reg: view register contents

Examples:

"ayy then "ap: copy line to register a, then paste it
"+yG: yank from cursor to end of file to system clipboard
"_dd: delete line without affecting registers (useful before pasting)

8. Macros

Macros allow you to record a sequence of commands and replay them.

Commands:

q{reg}: Start recording a macro into register {reg} (e.g., qa starts recording into register a).
q: Stop recording.
@{reg}: Execute the macro stored in register {reg}.
@@: Repeat the last executed macro.
{count}@{reg}: Execute the macro {count} times.

Examples:

Add a prefix to multiple lines:
- qa → I// → Esc → j → q (record macro to add // at the start of a line).
- @a to apply the macro once, or 10@a to apply it to 10 lines.
Format a list:
- qa → 0i- → Esc → j → q (record macro to add - at the start of a line).
- Use @a to repeat for a list of items.

Tip for Beginners: If you make a mistake while recording, press q to stop and start over.

8.1 Practical Macro Examples

Add a prefix to multiple lines:
- qa → I// → Esc → j → q
- @a to apply once, or 10@a to apply to 10 lines.
Format a list:
- qa → 0i- → Esc → j → q
- Use @a to repeat for a list of items.
Swap two words:
- qa → diw → e → P → q
- Use @a to repeat the swap.

9. Folding

Folding allows you to collapse sections of text, making it easier to navigate large files.

Commands:

zf{motion}: Create a fold for the specified motion (e.g., zf% folds everything between matching brackets).
zo / zc: Open / close a fold.
zr / zm: Reduce / increase the fold level for the entire file.
zR / zM: Open / close all folds.
zj / zk: Move to the next / previous fold.

Examples:

To fold a function:
1. Place the cursor at the start of the function.
2. Use zf% to fold everything between the matching brackets.
To open all folds: zR.
To close all folds: zM.

Tip for Beginners: If folding doesn't work, ensure :set foldmethod=manual or :set foldmethod=syntax is enabled.

10. Multiple Windows & Buffers

:split / :vsplit: horizontal / vertical split
Ctrl+w + h/j/k/l: navigate between windows
Ctrl+w + _/|: maximize height/width of current window
Ctrl+w + =: make all windows equal size
:e file: edit file in new buffer
:ls: list buffers
:bn / :bp: next / previous buffer
:bd: delete (close) buffer

Examples:

:vsplit index.js → Ctrl+w l → edit in right window
:e in insert mode completes filenames

11. Practice Exercises

Delete a word: This is a test| → dw → This is a |
Change inside quotes: "Learn Vim|" → ci" → type Master → "Master"
Jump to line 5: 5G or :5
Visual delete paragraph: place cursor in paragraph → vap → d
Search & replace: /foo → :%s/foo/bar/gc
Multi-line edit: Ctrl+V → select multiple lines → I → type → Esc
Macro for formatting: qa → 0i- [ ] ^[j → q → 10@a (adds checkboxes)
Double quoted string: Hello → viw → S" → "Hello"
swap two words: one two → dwelp → two one
Sort lines: :'<,'>sort in visual selection

12. Further Resources

vimtutor: built-in interactive tutorial (vimtutor)
Vim Adventures: gamified learning at vim-adventures.com
Vimcasts: free screencasts by Drew Neil for step-by-step demos (vimcasts.org)
vim-wiki: comprehensive wiki at vimhelp.org
Practical Vim by Drew Neil: excellent book for intermediate users
Cheat Sheet: GitHub Gist with condensed commands
vim-awesome.com: directory of plugins

13. VSCode Keybindings for NeoVim

// Custom Keybindings for VS Code

[
  // === Text Transformation Commands ===
  {
    "key": "ctrl+alt+u",
    "command": "editor.action.transformToUppercase",
    "when": "editorTextFocus",
    "description": "Transform selected text to uppercase."
  },
  {
    "key": "ctrl+alt+l",
    "command": "editor.action.transformToLowercase",
    "when": "editorTextFocus",
    "description": "Transform selected text to lowercase."
  },
  {
    "key": "ctrl+alt+t",
    "command": "editor.action.transformToTitlecase",
    "when": "editorTextFocus",
    "description": "Transform selected text to title case."
  },

  // === Replace Functionality ===
  {
    "key": "ctrl+h",
    "command": "editor.action.startFindReplaceAction",
    "when": "editorTextFocus && !inDebugRepl",
    "description": "Open the find and replace dialog."
  },

  // === Line Movement Commands ===
  {
    "key": "alt+k",
    "command": "editor.action.moveLinesUpAction",
    "when": "editorTextFocus && !editorReadonly",
    "description": "Move the current line or selected lines up."
  },
  {
    "key": "alt+j",
    "command": "editor.action.moveLinesDownAction",
    "when": "editorTextFocus && !editorReadonly",
    "description": "Move the current line or selected lines down."
  },
  {
    "key": "alt+up",
    "command": "editor.action.moveLinesUpAction",
    "when": "editorTextFocus && !editorReadonly",
    "description": "Alternative keybinding to move lines up."
  },
  {
    "key": "alt+down",
    "command": "editor.action.moveLinesDownAction",
    "when": "editorTextFocus && !editorReadonly",
    "description": "Alternative keybinding to move lines down."
  },

  // === Editor Navigation Commands ===
  {
    "key": "alt+h",
    "command": "workbench.action.previousEditor",
    "when": "editorTextFocus && !editorReadonly",
    "description": "Switch to the previous editor tab."
  },
  {
    "key": "alt+l",
    "command": "workbench.action.nextEditor",
    "when": "editorTextFocus && !editorReadonly",
    "description": "Switch to the next editor tab."
  },

  // === File and Buffer Management ===
  {
    "key": "ctrl+s",
    "command": "workbench.action.files.save",
    "when": "neovim.mode == 'normal' && editorTextFocus",
    "description": "Save the current file (specific to Neovim mode)."
  },
  {
    "key": "space f",
    "command": "workbench.action.quickOpen",
    "when": "neovim.mode == 'normal' && editorTextFocus",
    "description": "Open the file finder (Space + F)."
  },
  {
    "key": "space b",
    "command": "workbench.action.showAllEditors",
    "when": "neovim.mode == 'normal' && editorTextFocus",
    "description": "Show all open buffers/tabs (Space + B)."
  },

  // === Clipboard and Selection Commands ===
  {
    "key": "ctrl+c",
    "command": "editor.action.clipboardCopyAction",
    "when": "editorTextFocus",
    "description": "Copy selected text to the clipboard."
  },
  {
    "key": "ctrl+a",
    "command": "editor.action.selectAll",
    "when": "editorTextFocus",
    "description": "Select all text in the current editor."
  }
]

ehsan18t/vim-vscode.md

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Vim Cheatsheet for Beginners

1. Vim Philosophy & Essential Modes

Modes Overview

2. Basic Navigation

2.1 Character & Word Motions

2.2 Line & File Navigation

2.3 Screen Scrolling & Positioning

2.4 Jump to Character

2.5 Jump List Navigation

2.6 Advanced Navigation

3. Editing Basics

3.1 Inserting

3.2 Deleting

3.3 Yanking & Pasting

3.4 Changing & Replacing

3.5 Undo & Redo

4. Visual Mode & Text Objects

4.1 Entering Visual Mode

4.2 Text Objects

5. Search & Replace

Basic Commands:

Advanced Examples:

6. Marks & Jumps

7. Registers

7.1 Register Types

7.2 Register Commands

8. Macros

Commands:

8.1 Practical Macro Examples

9. Folding

Commands:

10. Multiple Windows & Buffers

11. Practice Exercises

12. Further Resources

13. VSCode Keybindings for NeoVim