Linux Pocket Guide, 2nd Edition

Name

vim — stdin  stdout  - file  -- opt  --help  --version

Synopsis

vim [options] [files]

vim is an enhanced version of the old standard Unix editor vi. To invoke the editor in a new X window, run:

$ gvim

To run in a existing shell window:

$ vim

To run the vim tutorial, run:

$ vimtutor

vim is a mode-based editor. It operates in two modes, insert and normal. Insert mode is for entering text in the usual manner, while normal mode is for running commands like “delete a line” or copy/paste. For basic keystrokes in normal mode, see Table 1-1.

Table 1-1. Basic keystrokes in emacs and vim

Task	emacs	vim
Type text	Just type	Type i, then any text, and finally ESC
Save and quit	^x^s then ^x^c	:wq
Quit without saving	^x^c Respond “no” when asked to save buffers	:q!
Save	^x^s	:w
Save As	^x^w	:w filename
Undo	^/ or ^x u	u
Suspend editor (not in X)	^z	^z
Switch to edit mode	(N/A)	ESC
Switch to command mode	M-x	:
Abort command in progress	^g	ESC
Move forward	^f or right arrow	l or right arrow
Move backward	^b or left arrow	h or left arrow
Move up	^p or up arrow	k or up arrow
Move down	^n or down arrow	j or down arrow
Move to next word	M-f	w
Move to previous word	M-b	b
Move to beginning of line	^a	0
Move to end of line	^e	$
Move down one screen	^v	^f
Move up one screen	M-v	^b
Move to beginning of buffer	M-<	gg
Move to end of buffer	M->	G
Delete next character	^d	x
Delete previous ...