Useful VIM Commands Shortcut

Tabs and Windows

Open multiple files in different tabs:

• vim -p file1.java file2.java ...
• vim -p *.java (Opens all java files in tabs)
• Use gt/gT in vim to move to next/previous tab
• Alternatively, :tabn/:tabq to move to next/previous table
• :tabnew newfile.java (Open new tab of existing or new file)

Open multiple files in different windows:

• :split/:sp file.java (Horizontal window split)
• :vsplit/:vsp file.java (Vertical window split)
• Ctrl-W + arrow keys to change windows

Work sessions:

Work sessions is a useful, time-saving feature that an user can use if he is working on a project with many tabs. For example, let's say a user has Cruise.java, BigCruise.java and SmallCruise.java open as multiple tabs in a vim window. By saving the 3 tabs to a work session, the user can reopen all 3 files immediately by calling on the work session

Save multiple tabs in a window as a work session

• :mksession work-session.vim (this will save all tabs in the window under "work-session")

Open a work session

• vim -S work-session.vim (this will open all tabs saved under "work-session")

Update any changes made to a session (for example, adding a new .java file to the session)

• :mks!

In Normal/Command Mode (Esc)

• :w - write/save file
• :w! - force write/save file
• :q - quit/exit file
• :wq - write and quit file (save and close)
• :wqa - write/save all files and quit/exit all files
• :q! - force quit file (force close)
• :sav newFileName - save as "newFileName" file , closes original file and opens "newFileName" file
• :w newFileName - save as "newFileName" file while original file remains open

Movement/Navigation of cursor in normal mode

Basic movement

Can use a number before these movements to repeat the movement that many times (eg. 10w - move to start of next word 10 times)

• Arrow keys/ HJKL - move cursor character by character
• w - move to start of next word
• e - move to end of current word/next word
• b - move to beginning of current word/previous word
• f[character] or F[character] - move to next/previous [character]
• /[regex or text] search for text (n - next occurrence| N - previous occurrence)

Other navigation methods

• 0 - move to start of line
• $ - move to end of line
• gg - move to start of file
• G - move to end of file (gg=G - fix indentation of whole file)
• :line# - move to line number

Editing file in normal mode

Any form of deleting also copies the deleted text so be careful when you have a large amount of text copied

• d[movement command] - delete by movement (eg. dd - delete line | d$ or D - delete to rest of line | d0 - delete from start of line | diw - delete word)
• r[character] - replace with [character] under cursor
• p - paste copied text under cursor
• yy - copy line
• u - undo action
• Ctrl-R - redo action
• :s/[Old_String]/[New_String] - Replace first instance (in line under cursor) of [Old_String] with [New_String].
• :s/[Old_String]/[New_String]/g - Replace all instances (in line under cursor) of [Old_String] with [New_String].
• :%s/[Old_String]/[New_String] - Replace first instance (in every line of the file) of [Old_String] with [New_String].
• :%s/[Old_String]/[New_String]/g - Replace all instances (in the file) of [Old_String] with [New_String].

Insert Mode

• i - enter insert mode at cursor
• Shift-I - enter insert mode at start
• a - enter insert mode after cursor (useful when at end of line in normal mode since cursor doesn't go past last character in normal mode)
• o - add line below and enter insert mode
• O - add line above and enter insert mode
• s - delete character under cursor and enter insert mode
• S - delete line and enter insert mode
• ciw - delete word and enter insert mode
• Right-click - paste from clipboard

Visual Mode

• v - enter visual mode (highlight character by character)
• Shift-V - enter visual-line mode (highlight row by row)
• Ctrl-V - enter visual-block mode (highlight column by column)
• d - delete highlighted
• y - copy highlighted

Comment out multiple lines

Typing anything instead of // will add that to the front of all highlighted lines

• Enter visual-block mode (Ctrl-V)
• Press down/J for however many more lines to be commented
• Shift-I into insert mode and type // (only first line will be commented)
• Press Esc

Indent multiple lines

• Enter visual-block mode
• Press down/J for however many more lines to be indented
• Press > to indent right and < to indent left once (highlight will disappear)
• Press . to continue indenting in that direction
• u to undo