Vi has two modes:
- command mode
- insert mode
In command mode, the letters of the keyboard perform editing functions (like moving the cursor, search, replace, copy and paste, etc..). In insert mode you can type the text like a classic editor.
These are the most importart commands to learn:
BASIC EDITING
i insert mode
ESC terminate insert mode
x delete character
X delete character before cursor
D delete characters from cursor to end of line
r replace character under cursor
cw replace a word
o insert blank line below cursor (goes into insert mode)
O insert blank line above cursor (goes into insert mode)
u undo last change
U restore current lineSEARCH
/ start search, enter the text to search for and press <Return>
n repeat last search in forward direction
N repeat last search in backward directionADVANCED EDITING
nx delete n characters
dw delete word
ndw delete n words
dd delete line
ndd delete n lines
ncw replace n words
C replace text from cursor to end of line (goes into insert mode)
J join succeeding line to current cursor line
nJ join n succeeding lines to current cursor lineCOPY AND PASTE
v begin character-based visual selection
V select whole lines
Ctrl-v select a block
<Move> Move the cursor to the end of the text to be cut/copied
d cut selected text
y copy selected text
<Move> Move the cursor to the desired paste location
p paste after the cursor
P paste before the cursorMOVING AROUND IN A FILE
w forward word by word
b backward word by word
$ to end of line
0 (zero) to beginning of line
H to top line of screen
M to middle line of screen
L to last line of screen
G to last line of file
1G to first line of file
<Ctrl>f scroll forward one screen
<Ctrl>b scroll backward one screen
<Ctrl>d scroll down one-half screen
<Ctrl>u scroll up one-half screenCLOSING AND SAVING A FILE
ZZ save file and then quit
:w save file
:q! discard changes and quit file