Introducing Vim Editor
It is a standard Linux text editor. The default editor is vi.
There are three main modes in vim:
1. Command mode: the default mode. Allows keys to be used for cursor movement, copying, cutting and pasting text.
2. Insert mode: allows keystrokes to be inserted into the document.
3. Ex mode: allows keys to be used to save, save as and quit the document.
Editing commands |
Keystrokes | Action |
i | Insert at cursor |
a | Append after cursor |
A | Append at end of line |
ESC | Terminate insert mode |
u | Undo last change |
U | Undo all changes to entire line |
o | Open a new line |
dd 3dd | Delete line Delete 3 lines. |
D | Delete contents of line after cursor |
C | Delete contents of line after cursor and insert new text. Press esc key to end insertion. |
cc | the cc command will change a line, it will delete the current line and place you into insert mode to enter the replacement |
cl | the cl command will delete the current character and place you in insert mode. |
cw | the cw command will delete the current word and place you into insert mode. |
dd | the dd command deletes the current line, leaving you in command mode. |
yy | copy a one line |
y1 | copy a letter |
yw | copy a word |
Terminate session | |
: ZZ | Save changes and quit. |
:wq | Save (write) changes and quit. |
:w | Save (write) changes without quitting. |
:q! | Ignore changes and quit. No changes from last write will be saved. |
:qa | Quit all files opened. |
Moving Around the File
Ctrl+f | Page ahead, one page at a time. |
Ctrl+b | Page back, one page at a time. |
Ctrl+d | Page ahead one-half page at a time. |
Ctrl+u | Page back one-half page at a time. |
G | Go to the last line of the file. |
1G | Go to the first line of the file. (Use any number to go to that line in the file.) |
Search and replace-
To search for a string of text, use the / or ? Command.
#vim filename
:/hello and then Enter
press n/N for next search :?llo and press Enter
Once the first match is found, you can find the next match with the n command. To reverse the direction of the search uses the N command.
Search/replace operation-
If you want to change one line in the starting
:1s/hello/krishna/ then press Enter
If you want to change all the file
:%s/hello/krishna/g
0 comments: