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A quick reference list of vi editor commands

Notes:

  • <ESC> denotes the Esc key, and <CR> denotes the Enter key.

  • The expression <cmd> means that you should enter a command, <f> means that you should enter a filename, and <x> means that you should enter a character or number.

  • The symbol ^ (caret) means that you should hold down the Ctrl key while pressing the indicated letter.

Vi editor command keys:

ZZ Exit, saving changes t<x> Up to <x> forward Q Enter ex mode T<x> Back up to <x> <ESC> End of insert <x>| Go to column <x> :<cmd> Execute ex command w,W Forward one word :!<cmd> Shell command b,B Back one word ^g Show filename/size e,E End of word ^f Forward one screen ^h Erase last character ^b Back one screen ^w Erase last word ^d Forward half screen ^? Interrupt ^u Backward half screen ~ Toggle character case <x>G Go to line <x> a Append after /<x> Search forward for <x> i,I Insert before ?<x> Search backward for <x> A Append at end of line n Repeat last search o Open line below N Reverse last search O Open line above ]] Next section/function r Replace character [[ Previous section/function R Replace characters % Find matching () { or } d Delete ^l Redraw screen dd Delete line ^r Refresh screen c Change z<CR> Current line at top y Yank lines to buffer z- Current line at bottom C Change rest of line ^e Scroll down one line D Delete rest of line ^y Scroll up one line s Substitute character `` Previous context S Substitute lines H Home window line J Join lines L Last window line x Delete after M Middle window line X Delete before + Next line Y Yank current line hjkl Cursor movement: p Put back lines left/down/up/right P Put before 0 Beginning of line << Shift line left $ End of line >> Shift line right f<x> Find <x> forward u Undo last change F<x> Find <x> backward U Restore current line

Ex mode commands:

q Quit set <x> Enable option q! Quit, discard changes set no<v> Disable option r <f> Read in file <f> set all Show all options sh Invoke shell vi Vi mode wq Write and quit w <f> Write file <f> w! <f> Overwrite file <f>

Options:

autoindent Automatic line indentation autowrite Write before quit ignorecase Ignore case in searches number Display line numbers showmatch Show matches to ) and } as typed terse Quiet mode wrapscan Wraparound in searches wrapmargin Automatic line splitting

At Indiana University, for personal or departmental Linux or Unix systems support, see Linux and Unix support at IU