All Questions
14,173
questions
507
votes
13
answers
663k
views
How can I copy text to the system clipboard from Vim?
Is there a way to copy a block of text to the system clipboard, so I can paste it in another program?
- 17k
322
votes
5
answers
245k
views
How do I reload the current file?
Quite often I am working with files that are version controlled, so it is possible for changes to be made to them outside of Vim.
What is a quick way to reload the file without having to close and ...
- 5,733
312
votes
10
answers
177k
views
What are the differences between the Vim plugin managers?
I have been looking at the different package managers for Vim, and the one I decided to use is vim-plug.
However, I have seen others like pathogen and vundle, and I honestly don't know what the ...
- 3,223
251
votes
13
answers
181k
views
How can I see the full path of the current file?
When I'm editing a file in Vim, is there a command to see the path of the current file? Sometimes this is very handy if there are multiple files with the same name in a project.
- 17k
231
votes
6
answers
165k
views
How do I change the current split's width and height?
I am working on split (using ^w+v, ^w+s) buffers, but sometimes I would like to widen a current split or change its height. How can I achieve that?
- 3,367
230
votes
6
answers
206k
views
Why doesn't the backspace key work in insert mode?
Trying to delete characters in insert mode with the backspace key sometimes doesn't seem to work. I can backspace sometimes, but at other times it does nothing; the cursor doesn't go to the left, and ...
- 3,789
208
votes
6
answers
194k
views
What's the simplest way to strip trailing whitespace from all lines in a file?
It's pretty common when programming or opening text files to encounter files with trailing whitespace at the end of a line. vim has a way to show this by setting the trail option in the listchars ...
- 6,645
207
votes
9
answers
257k
views
How can I display tabs as characters?
When I work on files in python, I sometimes mistake tabs for spaces and vice versa. Is there a way I can get Vim to display a character for a tab instead of a tab?
Dom♦
- 3,265
202
votes
11
answers
274k
views
How do I use Vim as a diff tool?
I use Vim as my primary editor.
I would also like to use vim to diff files and modify the files while doing the diff to fix easy changes (rather than most diff techniques which are a cycle of diff, ...
- 6,392
194
votes
6
answers
93k
views
What is Neovim, and how is it different from Vim?
I've been hearing about Neovim; how does it differ from Vim? All the points on the homepage are just architectural changes 'under the hood'. As a user, what's the difference for me?
- 61.4k
191
votes
9
answers
81k
views
Does Ex mode have any practical use?
Vim has an Ex mode that can be entered by entering Q, and a command line mode that can be entered with q:. A common complaint amongst new vim users is that they enter these modes accidentally when ...
- 6,645
170
votes
2
answers
331k
views
How can I use Vim as a hex editor? [duplicate]
Is there a neat way I can view binary files as hex in Vim, and save it back to binary from the hex?
- 1,853
152
votes
4
answers
53k
views
What is the Vim8 package feature and how should I use it?
Vim 8 was released today and the release notes mentions a new "package" feature. What is it and how should I use it?
Most importantly, does it replace the good old plugin managers?
- 49.4k
146
votes
10
answers
97k
views
How to format JSON file in Vim
Given a file with a large JSON object all on one line like
{"versions":[{"count":2,"version":""},{"count":1,"version":"1.1.1"},{&...
- 2,507
143
votes
17
answers
180k
views
Other ways to exit Insert mode besides Escape
The primary reason I like vim over emacs is that my hand movement distance away from the home row is very low (even as a programmer). However, the one main time that I do this is leaving insert mode, ...
- 2,131
143
votes
7
answers
196k
views
How do I install a plugin in Vim/vi?
How do I install a plugin in Vim?
Does it matter:
Whether I use vi or Vim?
Whether I use gVim?
Which version of Vim I'm using?
What my OS is?
- 2,429
142
votes
13
answers
129k
views
Exit from Terminal mode in Neovim/Vim 8
I can't figure out how to go back to Normal mode after entering Terminal in Insert mode...
Escape just doesn't seem to work.
Any idea?
- 1,817
137
votes
8
answers
195k
views
How can I easily move a line?
What is the command (or shortcut) to move a line up or down in vim? My current workflow is to yank (copy) the line and than delete that line and than to put (paste) that line.
- 1,615
134
votes
5
answers
162k
views
How to replace tabs with spaces?
Is it possible to convert tabs to spaces, while maintaining text alignment?
Simply replacing only works usefully when there are no leading characters.
- 3,683
134
votes
3
answers
16k
views
How do I navigate to topics in Vim's documentation?
In Vim's built-in help system, how do I…
search for topics that I want help on?
follow hyperlinks?
browse around for related material?
- 39.3k
133
votes
6
answers
38k
views
How do I jump to the location of my last edit?
I often make changes to the middle of a big file, use gg to jump to the top to check something, and then realize I forgot to set a mark where I was editing. Is there a built-in way to jump to the ...
- 2,923
128
votes
4
answers
187k
views
Is it possible to split Vim window to view multiple files at once?
When working with multiple files, it would be very handy if we can see more than one file in the screen at once. Is there any way in Vim to split the window (horizontally or vertically) so each split ...
- 17k
125
votes
7
answers
92k
views
Is there a way to count the number of occurrences of a word in a file?
Is it possible to count how many times a word or a pattern appears in a file? This is sometimes useful to find out how many times a function has been called, etc.
- 17k
121
votes
8
answers
113k
views
How to share config between Vim and Neovim
I started using Neovim and moved my .vimrc to .config/nvim/init.vim and other stuff is located in .local/share/nvim.
What is the best way to share configs or even plugins between Vim and Neovim?
...
- 1,499
116
votes
16
answers
107k
views
How do I delete a large block of text without counting the lines?
In vim, I often need to delete, or yank/put large blocks of text.
I can count the lines of text and enter something like 50dd to delete 50 lines.
But that's a bit of a pain. How can I delete this ...
user579
116
votes
9
answers
251k
views
What is the command for "Select All" in Vim and VsVim?
How do I select all the content of a file in Vim and VsVim? Like in other editors Ctrl-A does the job for select all.
- 1,263
116
votes
8
answers
136k
views
How to edit binary files with Vim?
Is there a way to edit binary files in some kind of hexadecimal mode?
For example if I have some binary data shown by xxd or hexdump -C like this:
$ hexdump -C a.bin | head -n 5
00000000 cf fa ed ...
- 2,818
116
votes
5
answers
30k
views
How to join lines without producing a space?
The standard J command for joining lines replaces the newline character(s) with a space. It's useful when editing 'literature' but can be troublesome if I, say, edit a hex dump by hand if I forget to ...
- 2,059
111
votes
1
answer
30k
views
How to debug a mapping?
I see a lot of questions on here where a user has a mapping which doesn't work
and most of the time the reasons are pretty similar.
I suggest to make this question a reference for this kind of ...
- 49.4k
110
votes
8
answers
34k
views
How do I debug my vimrc file?
I have a problem in Vim, and I think it may be in my vimrc file (or have been told it could be my vimrc file).
How do I verify this? If it is my vimrc file, how do I know where exactly the problem ...
- 61.4k
105
votes
4
answers
80k
views
How can I show relative line numbers?
A lot of vim commands can take a number referring to the number of lines that the command will act on.
Is it possible to show the line numbers relative to the current line? Something like the ...
- 1,215
103
votes
10
answers
157k
views
How can I clear word highlighting in the current document (e.g. such as after searching for a word)?
When you search for a word in a file with something like /console.log, all of the instances of console.log are highlighted.
When you're no longer interested in these, the highlighting can be ...
- 3,018
103
votes
2
answers
85k
views
What is the purpose of swap files?
When I edit files, Vim tends to create files named .filename.swp, which I find annoying. From vim -h, I see that the -n option suppresses the creation of swap files.
Is there a vimrc directive that ...
- 9,379
102
votes
2
answers
59k
views
How can I find out what <Leader> is set to? And is it possible to remap <Leader>?
How can I figure out which key is set as my <Leader>, and how do I remap it?
- 1,205
101
votes
4
answers
37k
views
List known filetypes
How can I get a list of the names of filetypes that vim currently knows about?
I want to be able to do this so that when vim doesn't automatically detect a filetype I can try some of the filetypes ...
- 2,448
101
votes
4
answers
53k
views
How can I yank (copy) the single character on which the cursor rests?
I know many ways to copy things:
yiw = yank in current word
yaw = yank all word (includes a trailing space)
yy = yank the current line
3yy = yank three lines starting at the current one
yap = yank ...
- 3,712
98
votes
2
answers
68k
views
Close and unload a buffer without exiting Vim
Often, I'll load some information into a temporary buffer, and then close it with :clo!. But this hides the buffer rather than unloading it entirely, even though I have nohidden set. I find this ...
- 1,083
95
votes
9
answers
67k
views
How to execute shell commands silently?
:!<command> can be used to execute a command in the shell. But this "takes over" my terminal and fills it with stdout of that particular command.
How do I execute a command in the background ...
- 3,536
93
votes
3
answers
31k
views
Open filename under cursor like gf, but in a new tab (or split)?
The normal mode command gf go to a file with the path
the cursor currently is at.
But it does so in the current window, replacing the current text.
That means you need to navigate back explicitly ...
- 2,107
90
votes
6
answers
45k
views
Vim search replace all files in current (project) folder
One of the open questions I have about Vim is if there is a way to perform a search/replace in the current project (bear with me if I use this notion inherited from other editors).
For instance, let'...
- 1,190
89
votes
6
answers
49k
views
Is there an easy way to close a scratch buffer/preview window?
One of the plugins I have installed (probably Supertab) provides a nice view of documentation for the currently highlighted item in the completion menu:
The (apparently) scratch buffer remains open ...
- 24.7k
86
votes
4
answers
101k
views
How do I fix the status bar symbols in the Airline plugin?
I installed the Airline plugin in order to have a custom status bar, as seen in the figure below:
However, my status bar is presenting the symbols <, >> and <. How do I fix this problem?
- 979
84
votes
8
answers
72k
views
Fastest way to switch to a buffer in Vim?
One way to select a buffer in Vim could be to browse the buffers list, using standard commands as :ls, or with some external plugin / vimscript code to browse a list in a window.
Let's say I want to ...
- 1,944
83
votes
6
answers
77k
views
How can I set up a ruler at a specific column?
When coding in different languages, I tend to need to restrict my lines to a specific length (usually 79 or 80 characters).
I've seen this done in other editors through the use of a ruler (solid line ...
- 5,733
83
votes
1
answer
36k
views
How to open multiple files in split mode?
I know how to split windows in vim, but it's possible to open multiple files using vim in split mode (at startup) from the command line?
In example:
vim file1 file2 file3
or:
vim *.cpp
- 18.2k
82
votes
7
answers
46k
views
Swap the position of two windows
Say the following is the current structure of my window:
+-----+----------------------------
| |
| A |
| |
+-----+
| |
| B |
The order of A and B is not quite natural. It would be ...
- 1,345
82
votes
8
answers
88k
views
How to map Alt key?
I'm trying to map Alt key in the following way:
:map <A-j> j
:map <A-k> k
but it doesn't work (bell is rang on Alt + j/Alt + k).
What am I missing?
I'm using Terminal on OSX, the same ...
- 18.2k
81
votes
11
answers
132k
views
How can I change the font size in gVim?
Is there a way to change the size of the font in gVim, using native commands?
And if not, what script can be used to do it quickly?
- 3,789
81
votes
1
answer
27k
views
What is the select mode and when is it relevant to use it?
I accidentally pressed gh in normal mode and started a selection, so I looked up the doc and found :h Select-mode.
From what I understand the select mode is close to the visual mode excepted that:
...
- 49.4k
77
votes
4
answers
27k
views
How to save window, split, and buffer layout?
I have several tasks I am working on in one repository. I would like to create "workspaces" for working on them.
One "workspace" or "buffer layout" would have all files I need to work on open in the ...
- 3,367