This is my personal vim cheat sheet. The features described here are ones that I find most useful. I've also tried to select the best commands to interact with a feature.
This is part one. I plan to write up more features later.
alternate file
The alternate is most likely the previously edited file.
| command | description |
|---|---|
<C-^> |
toggle between current file and alternate file |
buffergator
See :help buffergator
| command | description |
|---|---|
| <Leader>b | open list |
| <Leader>b | close list |
| j or k | navigate up or down |
| add to list | |
| d | remove from list |
opening buffers
| Open in prev window | Open in vertical split | Open in horizontal split | Open in preview | Open in tab |
|---|---|---|---|---|
<CR> |
s, <C-V> |
i, <C-S> |
go |
t, <C-T> |
changelist
A list of cursor positions where changes (edits) were made.
See :help changelist
| command | description |
|---|---|
| :changes | Open list: |
| ESC | Close list: |
| g; | navigate previous |
| g, | navigate next |
jumps
See :help jumps
Each window has its own jump list.
| command | description |
|---|---|
| :ju[mps] | Open list: |
<C-0> |
navigate previous |
<C-I> |
navigate next |
marks
Bookmarks for cursor positions in a file.
See :help mark-motions
Lowercase marks 'a to 'z are remembered as long as the file remains in the buffer list. Uppercase marks 'A to 'Z include the file name. {Vi: no uppercase marks} You can use them to jump from file to file.
| command | description |
|---|---|
| :marks | Open list |
| ESC | close list |
| `{marks} | navigate to mark |
| m{a-zA-Z} | Add mark |
| :delm[arks] {marks} or :delm[arks]! | remove mark |
quickfix
Grep results are put in quickfix. Maybe someday I'll have test failures here as well.
See :help quickfix
| command | description |
|---|---|
| :cope[n] | Open list: |
| :ccl[ose] | close list: |
| jk | navigate in list |
]q |
navigate next |
[q |
navigate previous |
[Q |
navigate first |
]Q |
navigate last |
* the last four are from the unimpaired plugin
opening buffers
| Open in prev window | Open in vertical split | Open in horizontal split | Open in preview | Open in tab |
|---|---|---|---|---|
<CR> |
<C-W> <CR> ? |
<C-W> <CR> ? |
registers
See :help copy-move
| command | description |
|---|---|
| :reg[isters] | Open list |
| :reg[isters] {arg} or :di[splay] {arg} | display context of register |
| ESC | close list |
| prefix a command with "{arg} like "xyy to yank line to register x | To add |
types of registers
This isn't a complete list, just ones I find useful
- "0 to "9 the last 10 deletion or change text
- "a to "z and "A to "Z named registers for the user to define
- "% Contains the name of the current file. (It can be used with "%" on the command line |:_%|.)
- "# Contains the name of the alternate file.
- ": Contains the most recent executed command-line. Example: Use "@:" to repeat the previous command-line command.
tags
See :help tags
My preferred ways to start a tag search:
| Open in prev window | Open in vertical split | Open in horizontal split | Open in preview | Open in tab |
|---|---|---|---|---|
:tj[ump] {ident}, g <C-]> |
:stj[ump] {ident} |
<C-W> g }, :ptj[ump] {ident} |
Tag stack
Jumping to a tag will create an item on the tag stack
| command | description |
|---|---|
| :tags | Open list |
| ESC | close list |
:po[p] or <C-T> |
previous |
| :ta[g] | next |
tag-matchlist
See :help tag-matchlist
A search may find several matching tags. Each match is put into a match list.
| command | description |
|---|---|
| :ts[elect] | Open list |
| ESC | close list |
| typing number of desired match | navigate |
| :tn[ext] | or next match |
| :tp[revious] | previous match |
undo branches
Update: See :help gundo for a better way to interact with this.
This adds branching to the basic undo (u and <C-R>)
See :help undo-branches
| command | description |
|---|---|
| :undol[ist] | Open list: |
| ESC | close list: |
| g- | go to older text state |
| g+ | go to newer text state |