Vim is a powerful and widely used text editor that provides users with a number of advanced features for editing and manipulating text. If you’re new to Vim, however, it can be a little intimidating to get started. In this article, we’ll provide a beginner’s guide to Vim, covering everything from basic navigation to advanced editing techniques. By the end of this guide, you’ll have a solid foundation in Vim and be well on your way to becoming a power user.

Installing Vim

Before you can get started with Vim, you’ll need to install it on your computer. Vim is available on a wide variety of platforms, including Linux, macOS, and Windows. The installation process varies depending on your operating system, but in general, you can download Vim from the official Vim website and follow the installation instructions.

  • On Debian-based systems: 
    sudo apt install vim
  • On RHEL-based systems 
    sudo dnf install vim

Editing Files

You can edit all the text files in Vim editor. To edit a file, type vim followed by the file name.

vim filename

If the file doesn’t’ exists, it will create new once you save content. You can also edit multiple files at one and switch between them.

vim file1.txt file2.txt file3.txt

If you already have edited some file in Vim and wanted to edit another file. You can do this without closing the current file. In that case, press Esc to go to normal mode and then type :e followed by the file name to edit

Save and Quit

In command mode, you can enter commands that perform various operations in Vim. Here are some commonly used commands in command mode:

  • :w – Write (save) the current buffer to disk. This command is typically used when you want to save changes you’ve made to a file.
  • :wq – Write (save) the current buffer to disk and quit Vim.
  • :q – Quit Vim. This command will fail if changes have been made to the buffer since the last write, in which case Vim will display an error message.
  • :q! – Quit Vim without saving changes to the buffer. This command will discard any changes you’ve made since the last write and exit Vim.
  • :wq! – Write (save) the current buffer forcefully to disk and quit Vim.

Basic Navigation

Once you’ve installed Vim, you can start using it to edit text. The first thing you’ll need to know is how to navigate around your text. Vim uses a variety of keyboard commands to move the cursor around your text, including:

  • h, j, k, and l: These keys move the cursor left, down, up, and right, respectively.
  • gg and G: These commands take you to the top and bottom of the file, respectively.
  • 0 and $: These commands take you to the beginning and end of the current line, respectively.
  • w and b: These commands move the cursor forward and backward by word, respectively.
  • Ctrl-f and Ctrl-b: These commands move the cursor forward and backward by page, respectively.

Basic Editing

Once you know how to navigate around your text, you can start editing it. Vim provides a number of basic editing commands that you can use to insert, delete, and modify text. Some of the most commonly used commands include:

  • i and a: These commands enter insert mode, allowing you to insert text before or after the cursor, respectively.
  • x: This command deletes the character under the cursor.
  • dd: This command deletes the current line.
  • yy: This command copies the current line.
  • p: This command pastes the last deleted or copied text.
  • u: This command undoes the last action.
  • Ctrl-r: This command redoes the last undone action.

Advanced Editing

In addition to basic editing commands, Vim provides a number of advanced editing techniques that you can use to manipulate your text more effectively. Some of these techniques include:

  • Macros: Vim allows you to record a series of keystrokes and play them back as a macro. This can be a powerful tool for automating repetitive editing tasks.
  • Registers: Vim provides a number of registers where you can store text for later use. This can be a useful way to copy and paste text between different files or parts of the same file.
  • Visual mode: Vim’s visual mode allows you to select text using the keyboard, making it easy to perform operations on a selected portion of text.
  • Search and replace: Vim provides powerful search and replaces capabilities, allowing you to quickly and easily replace text across an entire file or set of files.

Conclusion

Vim can be a little intimidating for beginners, but with a little practice, it can become a powerful tool for editing and manipulating text. In this guide, we’ve covered the basics of Vim navigation and editing, as well as some more advanced techniques for automating and streamlining your editing workflow. With these tools at your disposal, you’ll be well on your way to becoming a Vim power user.

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