The vi editor (visual editor) - A quick reference guide.

To startup vi:

vi filename

Vi has three main modes Command mode, Insert mode and Command-Line mode.

vi modes

The editor begins in command mode, where cursor movement and copy/paste commands can be issued. If you are ever unsure which mode you're in, press Esc to return to command mode.

Insert text (Insert mode):
   
Open line above cursor
O        
Insert text at beginning of line
I
Insert text at cursor
i
append text after cursor
a
Append text at line end
A
   
Open line below cursor
o        

Switch to Command mode:

Switch to command mode: [ESC]

Most commands execute as soon as typed except for "colon" commands which execute when you press the return key.

Cursor Movement (command mode):

   
Scroll Backward 1 screen
[ctrl] b  
   
Scroll Up 1/2 screen
[ctrl] u  
Go to beginning of line
0
Go to line n
nG
Go to end of line
$
   
Scroll Down 1/2 screen
[ctrl] d
Go to line number ##
:##
   
Scroll Forward 1 screen
[ctrl] f  
   
Go to last line
G  
Scroll by sentence f/b
( )      
Scroll by word f/b
w b
Move left, down, up, right
h j k l
Left 6 chars
6h
Scroll by paragraph f/b
{ }
Move left, down, up, right
Arrow Keys
Go to line #6
6G

Delete text (command mode):

Change word
cw
Replace one character
r    
Delete word
dw
Delete text at cursor
x
Delete entire line (to buffer)
dd
   
Delete (backspace) text at cursor
X
Delete 5 lines (to buffer)
5dd
   
Delete current to end of line
D
Delete lines 5-10
:5,10d

Editing (command mode):

Copy line
yy
Copy n lines
nyy
Copy lines 1-2 /paste after 3
:1,2t3
Paste above current line
P
     
Paste below current line
p    
Move lines 4-5 /paste after 6
:4,5m6
    Find the next t ft
Join previous line
J
Search backward for string
?string
Search forward for string
/string
Find next string occurrence
n
% (entire file)
s
(search and replace) /old text with new/
c (confirm) g (global - all)
:%s/oldstring/newstring/cg    
Ignore case during search
:set ic
Repeat last command
.
Undo previous command
u
Undo all changes to line
U

Save and Quit (command mode):

Save changes to buffer
:w
Save changes and quit vi
ZZ or :wq
Save file to new file
:w file
 
Quit without saving
:q!
Save lines to new file
:10,15w file

In general a number n preceding any vi command will tell vi to repeat that command n times.

:syntax on Turn on syntax highlighting
:syntax off Turn off syntax highlighting
:set number Turn on Line numbering (shorthand :set nu)
:set nonumber Turn off Line numbering (shorthand :set nonu)

:set ignorecase Ignore case sensitivity when searching
:set noignorecase Restore case sensitivity (default)

:set autoindent Turn on Auto-indentation
Use the command >> to indent and the << command to outdent
:set shiftwidth=4 Set indentation to four spaces
:set noautoindent Turn off Auto-indentation
Change all Windows CR/LF to Unix style LF line endings in the current file:
:g/^M/s///g
(To enter the ^M, type CTRL-V CTRL-M)

Command-line mode
Command-line mode commands are typed at the bottom of the screen.
To enter Command-line mode from Command mode, push colon : a colon will appear at the bottom.
Command-line (Ex) commands:

q [Enter]If you haven't made any modifications, or have already saved them beforehand.
quit [Enter]If you haven't made any modifications, or have already saved them beforehand.
q! [Enter]ignore any modifications and quit.
w [Enter]Save and return to Command mode.
wq [Enter]Save and quit.
x [Enter]Save and quit, same as wq

The Ex mode is similar to the command line mode as it also allows you to enter Ex commands. Unlike the command-line mode you won't return to normal mode automatically. You can enter an Ex command by typing a Q in normal mode and leave it again with the :visual command. Note that the Ex mode is designed for Batch processing and as such won't support mappings or command-line editing.

vi is pronounced as the two letters: "vee eye"

The vi editor was an update on the earlier ex (and ed) editors, it introduced a Visual Interactive mode which was contracted to give the name vi.

“vi was written for a world that doesn't exist anymore - unless you decide to get a satellite phone and use it to connect to the Net at 2400 baud” - Bill Joy

Related

Full list of VI commands
VIM tutor
Learning the vi Editor - How to use the vi editor.
History and effective use of Vim - Joe Nelson.
How to grok vi - Stack Overflow.
bcvi - Back Channel vi - remote file editing with SSH.
book - Practical vim by Drew Neil.
book - Learning the vi & vim Editor
MacVim & MacVim vs TextMate


 
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