VIM

Despite the learning curve, the goal is to save milliseconds of time for each action. Before, my typical way to write a GitHub issue was editing its body and title on a web browser only after hundreds of milliseconds of HTTP requests. I want to finish the content, then submit, and while it is being uploaded, I move on to the next task. Minimize the time between creativity and documentation.

Configuration

Set VIM as default editor: Run gh config set editor vim to set VIM as the default editor for GitHub CLI.
Enable line numbers: Type :set number and press Enter. To make this permanent, add set number to ~/.vimrc.

Navigation

Basic movement

Use h, j, k, and l as arrow key replacements (left, down, up, right).

Line navigation

0: Jump to the beginning of the line
$: Jump to the end of the line
gg: Jump to the first line of the file
G: Jump to the last line of the file
<line-number>G: Jump to a specific line number

Word navigation

w: Move forward to the start of the next word
e: Move forward to the end of the current word
b: Move backward to the start of the previous word
ge: Move backward to the end of the previous word
W, E, B, gE: Same as above, but skip punctuation marks

Character search

f<char>: Jump forward to the next <char> on the line
t<char>: Jump forward to just before the next <char>
F<char>: Jump backward to the previous <char>
T<char>: Jump backward to just after the previous <char>
;: Repeat the last search in the same direction
,: Repeat the last search in the opposite direction

Screen navigation

zz: Move cursor to the middle of the screen
ctrl-f: Scroll forward one page
ctrl-b: Scroll backward one page

Editing modes

Insert mode

i: Insert before the cursor
a: Insert after the cursor
I: Insert at the beginning of the line
A: Insert at the end of the line
o: Insert a new line below and enter insert mode
O: Insert a new line above and enter insert mode

Visual mode

v: Enter character-wise visual mode
V: Enter line-wise visual mode
ctrl-v: Enter block-wise visual mode

Deleting text

Character deletion

x: Delete the character under the cursor
X: Delete the character before the cursor
<number>x: Delete multiple characters (e.g., 3x deletes 3 characters)
dh: Delete one character to the left
dl: Delete one character to the right
3dh: Delete 3 characters to the left
5dl: Delete 5 characters to the right

Word deletion

dw: Delete from the cursor to the start of the next word
de: Delete from the cursor to the end of the current word
db: Delete from the cursor to the start of the previous word
dW, dE, dB: Same as above, but skip punctuation marks
df<char>: Delete from the cursor to the next <char>
dt<char>: Delete from the cursor to just before the next <char>

Line deletion

dd: Delete the entire current line
D: Delete from the cursor to the end of the line
dj: Delete the current line and the line below
dk: Delete the current line and the line above

Changing text

Replace and change

r<char>: Replace the character under the cursor with <char>
cw: Change from the cursor to the start of the next word (enters insert mode)
cc: Change the entire line (enters insert mode)
C: Change from the cursor to the end of the line (enters insert mode)

Copy and paste

Copying (yanking)

yy: Copy the current line
y: Copy selected text in visual mode
yw: Copy from the cursor to the start of the next word

Pasting

p: Paste after the cursor or below the current line
P: Paste before the cursor or above the current line

Undo and redo

u: Undo the last change

<number>u: Undo multiple changes (e.g., 3u undoes the last 3 changes)

ctrl-r: Redo the last undone change

Advanced operations

Search

/pattern: Search forward for pattern
?pattern: Search backward for pattern
n: Jump to next search result
N: Jump to previous search result

Repeat command

.: Repeat the last change command

Join lines

J: Join the current line with the line below (removes line break)

Indent

>>: Indent the current line to the right
<<: Indent the current line to the left
==: Auto-indent the current line
In visual mode, use > or < to indent selected lines

Case change

~: Toggle case of the character under the cursor
gU: Change selected text to uppercase (in visual mode)
gu: Change selected text to lowercase (in visual mode)

Screen positioning

zt: Move current line to top of screen
zb: Move current line to bottom of screen

Marks

m<char>: Set a mark at the current position (e.g., ma sets mark ‘a’)
'<char>: Jump to the line of mark (e.g., 'a jumps to mark ‘a’)
`` <char>`: Jump to the exact position of mark

Swap lines

Type :m+1 to move the current line down one position.

Search and replace

:%s/old/new/g: Replace all occurrences of “old” with “new” in the file
:s/old/new/g: Replace all occurrences on the current line
:%s/old/new/gc: Replace all with confirmation

Saving and exiting

:w: Save the file

:w <filename>: Save as a new filename

:q: Quit (only if no unsaved changes)

:q!: Quit without saving

:wq or :x: Save and quit

ZZ: Save and quit (shortcut)

ZQ: Quit without saving (shortcut)