vi shortcuts in terminal

Categories: Tools

Vi shortcuts

This list of shortcuts is by no means complete. exhaustive, but they will enable you to edit files and learn Vi in a shortamount of time.

$ vi <filename> — Open or edit a file.

i — Switch to Insert mode.

Esc — Switch to Command mode.

:w — Save and continue editing.

:wq or ZZ — Save and quit/exit vi.

:q! — Quit vi and do not save changes.

yy — Yank (copy) a line of text.

p — Paste a line of yanked text below the current line.

o — Open a new line under the current line.

O — Open a new line above the current line.

A — Append to the end of the line.

a — Append after the cursor’s current position.

I — Insert text at the beginning of the current line.

b — Go to the beginning of the word.

e — Go to the end of the word.

x — Delete a single character.

dd — Delete an entire line.

Xdd — Delete X number of lines.

Xyy — Yank X number of lines.

G — Go to the last line in a file.

XG — Go to line X in a file.

gg — Go to the first line in a file.

:num — Display the current line’s line number.

h — Move left one character.

j — Move down one line.

k — Move up one line.

l — Move right one character.