Linux Commands - Common vi editor commands

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Toggle between Command / Insert / Replace Modes

Mode	Command	What it does
Command	i	Changes the mode to "Insert" with the cursor before the current position
Command	a	Changes the mode to "insert" with the cursor after the current position
Command	I	Changes the mode to "insert" with the cursor at the beginning of the current line
Command	A	Changes the mode to "insert" with the cursor at the end of the current line
Command	o	Changes the mode to "insert" and inserts a new line below the current line
Command	O	Changes the mode to "insert" and inserts a new line above the current line
Command	R	Changes the mode to "replace" and lets you replace characters
Insert	esc	Changes the mode to "Command"

 

Save / Quit

Mode	Command	What it does
Command	:w	Writes / save
Command	:q	Quits vi editor
Command	:q!	Quits vi editor without saving
Command	:x	Write, save, and exit
Command	Shift ZZ	Write, save, and exit
Command	:e!	Returns the document to the last saved copy (undo)

 

Copy / Paste / Change / Replace / Delete Text

Mode	Command	What it does
Command	yy	"yank", copies the entire line
Command	yw / y2w / y3w	"yank", copies the word / copies 2 words / copies 3 words
Command	p (lower case)	"paste", after the cursor
Command	P (upper case)	"paste", before the cursor
Command	cc	"change", erases the entire line so you can "change" the line
Command	cw / c2w / c3w	"change", allows you to change the word you are on / change 2 words / change 3 words
Command	r	Let's you replace the character the cursor is on
Command	:%s/old/new/g	Finds every occurrence of "old" and replaces it with "new".
Command	:%s/old/new/gi	Finds every occurrence of "old" and replaces it with "new". i means "old" is not case sensitive.
Command	:%s/old/new/gc	Finds every occurrence of "old" and replaces it with "new". c means there is an interactive prompt.
Command	dd	Deletes entire line
Command	dw / d2w / d3w	Deletes the word the cursor is on / deletes 2 words / deletes 3 words
Command	u	undo the last change
Command	U	undo all the changes to the current line

 

Searching

Mode	Command	What it does
Command	/	Searches, starting at the beginning of the file
Command	?	Searches, starting at the end of the file
Command	n	Search down for the next match of the string
Command	N	Search up for the next match of the string

 

Moving the cursor

Mode	Command	What it does
Command	h	Moves the cursor to the left
Command	j	Moves the cursor down one line
Command	k	Moves the cursor up one line
Command	l	Moves the cursor to the right

 

 

 

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