Vim

Author

Benedict Thekkel

Vim Modes

Vim operates in several modes, each with a different purpose:

Normal Mode (Command Mode):
- The default mode when you open Vim.
- Used for navigating and editing text.
- Common commands: h, j, k, l (move cursor), x (delete character), dd (delete line), yy (copy line), p (paste).
Insert Mode:
- Entered by pressing i, a, o, etc.
- Used for inserting or modifying text.
- Return to Normal mode by pressing Esc.
Visual Mode:
- Entered by pressing v (character-wise), V (line-wise), or Ctrl+v (block-wise).
- Used to select text for operations like copying or deleting.
- Commands: y (yank/copy), d (delete), >, < (indentation).
Command-Line Mode: Entered by pressing : in Normal mode. Used for executing commands like saving, quitting, searching, and more. Example: :w (save), :q (quit), :wq (save and quit), :x (save and quit).

Basic Vim Commands

Opening a File:
- vim filename: Opens a file in Vim.
- vim -R filename: Opens a file in read-only mode.
Saving and Quitting:
- :w: Save the file.
- :w filename: Save as a new file.
- :q: Quit Vim.
- :wq: Save and quit.
- :q!: Quit without saving.
- ZZ: Save and quit (Normal mode).
Navigation:
- h, j, k, l: Move cursor left, down, up, right.
- 0: Move to the beginning of the line.
- $: Move to the end of the line.
- gg: Move to the beginning of the file.
- G: Move to the end of the file.
- Ctrl+d, Ctrl+u: Scroll half-page down, up.
- Ctrl+f, Ctrl+b: Scroll full-page down, up.
Editing:
- i: Enter Insert mode before the cursor.
- a: Enter Insert mode after the cursor.
- o: Open a new line below and enter Insert mode.
- O: Open a new line above and enter Insert mode.
- x: Delete the character under the cursor.
- dw: Delete word.
- dd: Delete line.
- u: Undo.
- Ctrl+r: Redo.
- y: Yank (copy) selected text.
- p: Paste after the cursor.
- P: Paste before the cursor.
Search and Replace:
- /pattern: Search for a pattern.
- n: Repeat search forward.
- N: Repeat search backward.
- :%s/old/new/g: Replace all occurrences of old with new in the entire file.
- :s/old/new/g: Replace in the current line.

Advanced Vim Features

Registers:
- Vim has named registers ("a, "b, …) for copying and pasting.
- Use "ay to yank into register a and "ap to paste from register a.
Macros:
- Record and replay sequences of commands.
- q<register>: Start recording a macro into a register (e.g., qa).
- q: Stop recording.
- @a: Replay the macro in register a.
Marks:
- Set marks to jump between points in a file.
- m<letter>: Set a mark (e.g., ma).
- 'a: Jump to the mark a.
Buffers, Windows, and Tabs:
- Buffers: Multiple files opened in Vim.
  - :bnext, :bprev: Navigate between buffers.
- Windows: Split screen for editing multiple files simultaneously.
  - :split filename, :vsplit filename: Split horizontally or vertically.
  - Ctrl+w + h/j/k/l: Navigate between windows.
- Tabs: Open files in tabs.
  - :tabnew filename: Open a file in a new tab.
  - gt, gT: Navigate between tabs.
Text Objects:
- Operate on text objects like words, sentences, paragraphs.
- diw: Delete inside word.
- dap: Delete a paragraph.

Customization

.vimrc File:

Vim configuration file located in your home directory.
Example settings:

set number          " Show line numbers
syntax on           " Enable syntax highlighting
set tabstop=4       " Set tab width to 4 spaces
set expandtab       " Convert tabs to spaces
set shiftwidth=4    " Indentation width
set autoindent      " Enable automatic indentation

Plugins:
- Extend Vim’s functionality with plugins.
- Vim Plugin Managers:
  - Vundle: Plugin manager for Vim.
  - Pathogen: Simplifies plugin management.
  - vim-plug: A minimalist plugin manager.
- Example .vimrc for plugins:

call plug#begin('~/.vim/plugged')
Plug 'scrooloose/nerdtree'           " File explorer
Plug 'tpope/vim-fugitive'            " Git integration
call plug#end()

Themes:
- Change the color scheme of Vim.
- Example: ```vim colorscheme desert ” Set color scheme to desert


### Using Vundle

```sh
git clone https://github.com/VundleVim/Vundle.vim.git ~/.vim/bundle/Vundle.vim
vim +PluginInstall +qall

inside .vimrc


set nocompatible              " Required for Vundle
filetype off                  " Required for Vundle

" Set the runtime path to include Vundle and initialize
set rtp+=~/.vim/bundle/Vundle.vim
call vundle#begin()

" Let Vundle manage Vundle, required
Plugin 'VundleVim/Vundle.vim'

" === Example Plugins ===

" NERDTree: File system explorer for Vim
Plugin 'preservim/nerdtree'

" vim-airline: Lean & mean status/tabline for Vim
Plugin 'vim-airline/vim-airline'

" vim-fugitive: A Git wrapper so awesome, it should be illegal
Plugin 'tpope/vim-fugitive'

" lightline.vim: A lightweight statusline
Plugin 'itchyny/lightline.vim'

" syntastic: Syntax checking plugin
Plugin 'vim-syntastic/syntastic'

" vim-surround: Surround text objects easily
Plugin 'tpope/vim-surround'

" ctrlp.vim: Fuzzy file, buffer, MRU, tag, etc. finder
Plugin 'ctrlpvim/ctrlp.vim'

" vim-commentary: Comment stuff out
Plugin 'tpope/vim-commentary'

" vim-gitgutter: Shows a git diff in the 'gutter' (sign column)
Plugin 'airblade/vim-gitgutter'

" YouCompleteMe: Fast, as-you-type, fuzzy-search code completion
Plugin 'ycm-core/YouCompleteMe'

" vim-polyglot: Language pack for Vim (syntax highlighting for many languages)
Plugin 'sheerun/vim-polyglot'

" vim-indent-guides: A Vim plugin for visually displaying indent levels in code
Plugin 'nathanaelkane/vim-indent-guides'

" vim-markdown: Markdown syntax highlighting and editing
Plugin 'preservim/vim-markdown'

" vim-easymotion: EasyMotion provides a much simpler way to use some motions in Vim
Plugin 'easymotion/vim-easymotion'

" vim-startify: A fancy start screen for Vim
Plugin 'mhinz/vim-startify'

call vundle#end()            " Required for Vundle
filetype plugin indent on    " Required for Vundle