Basic Vi Keystrokes

The most important thing to realize about vi is that it has two modes, command and insert. Whenever you are in doubt about which mode you are in, hit the escape key - that will get you into command mode. Command mode is right for moving about a file, copying or deleting a line, saving a file, etc. While in insert mode the text you type is actually entered in the file.

Whenever you are in doubt, hit the escape key and you will be in command mode. That's also the mode you are in when you start editing, e.g. by typing vi filename. You enter insert mode by typing i or one of the other commands listed below.

Most commands can be repeated by prefacing them with a number; for example typing 5j in command mode will move the cursor down 5 lines.

Motion Keys

• h - move left one character
• j - move down one line
• k - move up
• l - move right
• $ - go to the end of the current line
• 0 - go to the beginning of the current line
• G - go to the last line in the file
• 15G - go to line 15
• control-F - forward one page
• control-B - backwards one page

Insertion Commands

• i - insert text before cursor position
• a - add text after cursor position
• A - append text at the end of the current line
• o - add text after the current line (open)
• O - add text before the current line

Deletion Commands

• x - delete one character
• r - repalce one character with the next character typed
• dd - delete entire line
• dw - delete word
• 3dd - deletes three entire lines

Pasting

• p - put the last deleted item after the cursor or after the current line
• P - put the last deleted item before the cursor or before the current line
• "a3dd - delete the next 3 lines and store in buffer a
• "a3yy - yank the next 3 lines (without deletion) and store in buffer a
• "a3yw - yank the next 3 words (without deletion) and store in buffer a
• "ap - put the contents of buffer a
• There are 26 named buffers a-z.