How to Use Vi Editor - Beginner's Guide

Day 11 - 22th Jan 2025

Quick Summary: Create file, edit and save the file

1. vi <filename.txt > - if the file doesn't exist, this makes file with file name.

2. i- enter insert mode.

3. Write your contents in the file.

4. esc

5. :wq

6. enter!

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Most Important Concepts for Using vi

1. Modes in vi

• Command Mode: Default mode when you open vi. You can navigate and execute commands here.
• Insert Mode: Used for editing text. Enter this mode by pressing i.
• Escape Mode: Press Esc to return to Command mode.

2. Basic Navigation

• h: Move left
• l: Move right
• k: Move up
• j: Move down
• Ctrl + d: Scroll down
• Ctrl + u: Scroll up

3. Editing

• i: Insert before the cursor.
• a: Append after the cursor.
• o: Open a new line below the cursor.
• dd: Delete the current line.
• x: Delete the character under the cursor.
• u: Undo the last action.
• Ctrl + r: Redo the last undone action.

4. Saving and Exiting

• :w: Save changes.
• :q: Quit.
• :wq: Save and quit.
• :q!: Quit without saving.

5. Search

• /text: Search forward for "text".
• ?text: Search backward for "text".
• n: Repeat the search in the same direction.
• N: Repeat the search in the opposite direction.

6. Copy, Paste, and Cut

• yy: Copy (yank) the current line.
• p: Paste the copied text after the cursor.
• dd: Cut the current line.

7. Replace Text

• :s/old/new/: Replace the first occurrence of "old" with "new" on the current line.
• :s/old/new/g: Replace all occurrences of "old" with "new" on the current line.
• :%s/old/new/g: Replace all occurrences in the entire file.

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Quick Tips

• Always press Esc to ensure you're in Command mode before executing commands.
• Practice basic navigation and saving before diving into advanced features.
• To exit quickly without saving (if you're stuck), press Esc and type :q!.