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Zane
Zane

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Vim Text Editor: 15 Must-Know Commands for Developers

#programming #tutorial #webdev #vim

Vim's efficiency and flexibility make it a top choice for developers. Here are 15 advanced Vim commands, complete with examples, to elevate your coding experience:

1. Macros - Record and Execute

Automate repetitive tasks.

  • Record: q<letter>
  • Execute: @<letter> 
   qa...q (record to 'a'), @a (execute 'a')
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2. Global Replace with RegEx

Complex pattern-based replacements.

   :%s/old/new/gc
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3. Tabs and Buffers

Efficient multiple file handling.

  • New tab: :tabnew <filename>
  • Switch tabs: gt, gT 
   :tabnew file.txt, gt, :ls, :b2
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4. Window Splits

View files side-by-side.

  • Vertical: :vsp <filename>
  • Horizontal: :sp <filename> 
   :vsp file.txt
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5. Folding - Code Organization

Hide/reveal code sections.

  • Create fold: zf#j 
   zf3j, zo, zc
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6. :% - Command Range

Apply commands to the entire file.

   :%norm A;
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7. c - Change Command

Replace text efficiently.

   cw
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8. Visual Block Mode

Columnar text editing.

  • Enter: Ctrl+v 
   Ctrl+v, I#<Esc>
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9. :g - Global Command

Execute on lines matching a pattern.

   :g/pattern/d
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10. Advanced Search and Navigation

Navigate through files.

  • Marks: m<letter>, 'a 
   ma, 'a
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11. u and Ctrl+r - Undo/Redo

Manage changes.

   u, Ctrl+r
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12. :r !<command> - Insert Command Output

Insert external command output.

   :r !date
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13. :! - Execute External Command

Run commands without leaving Vim.

   :!ls
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14. :diffthis - Compare Files

Compare files in split view.

   :vsp file.txt, :diffthis
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15. :mksession - Save Session

Save your current Vim session.

   :mksession /path/to/session.vim
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