Normal mode In Normal mode you can enter all the normal editor
commands. If you start the editor you are in this
mode (unless you have set the 'insertmode' option,
see below). This is also known as command mode.
Visual mode This is like Normal mode, but the movement commands
extend a highlighted area. When a non-movement
command is used, it is executed for the highlighted
area. See |Visual-mode|.
If the 'showmode' option is on "-- VISUAL --" is shown
at the bottom of the window.
Select mode This looks most like the MS-Windows selection mode.
Typing a printable character deletes the selection
and starts Insert mode. See |Select-mode|.
If the 'showmode' option is on "-- SELECT --" is shown
at the bottom of the window.
Insert mode In Insert mode the text you type is inserted into the
buffer. See |Insert-mode|.
If the 'showmode' option is on "-- INSERT --" is shown
at the bottom of the window.
Command-line mode In Command-line mode (also called Cmdline mode) you
Cmdline mode can enter one line of text at the bottom of the
window. This is for the Ex commands, ":", the pattern
search commands, "?" and "/", and the filter command,
"!". |Cmdline-mode|
Ex mode Like Command-line mode, but after entering a command
you remain in Ex mode. Very limited editing of the
command line. |Ex-mode|
*Terminal-mode*
Terminal mode In Terminal mode all input (except |c_CTRL-\_CTRL-N|)
is sent to the process running in the current
|terminal| buffer.
If the 'showmode' option is on "-- TERMINAL --" is shown
at the bottom of the window.
There are six ADDITIONAL modes. These are variants of the BASIC modes:
*Operator-pending* *Operator-pending-mode*
Operator-pending mode This is like Normal mode, but after an operator
command has started, and Vim is waiting for a {motion}
to specify the text that the operator will work on.
Replace mode Replace mode is a special case of Insert mode. You
can do the same things as in Insert mode, but for
each character you enter, one character of the existing
text is deleted. See |Replace-mode|.
If the 'showmode' option is on "-- REPLACE --" is
shown at the bottom of the window.
Virtual Replace mode Virtual Replace mode is similar to Replace mode, but
instead of file characters you are replacing screen
real estate. See |Virtual-Replace-mode|.
If the 'showmode' option is on "-- VREPLACE --" is
shown at the bottom of the window.
Insert Normal mode Entered when CTRL-O given in Insert mode. This is
like Normal mode, but after executing one command Vim
returns to Insert mode.
If the 'showmode' option is on "-- (insert) --" is
shown at the bottom of the window.
Insert Visual mode Entered when starting a Visual selection from Insert
mode, e.g., by using CTRL-O and then "v", "V" or
CTRL-V. When the Visual selection ends, Vim returns
to Insert mode.
If the 'showmode' option is on "-- (insert) VISUAL --"
is shown at the bottom of the window.
Insert Select mode Entered when starting Select mode from Insert mode.
E.g., by dragging the mouse or <S-Right>.
When the Select mode ends, Vim returns to Insert mode.
If the 'showmode' option is on "-- (insert) SELECT --"
is shown at the bottom of the window.
notation meaning equivalent decimal value(s) ~
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
<Nul> zero CTRL-@ 0 (stored as 10) *<Nul>*
<BS> backspace CTRL-H 8 *backspace*
<Tab> tab CTRL-I 9 *tab* *Tab*
*linefeed*
<NL> linefeed CTRL-J 10 (used for <Nul>)
<FF> formfeed CTRL-L 12 *formfeed*
<CR> carriage return CTRL-M 13 *carriage-return*
<Return> same as <CR> *<Return>*
<Enter> same as <CR> *<Enter>*
<Esc> escape CTRL-[ 27 *escape* *<Esc>*
<Space> space 32 *space*
<lt> less-than < 60 *<lt>*
<Bslash> backslash \ 92 *backslash* *<Bslash>*
<Bar> vertical bar | 124 *<Bar>*
<Del> delete 127
<CSI> command sequence intro ALT-Esc 155 *<CSI>*
<xCSI> CSI when typed in the GUI *<xCSI>*
<EOL> end-of-line (can be <CR>, <LF> or <CR><LF>,
depends on system and 'fileformat') *<EOL>*
<Up> cursor-up *cursor-up* *cursor_up*
<Down> cursor-down *cursor-down* *cursor_down*
<Left> cursor-left *cursor-left* *cursor_left*
<Right> cursor-right *cursor-right* *cursor_right*
<S-Up> shift-cursor-up
<S-Down> shift-cursor-down
<S-Left> shift-cursor-left
<S-Right> shift-cursor-right
<C-Left> control-cursor-left
<C-Right> control-cursor-right
<F1> - <F12> function keys 1 to 12 *function_key* *function-key*
<S-F1> - <S-F12> shift-function keys 1 to 12 *<S-F1>*
<Help> help key
<Undo> undo key
<Insert> insert key
<Home> home *home*
<End> end *end*
<PageUp> page-up *page_up* *page-up*
<PageDown> page-down *page_down* *page-down*
<kHome> keypad home (upper left) *keypad-home*
<kEnd> keypad end (lower left) *keypad-end*
<kPageUp> keypad page-up (upper right) *keypad-page-up*
<kPageDown> keypad page-down (lower right) *keypad-page-down*
<kPlus> keypad + *keypad-plus*
<kMinus> keypad - *keypad-minus*
<kMultiply> keypad * *keypad-multiply*
<kDivide> keypad / *keypad-divide*
<kEnter> keypad Enter *keypad-enter*
<kPoint> keypad Decimal point *keypad-point*
<k0> - <k9> keypad 0 to 9 *keypad-0* *keypad-9*
<S-...> shift-key *shift* *<S-*
<C-...> control-key *control* *ctrl* *<C-*
<M-...> alt-key or meta-key *META* *meta* *alt* *<M-*
<A-...> same as <M-...> *<A-*
<D-...> command-key or "super" key *<D-*
Mode entered after an <op> has been parsed.
[count1]<op>[count2]<motion-or-object>
for i in [ 0 ... (count1 * count2) ] {
<op><motion>
}
| keys | effect |
|---|---|
c |
change (results in Insert Mode) |
d |
delete |
y |
yank into register (does not change the text) |
~ |
swap case (only if 'tildeop' is set) |
g~ |
swap case |
gu |
make lowercase |
gU |
make uppercase |
! |
filter through an external program |
= |
filter through 'equalprg' or C-indenting if empty |
gq |
text formatting |
g? |
ROT13 encoding |
> |
shift right |
< |
shift left |
zf |
define a fold |
g@ |
call function set with the 'operatorfunc' option |
Not a full list, just a smattering, to wet the appetite.
hj
0^$
g_ g0 g^ gm g$ |
fFtT;,
:some_command_that_moves<CR>
/thing_to_search_for<CR>
{count}%
wWeEbB
ge gE
(){} ]] ][ [[ []
If {count} is greater than one when leaving Insert, {count} copies
of the resulting insertion take place.