vi Quick Reference

Contents

• Starting vi
• Moving Around in the File
• Text Input Commands
• Editing Commands
• Cut/Copy and Paste Commands
• Search Commands
• Three Special Commands
• Write & Exit Commands

Starting vi

To create a new file, or edit an existing file, type vi filename at the system prompt.

Moving Around in the File

Ctrl-b	Moves backward a page.
Ctrl-d	Scrolls down half a page.
Ctrl-f	Moves forward a page.
Ctrl-l	Refresh the screen.
Ctrl-u	Scrolls up half a page.
b	Moves the cursor back one word.
e	Advances the cursor to the end of the current word.
G	Moves the cursor to the last line.
nG	Moves the cursor to line number n.
h	Moves the cursor one space left.
j	Moves the cursor one line down.
k	Moves the cursor one line up.
l	Moves the cursor one space right.
0	Moves the cursor to the start of the current line.
w	Advances the cursor to the next word.
)	Moves forward to the next sentence.
(	Moves backward to the previous sentence.
^	Moves the cursor to the beginning of the current line.
$	Moves the cursor to the end of the current line.
%	Finds matching brace or parenthesis.

Note: Most vi movement and editing commands can be automatically repeated by typing the number of repeats before the command (e.g. 3j moves the curson down 3 lines).

Text Input Commands

a	Appends (just like i except starts one character later).
A	Appends to end of line.
i	Inserts before cursor.
I	Inserts at beginning of line.
o	Opens (makes an empty line after the current one, and inserts).
O	Opens above (like 'o' except it makes an empty line before the current one).

Note: To leave the 'i', 'a', or 'o' modes to do other commands, press the <ESC> key. For keyboards with no separate <ESC> key, use Ctrl-[, which sends the same ASCII code.

Editing Commands

cc	Changes the line until <ESC> is pressed.
cw	Changes the word until <ESC> is pressed. The end of the word is flagged by $. More or less text than the original can be inserted.
dd	Deletes an entire line.
dw	Deletes rest of word from cursor position.
d)	Deletes rest of sentence.
d}	Deletes rest of paragraph.
D	Deletes to end of the line. Also use 'd$'.
J	Join next line to the line the cursor is on.
r	Replaces the character the cursor is on.
R	Writes over old text.
s	Substitute character with text and keep inserting until <ESC> is pressed.
x	Deletes a character.
~	Changes a character's case.
:r file	Reads in a file where the cursor is positioned.
:r !command	Reads in the results of command (date, cal, finger, etc.)
:s/string1/string2/	Substitute string1 by string2 in current line (1st occurrence on line).
:s/string1/string2/g	Substitute string1 by string2 in current line (all occurrences on lin e).
:n,Ns/string1/string2/	Substitute 1st occurrence of string1 by string2 in lines n through N.
:%s/string1/string2/g	Substitute all occurrences of string1 with string2.

Cut/Copy and Paste Commands

p	Puts last text yanked or deleted after the cursor.
P	Puts last text yanked or deleted before the cursor.
yw	Yank a copy of the word from cursor to end of word.
yy	Yank a copy of a line.
y)	Yank to the end of the sentence.
y}	Yank to the end of the paragraph.
y$	Yank to the end of the line.
y3w	Yank the next 3 words.

Search Commands

n	Continues searching in the same direction. Use with the :s or / command.
N	Searches in the opposite direction.
?word	Searches for word backwards in the text before the cursor.
/word	Searches for word forward in the text after the cursor.

Three Special Commands

u	Undoes the last command you used.
U	Undoes all changes made to the current line.
.	Repeats the last editing or insert command.

Write & Exit Commands

:q	Quits and leaves the editor.
:q!	Forces exit without saving changes.
:w	Writes the file and saves the changes.
:w (name)	Writes to the file (name).
:wq	Writes and quits at the same time.
:.,$w (name)	Writes rest of current file to (name).
:x	Same as :wq.
ZZ	Same as :wq.