Master Vim: Essential Modes, Commands, and Tips for Linux Users

Introduction

When you hear Linux, you often recall the phrase "Linux everything is a file". Configuring a service means editing its configuration files, usually with a text editor.

Vim is the default text editor on most Linux systems and is a powerful tool.

Vim Text Editor

Vim Working Modes

Vim has several modes; the most common are Command mode, Insert mode, and Ex mode. Each mode supports different shortcuts, greatly improving efficiency.

1. Command Mode

When Vim starts, it is in command mode; keystrokes are interpreted as commands. For example, pressing i switches to insert mode instead of inserting the character.

Common commands in command mode: dd – delete (cut) the current line. 3dd – delete three lines starting from the cursor. yy – yank (copy) the current line. 3yy – yank three lines. p – paste after the cursor. u – undo the last action. G – move cursor to the last line. gg – move cursor to the first line. nG – move cursor to line number n.

2. Insert Mode

Switch to insert mode with the following keys: i – insert before the cursor. I – insert at the beginning of the line. a – insert after the cursor. A – insert at the end of the line. o – open a new blank line below the current line. O – open a new blank line above the current line.

3. Ex (Bottom-line) Mode

Press : in command mode to enter Ex mode. Common Ex commands include: :w – write (save) file. :q – quit. :q! – quit without saving. :wq! – force write and quit. :set nu – show line numbers. :set nonu – hide line numbers. :s/abc/ABC – replace the first occurrence of "abc" with "ABC" on the current line. :s/abc/ABC/g – replace all occurrences of "abc" with "ABC" on the current line. :%s/abc/ABC/g – replace all occurrences in the entire file. /string – search forward for "string". ?string – search backward for "string".