:q        # Quit (fails if unsaved changes)
:q!       # Quit without saving (force)
:wq       # Save and quit
:x        # Save and quit (same as :wq)
ZZ        # Save and quit (no colon needed)
ZQ        # Quit without saving (no colon needed)

If you're stuck, press Esc first, then type :q! and hit Enter.

Vim has different modes. You start in Normal mode.

# Enter Insert mode (type text)
i     # Insert before cursor
a     # Insert after cursor
I     # Insert at beginning of line
A     # Insert at end of line
o     # New line below
O     # New line above
Back to Normal mode
Esc   # or Ctrl+[
Enter Visual mode (select text)
v     # Character-wise selection
V     # Line-wise selection
Ctrl+v  # Block (column) selection
Enter Command mode
:     # Type a command at the bottom

h     # Left
j     # Down
k     # Up
l     # Right
By word
w     # Next word start
b     # Previous word start
e     # Next word end
W/B/E # Same but WORD (whitespace-separated)
By line
0     # Beginning of line
^     # First non-blank character
$     # End of line

gg    # Go to first line
G     # Go to last line
5G    # Go to line 5
:42   # Go to line 42
{     # Previous blank line (paragraph up)
}     # Next blank line (paragraph down)
Ctrl+d  # Half page down
Ctrl+u  # Half page up
Ctrl+f  # Full page down
Ctrl+b  # Full page up
%     # Jump to matching bracket ( ) [ ] { }

f{char}   # Jump to next {char} on this line
F{char}   # Jump to previous {char}
t{char}   # Jump to just before next {char}
;         # Repeat last f/F/t
,         # Repeat last f/F/t (reverse)


    # Search for word under cursor (forward)


# Search for word under cursor (backward)

These follow the pattern: operator + motion.

# Delete
x       # Delete character under cursor
dd      # Delete entire line
dw      # Delete to next word
d$      # Delete to end of line
D       # Same as d$
d3j     # Delete 3 lines down
Change (delete + enter insert mode)
cc      # Change entire line
cw      # Change word
c$      # Change to end of line
C       # Same as c$
ci”     # Change inside quotes
ci(     # Change inside parentheses
Yank (copy)
yy      # Yank entire line
yw      # Yank word
y$      # Yank to end of line
Paste
p       # Paste after cursor
P       # Paste before cursor

i = inside, a = around (includes delimiters). Combine with d/c/y.

ci"     # Change inside "quotes"
ca"     # Change around "quotes" (includes the quotes)
di(     # Delete inside (parentheses)
da{     # Delete around {braces}
ci[     # Change inside [brackets]
dit     # Delete inside HTML tag
cit     # Change inside HTML tag
ciw     # Change inner word
daw     # Delete a word (includes trailing space)
dip     # Delete inner paragraph
yap     # Yank a paragraph

This is what makes Vim fast. ci" to change the contents of a string is incredibly useful.

u       # Undo
Ctrl+r  # Redo
.       # Repeat last change (the dot command)

The dot command is one of Vim's best features. Make a change, then press . to repeat it.

>>      # Indent line right
<<      # Indent line left
3>>     # Indent 3 lines
=       # Auto-indent (use with motion)
gg=G    # Auto-indent entire file
In visual mode

  # Indent selection

<       # Unindent selection

/text     # Search forward
?text     # Search backward
n         # Next match
N         # Previous match
Case insensitive
/text\c
Regex
/\d+     # One or more digits
/^func    # Lines starting with “func”
Clear search highlighting
:noh

# Replace all in file
:%s/old/new/g
Replace with confirmation
:%s/old/new/gc
Replace in current line only
:s/old/new/g
Replace in lines 5-10
:5,10s/old/new/g
Replace in visual selection
(select with V, then type :)
:’<,‘>s/old/new/g
Case insensitive
:%s/old/new/gi
Use regex
:%s/\d+/NUMBER/g

:split file    # Horizontal split
:vsplit file   # Vertical split
Ctrl+w s       # Split current file horizontally
Ctrl+w v       # Split current file vertically
Navigate between splits
Ctrl+w h/j/k/l   # Move to left/down/up/right split
Ctrl+w w          # Cycle through splits
Resize
Ctrl+w =       # Equal size
Ctrl+w +       # Taller
Ctrl+w -       # Shorter
Close
Ctrl+w q       # Close current split

# Tabs
:tabnew file   # Open file in new tab
gt             # Next tab
gT             # Previous tab
:tabclose      # Close tab
Buffers
:e file        # Open file in current buffer
:ls            # List open buffers
:bn            # Next buffer
:bp            # Previous buffer
:bd            # Close buffer

Record a sequence of commands and replay it.

qa      # Start recording into register 'a'
...     # Do your edits
q       # Stop recording
@a      # Play macro 'a'
@@      # Repeat last macro
10@a    # Play macro 'a' 10 times

Example: Record qa0f"ci"replacement<Esc>jq to change the first quoted string on each line, then 10@a to repeat 10 times.

Bookmark positions in a file.

ma      # Set mark 'a' at cursor position
'a      # Jump to line of mark 'a'
`a      # Jump to exact position of mark 'a'
:marks  # List all marks

Lowercase marks are per-file. Uppercase marks are global (across files).

:!command    # Run shell command
:r !command  # Insert command output into file
:r file      # Insert file contents
:w !sudo tee %  # Save file you opened without sudo
J            # Join current line with next
~            # Toggle case of character
gU{motion}   # Uppercase
gu{motion}   # Lowercase
Ctrl+a       # Increment number under cursor
Ctrl+x       # Decrement number under cursor