Scribd
Upload
333 views3 pages

vi Editor Commands Cheat Sheet

The document provides an overview of common commands used in the vi text editor to start and exit files, move the cursor, search for text, and edit text. Some key commands include vi myfile to start editing a file, :w to write/save changes to a file, arrow keys and j/k to move the cursor up and down, /pattern to search forward, a to append text, and dd to delete a line.

Uploaded by

Satyapriya Panigrahi
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
333 views3 pages

vi Editor Commands Cheat Sheet

The document provides an overview of common commands used in the vi text editor to start and exit files, move the cursor, search for text, and edit text. Some key commands include vi myfile to start editing a file, :w to write/save changes to a file, arrow keys and j/k to move the cursor up and down, /pattern to search forward, a to append text, and dd to delete a line.

Uploaded by

Satyapriya Panigrahi
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Linux Foundation

Commands Used to Start, Exit, Read, and Write Files


in vi

Command Usage

vi myfile Start the vi editor and edit


the myfile file
vi -r myfile Start vi and edit myfile in recovery
mode from a system crash
:r file2<ret> Read in file2 and insert at current
position
:w<ret> Write to the file

:w myfile<ret> Write out the file to myfile

:w! file2<ret> Overwrite file2

:x<ret> or :wq<ret> Exit vi and write out modified file

:q<ret> Quit vi

:q!<ret> Quit vi even though modifications


have not been saved

Keystrokes Used When Changing Cursor Position in vi

Keys Usage

arrow keys To move up, down, left and right

j or <ret> To move one line down

k To move one line up

h or Backspace To move one character left

l or Space To move one character right

0 To move to beginning of line

$ To move to end of line

Introduction to Linux 1 of 3
w To move to beginning of next word

b To move back to beginning of


preceding word
:0 <ret> or 1G To move to beginning of file

:n <ret> or nG To move to line n

:$ <ret> or G To move to last line in file

Ctrl-f or Page Down To move forward one page

Ctrl-b or Page Up To move backward one page

^l To refresh and center screen

Searching for Text in vi

Command Usage
/pattern<ret> Search forward for pattern
?string<ret> Search backward for pattern

Key Usage
n Move to next occurrence of search pattern
N Move to previous occurrence of search pattern

Working with Text in vi

Key Usage
a Append text after cursor; stop upon Escape key
A Append text at end of current line; stop upon
Escape key
i Insert text before cursor; stop upon Escape key
I Insert text at beginning of current line; stop upon
Escape key
o Start a new line below current line, insert text there;
stop upon Escape key
O Start a new line above current line, insert text
there; stop upon Escape key
r Replace character at current position

Introduction to Linux 2 of 3
R Replace text starting with current position; stop
upon Escape key
x Delete character at current position
Nx Delete N characters, starting at current position
dw Delete the word at the current position
D Delete the rest of the current line
dd Delete the current line
Ndd or dNd Delete N lines
u Undo the previous operation
yy Yank (copy) the current line and put it in buffer
Nyy or yNy Yank (copy) N lines and put it in buffer
p Paste at the current position the yanked line or lines
from the buffer

Introduction to Linux 3 of 3

You might also like