vi Command Summary

Here are all the things you can do in vi

All commands are command mode only unless otherwise noted.

.

repeat last command (insert, change, or delete)

^@

repeat last command

@buffer

execute command stored in buffer

a

append text after cusor

A

append text at end of line

^A

unused

b

back up to beginning of word

B

back up to beginning of work, ignoring punctuation

^B

scroll back one window's worth

c

change text

C

change to end of line

^C

unused

d

delete text

D

delete to end of line

^D

(command mode) scroll down half-window (insert mode) back up one tab stop

e

move to end of word

E

move to end of word, ignoring punctuation

^E

scroll down one line

f

find next character forward on current line

F

find previous character backward on current line

^F

scroll forward one window

g

unused

G

go to specific line or end of file

^G

unused

h

cursor left

H

go to top line of screen

^H

(command mode) cursor left (inser mode) backspace

i

insert text before cursor

I

insert text at beginning of line

^I

(insert mode) tab

j

cursor down

J

join lines

^J

cursor down

k

cursor up

K

unused

^K

unused

l

cursor right

L

go to bottom line of screen

^L

redraw screen

m

mark current position in register

M

go to middle line of screen

^M

carriage return

n

repeat last search command

N

repeat last search command in opposite direction

^N

cursor down

o

open line below current line

O

open line above current line

^O

unused

p

put yanked or deleted text after or below cursor

P

put yanked or deleted text before or above cursor

^P

cursor up

q

unused

Q

switch to ex

^Q

(insert mode)escape next character

r

replace character

R

replace characters

^R

redraw screen

s

change current character and leave in input mode

S

change entire line

^S

unused

t

move cursor forward to character before next character typed

T

move cursor backward to character after next character typed

^T

(insert mode) tab

u

undo

U

undo line

^U

scroll screen up half window

v

unused

V

unused

^V

(insert mode) escape next character

w

move to beginning of next word

W

move to beginning of next word, ignoring punctuation

^W

(insert mode) back up to beginning of word

x

delete character under cursor

X

delete character before cursor

^X

unused

y

yank (copy) text

Y

yank entire line

^Y

scroll up one line

z

redraw screen positioning cursor when followed by CR at the top, . at middle, and - at the bottom of the screen

ZZ

save and exit

^Z

unused