In addition to last line mode, vim also has edit mode, both of which complement each other.

We continue to use the test content we created earlier.

Save and Quit the File

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vim vim_file    # Open the file and do some changes
ZZ    # Press Shift Key and Double Click Z Key, this will save the changes and quit the file

Searching

Here are two ways to search content in edit mode:

Option Meaning
?PATTERN Matching backward, press N to continue looking backward.
/PATTERN Matching forward, press n to continue looking forward.

Search Forward

We use the / symbol to look forward for the specified content:

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/so    # Search forward
img

Search forward for the content so

Search Backward

We use the ? symbol to look backward for the specified content:

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?li    # Search backward
img

Search backward for the content li

Cursor Movement

Here are some commands to move the cursor in edit mode:

Based On Character

Here are some movement commands based on character:

Option Meaning
h Move cursor to the left character.
Nh Move cursor to the Nth character on the left.
l Move cursor to the right character.
Nl Move cursor to the Nth character on the right.
j Move cursor to the above character.
Nj Move cursor to the Nth character on the above.
k Move cursor to the below character.
Nk Move cursor to the Nth character on the below.

Based On Word

Here are some movement commands based on word:

Option Meaning
b Move cursor to the start of the current or left word.
Nb Move cursor to the start of the Nth word on the left.
w Move cursor to the start of the right word.
Nw Move cursor to the start of the Nth word on the right.
e Move cursor to the end of the current or right word.
Ne Move cursor to the end of the Nth word on the right.

Based On Line

Here are some movement commands based on line:

Option Meaning
0 Move to the start of the line.
^ Move to the start of the non-white space character of the line.
$ Move to the end of the line.

Based On Context

Here are some movement commands based on context:

Option Meaning
NG Move to the Nth line.

Yanking (Copying) and Pasting

Here are some commands for yanking and pasting content:

Copy Words

Option Meaning
yb Copy to the start of the left word.
Nyb Copy to the start of the Nth word on the left.
yw Copy to the start of the right word.
Nyw Copy to the start of the Nth word on the right.
ye Copy to the end of the right word.
Nye Copy to the end of the Nth word on the right.

Copy Lines

Option Meaning
yy Copy the line where the cursor is located.
Nyy Copy from the line where the cursor is located to the Nth line below it.

Pasting Words

Option Meaning
P Paste the content before the cursor.
p Paste the content after the cursor.

Pasting Lines

Option Meaning
P Paste the content before the line where the cursor is located.
p Paste the content after the line where the cursor is located.

Deletion

Here are some commands for deleting content:

Delete Characters

Option Meaning
x Delete the character where the cursor is located.
Nx Delete from the character where the cursor is located to the Nth character on the right.

Delete Words

Option Meaning
db Delete to the start of the left word.
Ndb Delete to the start of the Nth word on the left.
dw Delete to the start of the right word.
Ndw Delete to the start of the Nth word on the right.
de Delete to the end of the right word.
Nde Delete to the end of the Nth word on the right.

Delete Lines

Option Meaning
dd Delete the line where the cursor is located.
Nyy Delete from the line where the cursor is located to the Nth line below it.

Change to Insert Mode After the Deletion

Delete Words Before the Change

Option Meaning
cb Delete to the start of the left word.
Ncb Delete to the start of the Nth word on the left.
cw Delete to the start of the right word.
Ncw Delete to the start of the Nth word on the right.
ce Delete to the end of the right word.
Nce Delete to the end of the Nth word on the right.

Delete Lines Before the Change

Option Meaning
cc Delete the line where the cursor is located.
Ncc Delete from the line where the cursor is located to the Nth line below it.

Replacement

Here are some commands for replacing content:

Option Meaning
R Replace the character at the cursor position with the entered character.
rC Replace the character at the cursor position with character C.
NrC Replace the character from the cursor position to the Nth character on the right with character C.

Undoing, Resuming and Operation Duplication

Here are some commands for undo, resume and duplicate the last operation:

Option Meaning
u Undo the last edit mode operation.
Nu Undo the last Nth edit mode operations.
Ctrl + r Resume the undo operation.
. Duplicate the last operation.

References VIM Documentation

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