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

Search Backward

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

                    
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                          ?li    # Search backward

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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55. Advanced Text Editor - Vim's Edit Mode

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