$devvkit resources --cheatsheet vim-/-neovim-cheatsheet

Vim / Neovim Cheatsheet

[editors]

Vim modes, navigation, editing, buffers, search/replace, and window management.

Vim is a highly configurable text editor built around modal editing. The core idea: different modes for inserting text (insert mode) versus manipulating text (normal mode). Once the modal paradigm clicks, it becomes the fastest way to edit code.

This cheatsheet covers the essentials to be productive: navigation, editing, searching, buffers, splits, and tabs. Start in normal mode and build muscle memory gradually.

Modes & Basics

$i

Enter insert mode before the cursor. Start typing immediately.Example: Press i to type at cursor position

$Esc

Return to normal mode from any other mode.Example: Press Esc to stop inserting and return to normal mode

$:w

Save (write) the current file.Example: :w

$:q

Close the current window. Use :q! to force quit without saving.Example: :q

$:wq or ZZ

Save and quit.Example: :wq

$:e <file>

Open a file for editing.Example: :e src/index.ts

Navigation

$h j k l

Move cursor: left, down, up, right. No arrow keys needed.Example: 10j — move down 10 lines

$w / b

Move forward/backward by word (w = next word start, b = previous word start).Example: 3w — move forward 3 words

$0 / $

0 — jump to start of line. $ — jump to end of line.Example: 0 — go to column 0

$gg / G

gg — jump to first line. G — jump to last line. :42 — jump to line 42.Example: gg — top of file, G — bottom of file

$%

Jump to matching bracket/paren/brace. Great for code navigation.Example: Press % on a { to find its matching }

Editing & Clipboard

$x

Delete character under cursor. Like delete key.Example: 5x — delete 5 characters

$dd

Delete (cut) the current line. Saves to clipboard.Example: 3dd — delete 3 lines

$yy

Yank (copy) the current line.Example: yy then p to paste

$p / P

Paste after / before the cursor.Example: p — paste below current line

$u / Ctrl+r

Undo / Redo.Example: u — undo last change, Ctrl+r — redo

$.

Repeat the last change. Extremely powerful for repetitive edits.Example: dd then . repeats the delete-line action

Search & Replace

$/pattern

Search forward for a pattern. n for next, N for previous.Example: /TODO — find all TODOs

$?pattern

Search backward for a pattern.Example: ?function — search backward for function

$:s/old/new/g

Replace all occurrences of old with new on the current line.Example: :s/foo/bar/g

$:%s/old/new/g

Replace all occurrences in the entire file.Example: :%s/color/colour/g

$:%s/old/new/gc

Replace globally with confirmation for each match.Example: :%s/TODO/DONE/gc

Buffers, Windows & Tabs

$:sp <file>

Split window horizontally and optionally open a file.Example: :vsp src/utils.ts — vertical split

$Ctrl+w w

Cycle focus between split windows.Example: Ctrl+w then w

$:bn / :bp

Switch to the next/previous buffer (open file).Example: :bn — next buffer

Visual Mode

$v / V / Ctrl+v

Visual mode: v=character, V=line, Ctrl+v=block.Example: Vjj — select 3 lines, then d to delete

$> / <

Indent / dedent the selected lines in visual mode.Example: Select lines, then > to indent

Vim / Neovim Cheatsheet

Vim modes, navigation, editing, buffers, search/replace, and window management.

This cheatsheet covers the essentials to be productive: navigation, editing, searching, buffers, splits, and tabs. Start in normal mode and build muscle memory gradually.

Modes & Basics

i — Enter insert mode before the cursor. Start typing immediately.

Example: Press i to type at cursor position

Esc — Return to normal mode from any other mode.

Example: Press Esc to stop inserting and return to normal mode

:w — Save (write) the current file.

Example: :w

:q — Close the current window. Use :q! to force quit without saving.

Example: :q

:wq or ZZ — Save and quit.

Example: :wq

:e <file> — Open a file for editing.

Example: :e src/index.ts

Navigation

h j k l — Move cursor: left, down, up, right. No arrow keys needed.

Example: 10j — move down 10 lines

w / b — Move forward/backward by word (w = next word start, b = previous word start).

Example: 3w — move forward 3 words

0 / $ — 0 — jump to start of line. $ — jump to end of line.

Example: 0 — go to column 0

gg / G — gg — jump to first line. G — jump to last line. :42 — jump to line 42.

Example: gg — top of file, G — bottom of file

% — Jump to matching bracket/paren/brace. Great for code navigation.

Example: Press % on a { to find its matching }

Editing & Clipboard

x — Delete character under cursor. Like delete key.

Example: 5x — delete 5 characters

dd — Delete (cut) the current line. Saves to clipboard.

Example: 3dd — delete 3 lines

yy — Yank (copy) the current line.

Example: yy then p to paste

p / P — Paste after / before the cursor.

Example: p — paste below current line

u / Ctrl+r — Undo / Redo.

Example: u — undo last change, Ctrl+r — redo

. — Repeat the last change. Extremely powerful for repetitive edits.

Example: dd then . repeats the delete-line action

Search & Replace

/pattern — Search forward for a pattern. n for next, N for previous.

Example: /TODO — find all TODOs

?pattern — Search backward for a pattern.

Example: ?function — search backward for function

:s/old/new/g — Replace all occurrences of old with new on the current line.

Example: :s/foo/bar/g

:%s/old/new/g — Replace all occurrences in the entire file.

Example: :%s/color/colour/g

:%s/old/new/gc — Replace globally with confirmation for each match.

Example: :%s/TODO/DONE/gc

Buffers, Windows & Tabs

:sp <file> — Split window horizontally and optionally open a file.

Example: :vsp src/utils.ts — vertical split

Ctrl+w w — Cycle focus between split windows.

Example: Ctrl+w then w

:bn / :bp — Switch to the next/previous buffer (open file).

Example: :bn — next buffer

Visual Mode

v / V / Ctrl+v — Visual mode: v=character, V=line, Ctrl+v=block.

Example: Vjj — select 3 lines, then d to delete

> / < — Indent / dedent the selected lines in visual mode.

Example: Select lines, then > to indent