How to Use Vim

Vim, short for Vi IMproved, is a powerful and highly configurable text editor that is widely used on Unix-based systems, including Linux.

Table of Contents

Vim, short for Vi IMproved, is a powerful and highly configurable text editor that is widely used on Unix-based systems, including Linux. While Vim can seem intimidating at first, it is an essential tool for anyone who spends a lot of time working with text files or programming code. In this how-to guide, we will cover some of the basic Vim commands and features to get you started.

Opening a File in Vim

To open a file in Vim, simply type vim followed by the filename at the command prompt. For example, to open a file called example.txt, type:

vim example.txt

If the file does not exist, Vim will create a new file with that name.

Basic Navigation

Once you have opened a file in Vim, you can navigate through the document using the following commands:

  • j moves the cursor down one line
  • k moves the cursor up one line
  • h moves the cursor left one character
  • l moves the cursor right one character
  • w moves the cursor forward one word
  • b moves the cursor backward one word
  • gg moves the cursor to the beginning of the file
  • G moves the cursor to the end of the file

Editing Text

To start editing text in Vim, you need to switch to insert mode. You can do this by typing i. In insert mode, you can type normally and the text will be inserted at the current cursor position.

To switch back to normal mode, where you can enter commands, press the Esc key.

Some common text editing commands in Vim include:

  • dd deletes the current line
  • yy copies the current line
  • p pastes the last deleted or copied text
  • u undoes the last action
  • Ctrl-r redoes the last undone action

Saving and Quitting

To save changes to a file in Vim, type :w followed by Enter. To quit Vim, type :q. If you have made changes to the file and want to save and quit at the same time, type :wq. If you want to force Vim to quit without saving changes, type :q!.

Advanced Features

While these basic commands are enough to get you started with Vim, there are many more advanced features that can greatly enhance your productivity. Here are a few examples:

  • Vim has a built-in search feature that allows you to search for text within a file. To search for a specific term, type / followed by the search term and press Enter.
  • Vim has a powerful macro recording feature that allows you to record a series of keystrokes and play them back later. To start recording a macro, type q followed by a letter (e.g. q a). To stop recording, press q again. To play back the macro, type @ followed by the letter you chose (e.g. @ a).
  • Vim supports syntax highlighting for many programming languages, which can help make your code more readable. To enable syntax highlighting, type :syntax on and press Enter.

Conclusion

Vim is a powerful and versatile text editor that can greatly improve your productivity as a programmer or text file editor. While it may take some time to learn all the commands and features, the effort is well worth it. With practice, you can become a Vim power user and enjoy the many benefits it offers.

 

Please Leave Feedback in the Comments

More to Explore

Why MALIBAL?

In a market saturated with well-known laptop brands, MALIBAL stands out as a unique choice for discerning users.

Read More »

Leave a Reply

Search

Type in a question or keyword below
Search

FAQ

Questions and Answers
Who is MALIBAL?

MALIBAL is an innovative technology company that produces high-performance, custom Windows laptops and Linux laptops for developers and content creators; mobile workstations for engineers, scientists, video editors, 3D modelers, and animators; and mobile servers for enterprise applications.

More

Why MALIBAL?

In a marketplace dominated by large corporations, MALIBAL offers a refreshing alternative that focuses on open-source support, the right to repair, hardware integration in the USA, personalized US-based customer support, and the unique combination of customization and high-performance technology in sleek, user-friendly designs.

More

Are all the parts soldered to the motherboard?

In many modern laptops, especially thin and light models (like Apple’s MacBook Air or Pro, Dell’s XPS 13, or many of Lenovo’s ThinkPad X1 Carbon models), the memory, storage, battery, and wireless module are often soldered directly onto the motherboard.

However, as part of our commitment to the Right to Repair Movement, the memory, storage, battery, and wireless module on all MALIBAL laptops are user-upgradeable or user-replaceable.

Can your laptops be charged or powered via USB-C?

All MALIBAL laptops can be powered via the Thunderbolt 4 port.

How do I track my order after it ships?​
You can view your tracking status via the order details page in your account.
How do I get a quote?

If you need a quote for any reason, e.g., to submit to accounting for approval, before ordering, simply add the laptop(s) you want to purchase to the Cart, then click Checkout, and on the checkout page, click Convert Cart to Quote. We will email you a PDF of the quote with a link to make payment once you are ready to complete the order.

How do I cancel an order?

You may cancel an order any time up until it ships. After it ships, you will not be able to cancel it, but will instead have to use our return policy in order to return the laptop for a refund. To cancel an order, simply open a sales ticket or sales chat and give the representative your order information, and they will cancel the order for you and send you confirmation via email and text.

How do I make a change to my order?

You may make changes to your order up until it ships. To modify an order, simply open a sales ticket or sales chat and give the representative your order information and specify which changes you want to make.

When is my order shipping?

If all parts are in stock, the average build time for laptops is 5-7 business days. This means laptops will ship 5-7 business days after the order is placed. If a component is backordered, it will say which parts are backordered in your order confirmation email.

To see the estimated delivery date of your laptop, please check your order confirmation email for the Estimated Delivery Date. You can also see this information on your My Account > Order Details page. The estimated delivery date is the build time (plus backorder delay, if applicable) plus the shipping time.

Once your laptop ships out, we will email you the tracking information. An adult will need to be at the address to sign for the package when it arrives.