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vi/vim: The Editor You Can't Avoid

I avoided vim for years. I used nano. I used GUI editors. Then I had to edit a file on a server. Only vim was available. I panicked.

I learned vim in one afternoon. Out of necessity.

Now? I can't imagine using anything else.

Here's the thing: vim is on every Linux system. Every single one. Learn it, or learn it when you're panicking at 2 AM. Your choice.

Why vim? (The Honest Answer)​

Because it's there.

That's it. It's on every system. It works over slow connections. It works in terminals. It just works.

Also: Once you learn it, it's fast. Really fast. But that's a bonus. The main reason is: it's always there.

The vim Modes (This Confuses Everyone)​

vim has modes. This is what confuses people. But it's actually simple:

  1. Normal mode - Navigate and give commands (default)
  2. Insert mode - Type text (like a normal editor)
  3. Command mode - Save, quit, search

The key: You're usually in Normal mode. Press i to enter Insert mode. Press Esc to go back to Normal mode.

Memory trick: Normal = navigate. Insert = type. That's it.

How to Exit (Learn This First)​

Most important: Know how to exit before you start.

From Normal mode:

:q                               # Quit (if no changes)
:q!                              # Quit without saving (your escape hatch)
:wq                              # Write and quit (save and exit)
:x                               # Save and quit (same as :wq)
ZZ                               # Save and quit (Normal mode, faster)
ZQ                               # Quit without saving (Normal mode)

My take: :q! is your friend. When you're stuck, :q! gets you out. You'll use it a lot at first.

Opening vim​

vim file.txt                     # Open file
vim file.txt +10                 # Open at line 10
vim                              # Open without file (create new)

Real example:

$ vim /etc/nginx/nginx.conf

That's it. File opens. You're in Normal mode.

Basic Navigation (Normal Mode)​

In Normal mode, you navigate. You don't type. This is the confusing part.

Movement​

h                                # Left
j                                # Down
k                                # Up
l                                # Right

Memory trick: h is left (it's on the left). l is right (it's on the right). j is down (looks like a down arrow). k is up.

Word Movement​

w                                # Next word
b                                # Previous word
e                                # End of word

Line Movement​

0                                # Beginning of line
$                                # End of line
^                                # First non-blank character

File Movement​

gg                               # Beginning of file
G                                # End of file
50G                              # Go to line 50
:50                              # Go to line 50 (Command mode)

My take: gg and G are your friends. Beginning and end of file. You'll use them constantly.

Entering Insert Mode​

Press i to enter Insert mode. Now you can type like a normal editor.

i                                # Insert before cursor
a                                # Insert after cursor
o                                # New line below
O                                # New line above

Memory trick: i = insert. a = append (after). o = open new line.

To exit Insert mode: Press Esc. Always. When in doubt, press Esc.

Editing (The Basics)​

Delete​

x                                # Delete character under cursor
dd                               # Delete line
dw                               # Delete word
d$                               # Delete to end of line

Memory trick: d = delete. dd = delete line. dw = delete word.

Copy and Paste​

yy                               # Copy line
p                                # Paste after cursor
P                                # Paste before cursor

Memory trick: y = yank (copy). yy = copy line. p = paste.

Undo and Redo​

u                                # Undo
Ctrl+r                           # Redo

My take: u is your friend. Make a mistake? u. Undo it.

/pattern                         # Search forward
?pattern                         # Search backward
n                                # Next match
N                                # Previous match

Real example:

/error                           # Find "error"
n                                # Next occurrence

My take: Search is how you find things. / to search. n to find next. Simple.

Replace​

:s/old/new                       # Replace first occurrence in line
:s/old/new/g                     # Replace all in line
:%s/old/new/g                    # Replace all in file

Real example:

:%s/oldhost/newhost/g            # Replace all occurrences

Warning: :%s replaces everywhere. Be careful.

The Commands You'll Actually Use​

Here's the truth: You'll use maybe 10 commands regularly. The rest? You'll look up.

Daily use:

  • i - Enter Insert mode
  • Esc - Exit Insert mode
  • :wq or ZZ - Save and quit
  • :q! - Quit without saving
  • dd - Delete line
  • yy and p - Copy and paste
  • / - Search
  • gg and G - Beginning and end of file

That's it. That's 90% of what you need.

Common Workflow​

  1. Open file: vim file.txt
  2. Navigate: Use h, j, k, l or gg, G
  3. Edit: Press i, make changes, press Esc
  4. Save: :wq or ZZ

That's the workflow. Simple.

Common Mistakes (I've Made These)​

  1. Stuck in Insert mode: Press Esc. Always. When in doubt, Esc.

  2. Can't exit: :q! gets you out. Always.

  3. Accidentally in Command mode: Press Esc to go to Normal mode, then try again.

  4. Deleted too much: u to undo. It's your friend.

  5. Lost in file: gg goes to beginning. G goes to end.

Practice Exercise​

Actually do this:

# Create a test file
vim test.txt

# In vim:
# 1. Press i (enter Insert mode)
# 2. Type some text
# 3. Press Esc (back to Normal mode)
# 4. Press :wq (save and quit)

Do it. Actually type it. That's how you learn.

What's Next?​

Now that you know vim basics, let's talk about Advanced vim. We'll cover more powerful features. Or stick with the basics. They're enough for most things.

Personal note: I hated vim at first. It was confusing. It was different. Then I had to use it. I learned it. Now I love it. The learning curve is steep, but it's worth it. Stick with it.