vi is a simple screen-oriented text editor from UNIX. Many clones of vi
exist throughout the software world. It is difficult
to learn how to use vi because it behaves differently from most other text
editors. However, once you learn how to use vi, it is an extremely
efficient text editor, and so you'll have vi x.txt ingrained in
your frequently-used-commands muscle memory.
Here is how I typically use vi:
- To create a new file or read an existing file, vi x.txt, where x.txt is the filename to
edit.
- vi starts out in command mode. With an existing file, use the arrow
keys, Page Up/Page Down, HJKL, or ^f ^b ^d ^u to navigate. Or use the old
ex commands -- for example, :123 where 123 is the line number to jump to.
Search for strings using / and then a regex. Press enter to find next
occurrence.
- To start typing text, pressing i or Insert switches to insert mode.
Type away and press Esc when done to switch back to command mode.
Backspace works unless terminal settings are haywire. Backspace at the
beginning of a line probably doesn't do anything... it's the vi way.
Delete may not work properly, if at all. You may need to experiment with
it. Otherwise, switch to command mode and press x to do a forward delete.
- To yank out an entire line, press dd.
- Cut and paste with mouse. Or, see how to do it properly and also more
good esoteric
vi commands with this
vi cheat sheet.
- To quit: :q! to save without changes, otherwise most vi
implementations support ZZ to keep changes. Fallback: :wq or :w. If you back up everything all the time, :q! is
merely a convenience.