Vim / Neovim Cheat Sheet

Survival #

Key	Action
`i`	Insert before the cursor
`Esc`	Back to Normal mode
`:w`	Save
`:q`	Quit
`:wq` or `ZZ`	Save and quit
`:q!`	Quit without saving
`u` / `Ctrl + r`	Undo / redo

Entering Insert Mode #

Key	Action
`i` / `a`	Insert before / after the cursor
`I` / `A`	Insert at the start / end of the line
`o` / `O`	New line below / above
`s`	Delete a character and insert
`cc` or `S`	Replace the whole line

Moving #

Key	Action
`h` `j` `k` `l`	Left, down, up, right
`w` / `b` / `e`	Next word / previous word / end of word
`0` / `^` / `$`	Line start / first character / line end
`gg` / `G`	First / last line
`42G` or `:42`	Go to line 42
`%`	Jump to the matching bracket
`{` / `}`	Previous / next paragraph
`Ctrl + d` / `Ctrl + u`	Half page down / up
`f x` / `t x`	Jump to / before the next "x" on the line (`;` repeats)
`H` / `M` / `L`	Top / middle / bottom of the screen

Editing #

Key	Action
`x`	Delete a character
`dd`	Delete (cut) the line
`yy`	Copy (yank) the line
`p` / `P`	Paste after / before
`dw` / `cw`	Delete word / change word
`diw` / `ciw`	Delete / change the whole word under the cursor
`ci"` / `ci(` / `cit`	Change inside quotes / brackets / HTML tag
`D` / `C`	Delete / change to the end of the line
`r x`	Replace the character with x
`J`	Join the next line onto this one
`>>` / `<<`	Indent / unindent
`.`	Repeat the last change
`3dd`, `5j`…	Put a number before a command to repeat it

Pattern: operator + motion, for example d (delete), c (change), y (yank) + w, $, iw, i", ap…

Visual Mode #

Key	Action
`v`	Select characters
`V`	Select lines
`Ctrl + v`	Block (column) select
then `d` / `y` / `c` / `>`	Delete / copy / change / indent the selection
`Ctrl + v`, select, `I`, type, `Esc`	Type on several lines at once

Search & Replace #

Command	Action
`/text` / `?text`	Search forward / backward
`n` / `N`	Next / previous match
`*` / `#`	Search the word under the cursor
`:%s/old/new/g`	Replace everywhere in the file
`:%s/old/new/gc`	Replace with confirmation
`:s/old/new/g`	Replace on the current line only
`:noh`	Clear the search highlight

Files, Buffers & Splits #

Command	Action
`:e file`	Open a file
`:ls` / `:bn` / `:bp`	List buffers / next / previous
`:sp` / `:vsp`	Horizontal / vertical split
`Ctrl + w` then `h j k l`	Move between splits
`Ctrl + w w`	Cycle splits
`:tabnew` / `gt`	New tab / next tab
`:!cmd`	Run a shell command

Macros & Marks #

Key	Action
`qa` … `q`	Record a macro into register a
`@a` / `@@`	Play macro a / repeat the last macro
`ma` / `'a`	Set mark a / jump to mark a
`Ctrl + o` / `Ctrl + i`	Jump back / forward in history

Settings #

Command	Action
`:set number` / `:set relativenumber`	Line numbers
`:set paste`	Paste without auto-indent (classic Vim)
`:syntax on`	Syntax highlighting
`~/.vimrc`	Vim config
`~/.config/nvim/init.lua`	Neovim config (Lua)
`:checkhealth`	Neovim: diagnose setup problems

-- minimal init.lua
vim.opt.number = true
vim.opt.relativenumber = true
vim.opt.tabstop = 4
vim.opt.shiftwidth = 4
vim.opt.expandtab = true
vim.opt.clipboard = "unnamedplus"   -- use the system clipboard