Vim

vim is a modal editor (improving on vi). It can run without graphics, is ubiquitous, powerful, and efficient but is an acquired skill.

Commands

Victoria's review: a minimal vim session experience:

  1. vim $filename → opens a file in vim. If that file doesn't exist or you opened it in the wrong filepath, you will see an empty blank vim that says [NEW] at the bottom
  2. i → puts you in insert mode so you can freely type and move your cursor around. Says – INSERT – in bottom left.
  3. esc → gets you out of insert mode

move around

  1. 0 puts your cursor to the beginning of the line (in command mode)
  2. $ puts your cursor to the end of the line (in command mode)
  3. Shift + i puts your cursor to the beginning of the line and opens insert mode
  4. Shift + a puts your cursor to the end of the line and opens insert mode
  5. up and down arrows move you up and down each line but to move between lines click g then up or down arrow
  6. exit
    • :q → quits vim
    • :wq → saves what you wrote and quits vim
    • :q! → does not save what you wrote and quits vim