Starting vi

% vi name edit name at top
% vi +n name ... at line n
% vi + name ... at end
% vi -r list saved files
% vi -r name recover file name
% vi name ... edit first; rest via :n
% vi -t tag start at tag

The display

Last line Error messages, echoing input to : / ? and !, feedback about i/o and large changes.
@ lines On screen only, not in file.
~ lines Lines past end of file.
^x Control characters, ^? is delete.
tabs Expand to spaces, cursor at last.

Vi states

Command Normal and initial state. Others return here. ESC (escape) cancels partial command.
Insert Entered by a i A I o O c C s S R. Arbitrary text then terminates with ESC character, or abnormally with interrupt.
Last line Reading input for : / ? or !; terminate with ESC or CR to execute, interrupt to cancel.

Counts before vi commands

new window size : / ? [[ ]] ^F ^B ` '
line/column number z G |
scroll amount ^D ^U
replicate insert a i A I
repeat effect most rest

Simple commands

dw delete a word
de ... leaving punctuation
dd delete a line
3dd ... 3 lines
itextESC insert text abc
cwnewESC change word to new
easESC pluralize word
xp transpose characters

Interrupting, cancelling

ESC end insert or incomplete cmd
^? (delete or rubout) interrupts
^L reprint screen if ^? scrambles it

File manipulation

:w write back changes
:wq write and quit
:q quit
:q! quit, discard changes
:e name edit file name
:e! reedit, discard changes
:e + name edit, starting at end
:e +n edit starting at line n
:e # edit alternate file
^^ synonym for :e #
:w name write file name
:w! name overwrite file name
:sh run shell, then return
:!cmd run cmd, then return
:n edit next file in arglist
:n args specify new arglist
:f show current file and line
^G synonym for :f
:ta tag to tag file entry tag
^] :ta, following word is tag

Positioning within file

^F forward screenful
^B backward screenful
^D scroll down half screen
^U scroll up half screen
G goto line (end default)
/pat next line matching pat
?pat prev line matching pat
n repeat last / or ?
N reverse last / or ?
/pat+n n'th line after pat
?pat?-n n'th line before pat
]] next section/function
[[ previous section/function
% find matching ( ) { or }

Adjusting the screen

^L clear and redraw
^R retype, eliminate @ lines
zCR redraw, current at window top
z- ... at bottom
z. ... at center
/pat/z- pat line at bottom
zn. use n line window

Marking and returning

`` previous context
'' ... at first non-white in line
mx mark position with letter x
`x to mark x
'x ... at first non-white in line

Line positioning

H home window line
L last window line
M middle window line
+ next line, at first non-white
- previous line, at first non-white
CR return, same as +
^N next line, same column
^P previous line, same column
LF linefeed, same as ^N

Character positioning

^ first non white
0 beginning of line
$ end of line
space forward
^H backwards
h same as ^H
fx find x forward
Fx f backward
tx upto x forward
Tx back upto x
; repeat last f F t or T
, inverse of ;
| to specified column
% find matching ( { ) or }

Words, sentences, paragraphs

w word forward
b back word
e end of word
) to next sentence
} to next paragraph
( back sentence
{ back paragraph
W blank delimited word
B back W
E to end of W

Commands for LISP

) Forward s-expression
} ... but don't stop at atoms
( Back s-expression
{ ... but don't stop at atoms

Corrections during insert

^H erase last character
^W erases last word
erase your erase, same as ^H
kill your kill, erase input this line
\ escapes ^H, your erase and kill
ESC ends insertion, back to command
^? interrupt, terminates insert
^D backtab over autoindent
^^D kill autoindent, save for next
0^D ... but at margin next also
^Q quote non-printing character
^T shiftwidth forward tab

Insert and replace

a append after cursor
i insert before
A append at end of line
I insert before first non-blank
o open line below
O open above
rx replace single char with x
R replace characters

Operators (double to affect lines)

d delete
c change
< left shift
> right shift
! filter through command
= indent for LISP
y yank lines to buffer

Miscellaneous operations

C change rest of line
D delete rest of line
s substitute chars
S substitute lines
J join lines
x delete characters
X ... before cursor
Y yank lines

Yank and put

p put back lines
P put before
"x put from buffer x
"xy yank to buffer x
"xd delete into buffer x

Undo, redo, retrieve

u undo last change
U restore current line
. repeat last change
"dp retrieve d'th last delete

Entering ex

% ex name edit name, start at end
% ex +n name ... at line n
% ex -t tag start at tag
% ex -r list saved files
% ex -r name recover file name
% ex name ... edit first; rest via :n

Ex states

Command Normal and initial state. Input prompted for by :. Your kill character cancels partial command.
 
Insert Entered by a i and c. Arbitrary text then terminates with line having only . character on it or abnormally with interrupt.
 
Open/visual Entered by o or v, terminates with q or two successive interrupts.

Ex commands

append a next n substitute s
args ar number nu undo u
change c open o version ve
copy co preserve pre visual vi
delete d print p write w
edit e put pu yank ya
file f quit q window z
global g read re escape !
insert i recover rec lshift <
join j rewind rew print next CR
list l set se resubst &
mark ma shell sh rshift >
move m source so scroll ^D

Ex command addresses

n line n /pat next with pat
. current ?pat previous with pat
$ last x-n n before x
+ next x,y x through y
- previous 'x marked with x
+n n forward '' previous context

Specifying terminal type

% setenv TERM type csh and all version 6
$ TERM=type sh in Version 7

Some terminal types

2621 43 adm31 dw1 i100
2645 733 adm3a dw2 mime
300s 745 c100 gt40 owl
33 act4 dm1520 gt42 t1061
37 act5 dm2500 h1500 vt52
4014 adm3 dm3025 h1510

Initializing options

.exrc place set's here in HOME directory
set x enable option
set nox disable option
set x=val give value val
set show changed options
set x? show value of option x

Useful options

autoindent ai supply indent
beautify bf discard nonprinting chars
ignorecase ic in scanning
lisp ( ) { } are s-exp's
list print ^I for tab, $ at end
magic . [ * special in patterns
number nu number lines
paragraphs para macro names which start ...
redraw simulate smart terminal
sections sect macro names ...
shiftwidth sw for < >, and input ^D ^T
showmatch sm to ) and } as typed
slowopen slow choke updates during insert
wrapscan ws around end of buffer?
wrapmargin wm automatic line splitting

Scanning pattern formation

^ beginning of line
$ end of line
. any character
\< beginning of word
\> end of word
[str] any char in str
[^str] ... not in str
[x-y] ... between x and y
* any number of preceding