Notes about how I am internalizing VIM key bindings ☕

May 11, 2022 · 1 min read

Wed, May 12th, 2022

To my future self:

My learning process using VIM key bindings was stuck on move commands; even though I realized the power of moving freely and accurately around the editor, I haven't a reason to waste my life with key bindings. This post is a never-ending excuse to continue developing my VIM workflow. If I am reading this now, I am sure I forgot something.

Repeating a char or a seq of chars n times

Sequence: ESC-n-i-char/seq-ESC-ESC

• n: number of times
• i: insert mode
• char/seq: char or sequence of chars

Usage: Create a header for a file or when I need to repeat an arbitrary sequence of characters.

Basic replacing in the current line :s or in all llines :%s

Sequence: :s/this/for that/g or :%s/this/for that/g

• :s: is short for "substitute" on the current line
• :%s: is short for "substitute" on the whole document
• this: is the pattern you want to replace
• for that: you want instead
• g: is short for "global" and refers to replacing more than the first occurrence

Usage: guess what!

Change upper-to-lower case and viceversa

Sequence: guu (upper-to-lower) or gUU (lower-to-upper) the current line

• U: Change lower-to-upper case
• u: Change upper-to-lower case
• VIM selection + {u or U}: change the selection given u or U behavior

                         That's the way computer talks to each other.