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learning-vim

This repository includes all the things I learned about Vim.

I am learning Vim as I would like to be a more efficient worker, and so far, using Vim also makes coding fun again.

I found that in order to learn Vim and use it more effectively, one has to learn and configure so many things, that I decided to write everything down as I go along and learn Vim.

As this document contains the things I read and learned, I do not currently accept outside contributions (except typo and grammar fixes).

Why people hesitate to learn Vim?

  • a beast that needs to be tinkered with and correctly configured, and constantly reconfigured (as you discover need for more customizations)
  • strange keybindings that don't always make sense
  • model system is nothing like you've ever used, it makes Vim very different from other editors
  • steep learning curve

Why is it great?

  • installed by default on every Unix operating systems
  • on servers, remote computers, Vim might be the only option for text editing
  • very powerful tool, worth learning the ins and out, you can manipulate texts with few key strokes
  • open-source and gets continuously better
  • it's been around for a long time so it's easy to find resources

Get started

  • Vim Adventures (solutions)
  • vimtutor: takes around half an hour, it is recommended to go through it multiple times.

Modal editor

Why is Vim a "modal" editor? Because it has modes! Normal, Insert, Visual. When in doubt, stay in Normal (that's why it's called normal).

keys

  • i go to insert mode
  • I insert mode (ignore spaces)
  • s delete character undor the cursor and change to insert mode
  • S delete line and change to insert mode
  • O create new line after current line and change to insert mode
  • o create new line before current line and change to insert mode
  • cw delete word and go to insert mode
  • c$ delete from cursor until the end of the line and change to insert mode
  • C delete from cursor until the end of the line and change to insert mode
  • y yank
  • yy yank line
  • yw yank word
  • p put (for example yanked stuff)
  • % jump to matching parenthesis
  • / search
  • /something<Enter> + n - search for something... jump to next
  • /something<Enter> + N - search for something... jump to previous
  • ? reverse search
  • Control o - go back to previous position
  • Control i - go back to previous position
  • h, j, k, l - basic navigation (left, down, up, right)
  • gh, gj, gk, gl - move by visual lines (in case of line-wrap)
  • gg - to the top of the document
  • G - last line of the document
  • 0 - first character of the line
  • ^ - first non-space character of the line
  • 8G - jump to eighth line
  • x - delete character under cursor
  • u - undo
  • C r redo
  • ZZ - quit
  • dw - delete word
  • w - move by word
  • W, E, B - same as w, e, b but ignores commas, parenthesis, etc...
  • ft - forward to character t
  • Ft - backward to character t
  • tt - forward to before character t
  • Tt - backward to after character t
  • !ls execute command (in this example the ls command)

To dos

  • remap Esc to caps lock
  • map ii to leave insert mode

Remap Esc to Caps Lock

I found this great article about remapping the Esc key by Adam https://medium.com/@adamregaszrethy/vim-where-to-remap-esc-6f556d11fb75. In it, he describes that we can use Karabiner Elements for the remapping. https://karabiner-elements.pqrs.org/ I downloaded the dmg file, opened it and installed Karabiner. Maybe for the next time I should add this with homebrew? Can I do that? Yes, I can https://formulae.brew.sh/cask/karabiner-elements. Anyway. Karabiner is installed.

Make sure Karabiner runs correctly. I had to enable it Security and Privacy, and I also had to restart the computer.

Next step: How do I remap this? https://spin.atomicobject.com/2020/05/15/caps-lock-escape-control/

Complex modifications > Add rule > Import more rules from the Internet > (https://ke-complex-modifications.pqrs.org/ opens in default web browser) > Expand all > Search for "Change caps_lock to Command if pressed with other keys, to escape if pressed alone."

Karabiner also supports a JSON format to describe complex modifications https://karabiner-elements.pqrs.org/docs/json/typical-complex-modifications-examples/

You can include them, but it is tricky and not well documented pqrs-org/Karabiner-Elements#1225 long story short, you need to create json files in your .config karabiner folder.

Stuff I always forget if I don't use Vim for a week

NERDTree Menu. Use j/k/enter, or the shortcuts indicated
=========================================================
> (a)dd a childnode
  • run command :!unix_command

Resources

Here is a list of all the resources I used.

Random notes, todos;

  • install nerd fonts, should work with vim devicons
  • vifm
  • alacritty

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