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Vim shortcuts

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Do these shortcuts work for you?

Vim works in modes. The Modes section lists them: Normal Mode, Insert Mode, Visual Mode, Visual Line Mode, Visual Block Mode and Command Mode. Navigation moves the cursor with letter keys: Move Left, Move Down, Move Up and Move Right.

Start with these

Tips for Vim

  • Delete Line dd and Yank (Copy) Line yy are one key pressed twice.
  • After Search Forward / or Search Backward ?, Next Match n and Previous Match ShiftN move between the matches.
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Modes6

ActionShortcut
Insert Mode
Normal Mode
Visual Mode
Visual Line Mode
Visual Block Mode
Command Mode

Editing8

ActionShortcut
Delete Line
Yank (Copy) Line
Paste After
Paste Before
Undo
Redo
Repeat Last Command
Delete Character
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Frequently Asked Questions

How many keyboard shortcuts does Vim have on Linux?

Vim has 30 keyboard shortcuts on Linux, organized into 4 sections: Modes, Navigation, Editing, Search. This page lists all of them with searchable, organized shortcut tables.

Which Vim shortcuts should I learn first?

Start with Normal Mode (Esc), Insert Mode (i), Delete Line (dd), Undo (u), Search Forward (/), Repeat Last Command (.). The sections on this page list the rest.

Can I download Vim shortcuts as a PDF?

Yes. Click the download button at the top of this page to generate a printable PDF cheat sheet with all 30 Vim shortcuts. The PDF includes organized sections, keycap-style key labels, and space for your own notes.

Where is the official Vim keyboard shortcuts documentation?

The official Vim keyboard shortcuts documentation is available on their website. Every shortcut on this page is sourced from and verified against the official documentation to ensure accuracy.

Do these Vim shortcuts work across Linux distributions?

These shortcuts work in Vim regardless of which Linux distribution or desktop environment you use. The modifier keys are Ctrl, Alt, Shift, and Super (usually the Windows key). Some desktop environments may override specific key combinations — check your system keyboard settings if a shortcut doesn’t work as expected.

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