This is the default mode of vi editor. In this mode, most navigation and browsing of file content is performed. Besides the navigation of file content, we also perform cut, delete, copy, and paste operations in Command Mode. The following table describes the popular navigation operations of Command Mode:
|
KEY |
USAGE |
|
Move by character |
|
|
Arrow keys |
For moving the cursor up, down, left, and right |
|
j or <enter> |
For move the cursor one line down |
|
k |
For move the cursor one line up |
|
h or Backspace |
For move the cursor one character left |
|
l or Space |
For move the cursor one character right |
|
Move by word |
|
|
w |
For moving the cursor to the beginning of the next word |
|
b |
For moving the cursor to the previous word |
|
e |
For moving the cursor to the end of the current word |
|
Move by line |
|
|
0 or ^ |
For moving the cursor to the beginning of the line |
|
$ |
For moving the cursor to the end of the line |
|
Move by sentence |
|
|
( |
For moving the cursor to the beginning of the previous sentence |
|
) |
For moving the cursor to the end of the next sentence |
| Move by paragraph | |
|
{ |
For moving the cursor to the beginning of the previous paragraph |
|
} |
For moving the cursor to the end of the next paragraph |
|
Move by screen |
|
|
Ctrl + F or Page Down |
For moving forward one screen |
|
Ctrl + B or Page Up |
For moving backward one screen |
|
Ctrl + D |
For moving down half a screen |
|
Ctrl + U |
For moving up half a screen |
|
H |
First line on screen |
|
M |
Middle line on screen |
|
L |
Last line on screen |
|
Move inside whole document |
|
|
:0 or 1G or gg |
For moving to the beginning of a file |
|
:$ or G |
For moving to the last line of a file |
|
:n or nG |
For moving to the nth line |
Next, we will see how we to perform cut, delete, copy, and paste operations in Command Mode. The deletion of a character puts the text in an unnamed temporary buffer. The deleted character stored in a temporary buffer can be pasted at other places. Hence, we can say that a delete and paste operation is similar to a cut and paste operation.
The copying of character is known as yanking in context of vi editor. Copying (yanking) is performed using the yank y command. The following table describes various cut, copy, delete, and paste operations in vi editor:
| KEY | USAGE |
|
Deleting/cutting single characters |
|
|
x |
Deletes a character at the current cursor position |
|
Nx |
Deletes the N-1 character on the right-hand side, starting at the current cursor position |
|
3x |
Deletes a total of three characters, starting with the character currently under the cursor position, followed by the next two on the right-hand side |
|
X |
Deletes a character to the left of the cursor |
|
Deleting/cutting larger chunks |
|
|
dw |
Deletes the word at the current position up to the next space or next punctuation |
|
db |
Deletes one word backward |
|
d$ |
Deletes the line from the current cursor position to the end of the line |
|
d^ or d0 |
Deletes the line from the current cursor position to the beginning of the line |
|
dG |
Deletes from the current line to the end of the file |
|
dgg |
Deletes from the current line to the beginning of the file |
|
D |
Deletes the rest of the current line |
|
dd |
Deletes the current line |
|
Ndd or dNd |
Deletes N lines from the current line |
|
Copying/yanking text (puts text into a temporary buffer) |
|
|
yw |
Yanks (copies) a word forward |
|
yb |
Yanks (copies) a word backward |
|
y$ |
Yanks (copies) the line from the current cursor position to the end of the line |
|
y^ or y0 |
Yanks (copies) the line from the current cursor position to the beginning of the line |
|
yy |
Yanks (copies) the current line and puts it in a buffer |
|
Nyy or yNy |
Yanks (copies) N lines and puts them in a buffer |
|
p |
Pastes the contents below the current line (the yanked line or lines from the buffer) |
|
P |
Pastes the contents above the current line |
|
u |
Undoes the previous operation |
|
Ctrl + R |
Redoes the last undo operation |