(Neo)Vim

Markdown

Published 1 Feb. 2025. Last update 18 Feb. 2025.

I used to use Neovim as my main development environment. I like the fact that it’s small and fast, and that I can use it over an SSH connection. Neovim is a fork of Vim that I use for the Lua configuration and built-in Language Server Protocol support.

However, I mainly use Emacs these days. I extensively use evil (a Vi(m) compatibility layer for Emacs), so I haven’t really stopped using Vim but instead just use it inside a big Lisp machine.

You can find my configuration in my NixOS repository here.

Below are my working notes on learning and using (Neo)Vim.

References:
- :help usr_toc.txt
- :help index
ZZ / ZQ exit with / without saving
basic motions
- h j k l
- i I a A 0 $
- w e b W E B
- CTRL-e CTRL-d CTRL-u CTRL-y CTRL-f CTRL-b CTRL-b CTRL-f
- / ?
- n N
- f t F T ;
- G gg
- object selection
  - iw inner word
  - aw a word (incl whitespace)
  - is / as sentence
  - ip / ap paragraph
  - i] / a]
  - i) / a)
  - i> / a>
  - i" / a"
  - i' / a'
  - it / at <tag> </tags>
basic operators
- d c y double for a line
- r R
basic commands
- x
- p P
- u U CTRL-r
- o O
- :%s/x/y/g
- :%s/x/y/gc with confirmation
- #,#s/x/y/g replaces in selected line numbers
- :%s/$.$.../...\1/ regex capture
- :norm
- :nohls / :set hls
- :reg / yA / "Ap
options
- set options with :set <option>
- prefix with no or inv
- 'ic' ignore case
- 'hls' highlight case
- is incremental search
Enter to follow links
:help / K on word for documentation
help usage
- mode prefix, e.g. :help i_CTRL+W
- options, e.g. :help 'number'
- special keys, e.g. :help i_<Up>
- error codes :help E37
% jump to matching bracket
'<,'>w FILE - writes part of a file selected in visual mode
:r retrieve file or result of external command
CTRL-w CTRL-w switch window
c_CTRL-D and <Tab> command line completion
:d//<pattern>/
:g/<pattern>/<command>/
jump list CTRL-I CTRL-O
tag stack CTRL-] CTRL-T
J join lines (remove new lines)
- gJ remove spaces too
gO help TOC
( ) { } [ ] sentences/paragraphs/sections forwards/backwards (quickref)
spelling set language :setlocal spell spelllang=en_gb
- ]s / [s move misspells
- z get suggestions
- insert mode: CTRL-Xs
- add to spellfile zg
- added shortcut for CTRL-S to ]s1z=
- spell file in ~/.config/vim/spell.en.utf-8.add
searching repo / fuzzy match
- telescope.nvim plugin
  - <leader><leader> find files
  - <leader>bb buffer search
  - <leader>fQ commands
  - <leader>fQ command history
  - <alt-q> open in quickfix
  - <leader>fd telecope file browser
    - i_CTRL-t / n_t change directory
    - e home
    - w current dir
:mksession and vim -S <file> to save/restore a session
g commands
- gj gk g0 g$ gq(q)
- gu(u) gU _{ g}(~)
- gf gx
- gv
- g&
C-6 / C-^ / :b# go to last buffer
marks
- make m{a-zA-Z}
  - NB a-z are file local
- jump to line '{a-zA-Z}
- jump to column `{a-zA-Z}
- `` / '' previous mark
indent
- << >>
- i_CTRL-t i_CTRL-d
- =<motion> or == for line
window management
- :help windows
- c / :close
- o / :only
- res / vert res
tab management
- :tabnew
- CTRL-wT
- gt / gT
buffer management
- :bd / :bn / :bp
Markdown formatting a la tutor
- https://github.com/neovim/neovim/blob/5c36701228e166f8aa89983044404ff322fe481f/runtime/tutor/tutor.tutor
- https://github.com/neovim/neovim/blob/5c36701228e166f8aa89983044404ff322fe481f/runtime/syntax/tutor.vim
- https://github.com/neovim/neovim/blob/5c36701228e166f8aa89983044404ff322fe481f/runtime/doc/pi_tutor.txt
- https://github.com/neovim/neovim/blob/5c36701228e166f8aa89983044404ff322fe481f/runtime/plugin/tutor.vim#L4
folds
- zf create
- zo open
- zO open rec
- zc close
- zC close rec
- za toggle
- zA toggle rec
- zi fold enable
- :help usr_28.txt
- :help folding
- with markdown folding, we don’t want to have a file all folded on open
  - if we set nofoldenable, enabling any fold will enable them all
  - so we set foldlevel: 99
- zM close all folds, set foldlevel=0
- zR close all folds, set foldlevel=highest
- zm / zr decrement/increment foldlevel
q: command line editing in normal mode
:ls t list buffers in recently used order
paste in insert mode i_CTRL-r
see lsp servers :lua =vim.lsp.get_active_clients()[1]
gi to enter insert mode at the place in the file where you last left it
i_CTRL-o perform one normal mode command
surround with brackets ciW""EscP
- or with (n)vim-surround ysiW"
  - change with cs'"
  - NB open brackets add space and closed don’t
  - change including tags ysa"[
  - change brackets e.g. =cs[{=
  - visual mode: S
  - delete ds<motion>
insert date
- expression register "=strftime('%F')
- or in insert mode <C-r>=strftime('%F')
macros
- record q<char><recording>q
- replay @<char> reply last @@
- Q repeat last recorded register [count] times
- macros paste to the register, e.g. qrlq"rp will produce l
  - you can set macros from plain text in the inverse too
comment.nvim gcc line or gc<motion>
vimtex
- cse change surrounding
- :help vimtex-motions
- https://jdhao.github.io/2019/03/26/nvim_latex_write_preview/#useful-mappings-and-shortcuts
- dse delete surrounding
- tse toggle surrounding from/to *, e.g. equation to equation *
- \ll start compilation
- textobjects
gq format
netrw :Ex
- % for file
- d for dir
:h Select-mode
quickfix menu
- copen (populated by search, e.g. :grep or telescope)
- cdo %s/replace/with/gc
- cdo w
- and after make copen
- cn cp
:changes
- g; g,
:set paste
zz centre on line
register % / # current / prev file
gs go to sleep
gO outline
* / # search word under cursor
{Visual}g CTRL-A increment list
[% go to containing [
:g/^/m 0 Reverse line order :help 12.4
:e %:h/file another file in current file’s directory
- more expansions at :help expand
luasnip insert node puts you in select mode
- you can exit it and append with <Esc>Ea
- they continue with <C-l>
r!<command> insert command output
. repeat last change
groking vim

O nvim-cmp cmp-path without starting ./

O hydra