VI

VI

You should learn a couple of vi commands to survive, as vi is available on most *nix computers.

The absolute minimum

There are two modes in vi: normal and insert. You need to know which mode you are in, as different commands are available. (Why this may be problematic has been discussed thoroughly in the UX field)

• Normal Mode:
  • vi starts there
  • get there with ESC
  • start command with:
  • :w write (save) file
  • :q quit (without save, won’t quit if there are changes)
  • :wq quit and save
  • :q! quit without save no matter what
  • < h ^ j v k >l the keys under your right hand double as cursor keys; this makes editing fast!
• Insert Mode:
  • type to insert text
  • get there with any insert command, eg
    • i insert before cursor
    • a insert after cursor
    • o insert in new line after this one
    • O insert in new line before this one

Some Links and further Resources

• Graphical vi-vim Cheat Sheet and Tutorial, also available in one PDF
• Why, oh WHY, do those #?@! nutheads use vi?
• Learning the vi Editor/Vim/Modes - Wikibooks, open books for an open world