Vim mode cheatsheet

This is the reference for Vim behavior currently implemented by Lumide. A count may prefix commands marked as counted. Operator and motion counts multiply, so 3d2w affects six words. <C-X> means Ctrl-X and <S-Tab> means Shift-Tab.

Settings and UI#

Vim is an enabled-by-default built-in plugin that can be toggled from the Installed Plugins view. Its dedicated settings category is hidden while the plugin is disabled. Vim settings expose modal-editing enablement, clipboard policy, relative line numbers, ignore-case, smart-case, search wrap, search highlighting, status indicator style, global and local leaders, mapping timeout, and an optional Vim configuration path. The indicator can be hidden or shown as a Vim string, simple text, or a capsule chip. Configuration changes apply to open editors. Modifier chords outside Vim's grammar pass through to the selected base keymap; Vim-native chords take precedence.

Normal and Visual modes use a block cursor, Insert uses a bar, and Replace uses an underline. The status bar exposes mode, pending keys and counts, macro recording, prompts, typed diagnostics, and typed Ex output. The same state is available to accessibility semantics without putting display messages in the command engine.

Modes#

Keys	Result
`i`, `a`	Enter Insert before or after the cursor.
`I`, `A`	Enter Insert at the first non-blank or end of the line.
`o`, `O`	Open an indented line below or above and enter Insert.
`R`	Enter Replace mode.
`v`, `V`, `<C-V>`	Enter Visual character, line, or block mode.
`<C-O>` in Insert	Run one complete Normal command, then return to Insert.
`<Esc>`, `<C-[>`	Return toward Normal mode or cancel a pending command.
`<C-C>`	Cancel Insert, Replace, Visual, a pending command, or a prompt.
`<Esc>` in Normal	Clear pending input and remove additional cursors.

Insert and Replace preserve Lumide's normal text entry, auto-pairs, indentation, snippets, and completion behavior. Leaving Insert or Replace moves the cursor left where Vim does. An Insert session is one undo step. Layout-generated Alt and AltGr text remains insertable and dot-repeatable.

Insert-mode commands#

Keys	Result
`<C-W>`	Delete the previous word.
`<C-U>`	Delete to the start of the insertion line.
`<C-H>`, `<C-J>`	Delete backward or insert a line break.
`<C-T>`, `<C-D>`	Indent or outdent the current line.
`<C-R>{register}`	Insert a readable register.
`<C-R>=`	Evaluate an arithmetic expression and insert its result.
`<C-]>`	Expand an Insert abbreviation without a terminator.
`<C-N>`, `<C-P>`	Select the next or previous Lumide completion.

Motions#

All core motions are counted and compose with operators unless stated otherwise.

Character, line, and document motions#

Keys	Result
`h`, `j`, `k`, `l`	Move left, down, up, or right. Arrow keys are aliases.
`<C-N>`, `<C-P>`	Move down or up by logical lines.
`Space`, `Backspace`	Move right or left without crossing a line.
`0`, `^`, `$`	First column, first non-blank, or end of line.
`[count]\|`	Counted one-based screen column; column 1 when omitted.
`g_`	Last non-blank character, optionally on a counted later line.
`+`, `Enter`, `-`	First non-blank on a following or preceding line.
`_`	First non-blank on the counted line downward.
`gg`, `G`	First or last document line; a count selects that line number.
`{count}%`	Jump to a percentage of the document. Without a count, match a pair.
`H`, `M`, `L`	Top, middle, or bottom visible row. Counts offset `H` and `L`.
`<C-F>`, `<C-B>`	Scroll and move by full viewports.
`<C-D>`, `<C-U>`	Scroll and move by half viewports.
`<C-E>`, `<C-Y>`	Scroll down or up by counted display lines without moving the cursor.

Horizontal commands respect Unicode grapheme boundaries. Vertical commands retain the desired column across shorter lines.

Words, sentences, and paragraphs#

Keys	Result
`w`, `W`	Start of the next word or whitespace-delimited WORD.
`b`, `B`	Start of the previous word or WORD.
`e`, `E`	End of the current or next word or WORD.
`ge`, `gE`	End of the previous word or WORD.
`(`, `)`	Previous or next sentence boundary.
`{`, `}`	Previous or next paragraph boundary.

Find, pairs, marks, and history#

Keys	Result
`f{char}`, `F{char}`	Find a character forward or backward on the line.
`t{char}`, `T{char}`	Move until immediately before or after the character.
`;`, `,`	Repeat the last find in the same or opposite direction.
`%`	Match nested `()` , `[]` , or `{}` ; search forward on the line for a pair when needed.
`m{letter}`	Set a tracked letter mark.
`{mark}	Jump to the exact mark position.
`'{mark}`	Jump to the mark's first non-blank, linewise for operators.
``, `''`	Jump to the previous context position.
`<C-O>`, `<C-I>`	Move backward or forward through jump history.
`g;`, `g,`	Move backward or forward through change locations.

Searches, mark jumps, host-provided locations, and major document jumps participate in tracked jump history.

Display-row motions#

These use measured soft-wrap and viewport geometry when it is available, with logical-line fallbacks where appropriate.

Keys	Result
`gj`, `gk`	Move down or up by display rows.
`g0`, `g^`, `gm`, `g$`	Start, first non-blank, middle, or end of a display row.
`gM`	Move to 50% of the line, or to a counted percentage.
`zt`, `zz`, `zb`	Align the cursor row at the top, middle, or bottom.
`z<Enter>`, `z.`, `z-`	Aliases for top, middle, and bottom alignment.

Search#

Keys	Result
`/{text}`, `?{text}`	Search forward or backward.
`n`, `N`	Repeat in the same or opposite direction.
`*`, `#`	Search forward or backward for the whole word under the cursor.
`g*`, `g#`	Search forward or backward without whole-word boundaries.
`:nohlsearch`	Clear presented search highlights.

Search supports counted navigation, wrap/no-wrap, ignore-case, smart-case, and highlight options. Search highlights are presentation state; navigation still finds matches beyond the highlighted subset.

Operators and edits#

Operators#

Keys	Result
`d{motion}`, `c{motion}`, `y{motion}`	Delete, change, or yank a motion/text object.
`>{motion}`, `<{motion}`	Indent or outdent complete affected lines.
`={motion}`	Format the range through Lumide.
`gq{motion}`, `gw{motion}`	Format text through Lumide.
`g~{motion}`, `gu{motion}`, `gU{motion}`	Toggle, lower, or uppercase a range.
`!{motion}`	Filter complete affected lines through an external command.
`dd` , `cc` , `yy` , `>>` , `<<` , `==` , `g~~` , `guu` , `gUU` , `gqq` , `gww` , `!!`	Apply the operator linewise.

The filter prompt accepts normal command-line editing. A successful filter is dot-repeatable and its pending range follows document edits.

Direct edits and replay#

Keys	Result
`x`, `X`	Delete graphemes forward or backward without crossing a line.
`s`, `S`	Substitute counted characters or change counted lines.
`D`, `C`, `Y`	Delete/change to line end, or yank counted complete lines.
`r{char}`	Replace counted characters with one character.
`J`, `gJ`	Join lines with Vim whitespace cleanup, or join raw.
`~`	Toggle the case of counted characters.
`<C-A>`, `<C-X>`	Increment or decrement the number under or after the cursor.
`u`, `<C-R>`	Undo or redo.
`U`	Restore the current line to its state when the cursor entered it.
`.`	Repeat the last structured change; a count overrides its stored count.
`gi`	Insert at the tracked last-insert position.

Dot replay covers operators, direct edits, puts, Visual shapes, Insert and Replace sessions, auto-pair-aware input intent, abbreviations, registers, counts, and filters.

Text objects#

Use each object after an operator or after i/a in Visual mode. i selects inside; a selects the surrounding form where one exists.

Object	Supported keys and meaning
Word	`iw`, `aw`, `iW`, `aW` for words and WORDs.
Quotes	`i"` , `a"` , `i'` , `a'` , i` , a` on the current line.
Parentheses	`ib` , `ab` , `i(` , `a(` , `i)` , `a)` with counted outer nesting.
Braces	`iB` , `aB` , `i{` , `a{` , `i}` , `a}` with counted outer nesting.
Brackets/angles	`i[` , `a[` , `i]` , `a]` , `i<` , `a<` , `i>` , `a>` .
Sentence/paragraph	`is`, `as`, `ip`, `ap`, including counts.
Line	`il` trims edge whitespace; `al` selects counted complete lines.
Argument	`ia` , `aa` select comma-separated arguments and respect nested brackets and quotes.
Entire buffer	`ie` trims document-edge whitespace; `ae` includes it.
Indentation	`ii`, `ai` select indentation blocks and surrounding boundaries.
Comment	`ic` , `ac` support `/* */` and contiguous `//` , `--` , or `#` comments.
Tag	`it`, `at` select matching nested tags; counts select an outer tag.

Visual mode#

Keys	Result
`v`, `V`, `<C-V>`	Switch to character, line, or block selection.
`gv`	Restore the previous Visual selection.
`o`	Swap the active and fixed endpoints.
`O` in Visual Block	Swap horizontal block endpoints.
Motions, finds, marks, text objects	Extend the inclusive selection.
`d`/`x`, `c`/`s`, `y`	Delete, change, or yank the selection.
`>`, `<`, `=`, `!`	Indent, outdent, format, or filter selected lines.
`~`, `u`, `U`, `g~`, `gu`, `gU`	Toggle, lower, or uppercase the selection.

Visual Block delete/yank/change uses aligned per-line selections and blockwise registers. A block change leaves aligned Insert cursors.

Registers and puts#

Prefix an operator or put with "{register}. A count may appear before or after register selection.

Register	Meaning
`"`	Unnamed register.
`0`	Most recent yank.
`1`–`9`	Numbered delete history.
`-`	Most recent small characterwise delete.
`a`–`z`	Named registers; uppercase appends to the lowercase register.
`_`	Black-hole register.
`+`, `*`	System clipboard and primary selection through Lumide's adapter.
`.`	Last inserted text, readable with Insert `<C-R>`.
`/`, `:`	Last search and last Ex command, readable with Insert `<C-R>`.
`=`	Arithmetic expression register.

Keys	Result
`p`, `P`	Put after/before with characterwise, linewise, or blockwise shape.
`gp`, `gP`	Put after/before and leave the cursor after inserted text.
`]p`, `[p`	Put after/before and adjust linewise indentation.
`:registers [names]`	Show populated registers as typed output. `:reg` is an alias.

Clipboard policy can redirect implicit register operations to * or +; explicit register selection always wins. Successive dot-repeated puts advance numbered registers from 1 through 9, matching Vim delete-history replay.

Macros, mappings, and abbreviations#

Keys	Result
`q{letter}`	Record a macro; uppercase appends to the lowercase macro.
`q` while recording	Stop recording.
`@{letter}`, `@@`	Play a macro or repeat the last macro, with counts.

Mappings are mode-scoped for Normal, Visual, Operator-pending, Insert, and Command-line modes. Recursive and non-recursive mappings, ambiguous prefixes, timeouts, <Nop>, <silent>, <leader>, and <localleader> are supported. Mappings take precedence over editor overlays and active snippet sessions. Runtime mapping commands include map, nmap, vmap/xmap, omap, imap, cmap, their noremap, unmap, and mapclear variants, plus inspection by omitting the right-hand side.

Insert and Command-line abbreviations implement Vim keyword-boundary rules. They expand on a non-keyword terminator or explicitly with <C-]>.

Ex command line#

Enter with :. Left/Right, Home/End, grapheme-safe Backspace/Delete, <C-U>, and <C-W> edit the prompt. Up/Down browse history. Tab and <S-Tab> cycle built-in and user-command completion. <Esc>, <C-[>, or <C-C> cancel.

Addresses and ranges#

Supported addresses are the current line ., final line $, one-based line numbers, % for the whole document, and comma- or semicolon-separated ranges. A semicolon makes the first address current while resolving the second. A bare address moves the cursor.

Local Ex commands#

Command	Supported behavior
`:delete ["r]`, `:yank ["r]`, `:put ["r]`	Delete, yank, or put with an optional register.
`:join`	Join the addressed lines; without a range, join the current and next line.
`:sort[!] [i][n][u]`	Sort, reverse, ignore case, compare embedded numbers, and/or deduplicate.
`:substitute` / `:s`	Regex replacement on the addressed lines. Flags: `g` , `c` , `i` , `I` .
`:&`, `:&&`, `:~`	Repeat substitution; `&&` retains flags and `~` uses the last search pattern.
Confirmation keys	`y` yes, `n` no, `a` all, `l` last then quit, `q` quit.
`:global/{pattern}/{command}`	Execute a local Ex command on matching addressed lines.
`:vglobal/{pattern}/{command}`, `:global!`	Execute on non-matching addressed lines.
`:normal[!] {keys}`	Run Vim key notation on each addressed line.
`:set`	Query or change supported runtime options.
`:registers [names]`, `:marks [names]`	Return typed register or mark rows.
`:jumps`, `:changes`	Return typed jump-list or change-list locations.
Mapping commands	Add, remove, clear, or inspect runtime mappings.
`:nohlsearch`	Clear search highlights.

Substitute replacement supports & for the full match, \1–\9 for capture groups, escaped delimiters, and escaped literal characters.

Runtime :set options are ignorecase/ic, smartcase/scs, wrapscan/ws, hlsearch/hls, timeout, timeoutlen/tm, and clipboard/cb. Boolean options accept no and inv forms; options support ? queries, and :set all returns all typed states.

IDE-owned Ex commands#

Commands	Result
`:write[!]`, `:wq[!]`, `:exit[!]`	Save, save and close, or exit according to modification state.
`:quit[!]`, `:close[!]`, `:bdelete[!]`, `:tabclose[!]`	Close the current editor, with force support.
`:qall[!]`, `:qa[!]`	Close all editors; force discards unsaved changes.
`:edit {path}`	Open a file.
`:split [path]`, `:vsplit [path]`	Open the current editor or a file in a horizontal or vertical split.
`:tabnew [path]`	Create an untitled editor tab or open a file in a tab.
`:bnext`, `:bprevious`	Move through open editor tabs.
`:buffer {number-or-path}`	Select an open editor in the current tab group.
`:tabnext`, `:tabprevious`	Move through open editor tabs.
`:buffers`, `:files`, `:ls`	Show typed open-buffer state.
`:terminal`	Open a terminal.
`ZZ`, `ZQ`	Save and close, or force close, from Normal mode.

Common unambiguous Vim abbreviations such as :w, :q, :e, :sp, :vs, :bn, :bp, :bd, and :term are accepted.

Keys	Lumide action
`gd`, `gD`, `gr`, `gI`	Definition, declaration, references, implementation.
`<C-]>`	Definition.
`K`	Hover.
`gR`, `g.`, `gO`, `gS`	Rename, code action, document symbols, workspace symbols.
`]d`, `[d`	Next or previous diagnostic.
`]c`, `[c`	Next or previous Git change.
`gt`, `gT`	Next or previous editor tab; `[count]gt` selects that tab number.

Folds#

Keys	Result
`za`, `zA`	Toggle the current fold or its recursive subtree.
`zc`, `zC`	Close one or counted folds, or close recursively.
`zo`, `zO`	Open one or counted folds, or open recursively.
`zM`, `zR`	Close or open all folds.

Panes#

Keys	Result
`<C-W>h/j/k/l`	Focus the pane left/down/up/right; arrows are aliases.
`<C-W>w`, `<C-W>W`	Focus the next or previous pane.
`<C-W>s`, `<C-W>S`	Split horizontally.
`<C-W>v`	Split vertically.
`<C-W>c`, `<C-W>q`	Close the current pane.
`<C-W>o`	Close other panes.
`<C-W>=`	Equalize pane sizes.

Vim configuration subset#

The optional configuration file supports:

let mapleader = "...", let g:mapleader = "...", and equivalent maplocalleader names.
set for ignorecase, smartcase, wrapscan, hlsearch, timeout, timeoutlen, and clipboard, including documented short and no forms.
map, nmap, vmap/xmap, omap, imap, cmap, map!, corresponding non-recursive forms, and matching unmap/mapclear forms.
Insert and Command-line abbreviate, noreabbrev, unabbreviate, and abclear families.
Uppercase zero-argument command/command!, delcommand, and comclear.
Key notation for printable Unicode graphemes, <Esc>, <CR>, <Tab>, <BS>, <Del>, <Space>, <lt>, arrows, Home/End, leaders, and Ctrl/Alt/Meta/Shift modifier forms for printable and named keys.

Unsupported statements, options, attributes, values, and key notation produce typed diagnostics. Arbitrary Vimscript, plugins, expressions in mappings, and buffer-local mappings are not executed.

Safety and compatibility boundaries#

Counts, command-line input, generated edit output, Visual Block selections, macro execution, mapping execution, configuration size, retained registers/mappings/abbreviations/commands, search highlights, substitution confirmation and output, Ex presentation/target tracking/sorting, filter output, and Insert replay state are bounded. Exposed failures are typed so the UI can localize them.
Normal motions use Rope ranges and do not materialize the full document.
Search patterns are literal text; :substitute and :global patterns use Dart regular expressions.
External filters require a desktop host process. Browser builds depend on host capabilities.
Vim help, save-as/write-all, shell-backed writes, vimgrep, and quickfix Ex workflows are not implemented.
Advanced tab/pane rearrangement, manual fold creation or level control, and Vim diff-mode commands are not implemented.
Filename registers %/# and persisted special marks are not implemented.
Vim plugins and arbitrary Vimscript are outside the supported surface.