--- title: "VIM Text Editor (Basics)" description: "Vim is the successor of the vi terminal text editor with a long list of powerful features. Short for “Vi IMproved,” Vim is sometimes pre-installed on popular, staple Linux distributions such as..." url: https://www.inmotionhosting.com/support/server/ssh/vim/ date: 2021-02-05 modified: 2023-12-22 author: "InMotion Hosting Contributor" categories: ["SSH and Root Access"] type: post lang: en --- # VIM Text Editor (Basics) [**Vim**](https://www.vim.org/) is the successor of the [**vi**](https://www.vim.org/viusers.php) terminal text editor with a long list of powerful features. Short for “Vi IMproved,” Vim is sometimes pre-installed on popular, staple [Linux distributions](https://www.inmotionhosting.com/support/server/linux/understanding-linux-operating-systems/) such as CentOS and Debian. For others including [Linux Mint](https://linuxmint.com/), you might instead have the original **vi** or **vim.tiny**, a slimmed down variant of Vim excluding dozens of advanced, yet less commonly used features. In an earlier article, we compared [Vim versus Emacs](https://www.inmotionhosting.com/support/edu/emacs/choosing-emacs-vs-vim/) and how to port Vim key bindings into Emacs. Power users looking to move away from [Nano](https://www.inmotionhosting.com/support/server/ssh/how-to-edit-files-using-nano/) in the command-line interface (CLI), or [Secure Shell (SSH)](https://www.inmotionhosting.com/support/server/ssh/what-is-shell-access/), may have found a resolution with Vim. Below we’ll cover the basics of: - [How to Use Vim](#use) - [Normal Mode](#normal) - [Insert Mode](#insert) - [Replace Mode](#replace) - [Visual Mode](#visual) - [Command Mode](#command) - [How to Configure Vim](#config) - [Vim Tutorials](#tutorial) - [Vimtutor](#vimtutor) - [Vim Cheat Sheet](#rtorr) - [VIM Adventures](#vimadventures) - [The Linux Command Line Book](#book) Before using Vim, be sure that you know how to [navigate the command line structure in SSH](https://www.inmotionhosting.com/support/server/ssh/navigate-command-line/) so that you can get to the right files. ## How to Use Vim [SSH into your Linux server](https://www.inmotionhosting.com/support/server/ssh/how-to-login-ssh/). To edit or create a file, type the following command:  vim filename ![Empty text file in Vim](https://www.inmotionhosting.com/support/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/vim-empty.png) Next, we’ll cover the multiple Vim *modes*: insert, replace, visual, command, and normal. ### Normal Mode This is the default mode when you first open a file with Vim. In this mode, you can move the cursor with the arrow keys or Vim key bindings. Move left: ⬅ or H Move down: ⬇ or J Move up: ⬆ or K Move right: ➡ or L **Navigate words:** Move to start of previous word: B Move to start of previous word before a whitespace: Shift+ B Move to end of word: E Move to end of word before a whitespace:  Shift + E Move to start of next word: W Move to start of next word after a whitespace: Shift + W **Navigate lines:** Move to the start of the current line: 0 Move to the end of the current line: $ **Copy, cut, and paste:** Copy text: Y Copy a line: `yy` Cut text: D Cut a line: `dd` Paste text: P ### Vim Insert Mode This is the most common mode as it allows you to insert text in a document. To enter this mode:  Press I or Insert to insert text at the cursor location. Press O to create a new line below the cursor location and insert text there. While in Insert Mode, the bottom of the terminal will read `-- INSERT --`. Press Esc to return from to Normal mode. ### Replace Mode This mode allows you to replace individual or multiple characters at once. Press R to replace a single character in the file. There will be an `r` in the lower-right corner until you replace a character. Press Shift + R to replace multiple characters or lines within the file. Meanwhile, the bottom of the file will read `-- REPLACE --`. ### Visual Mode This mode selects text starting from the current cursor position. This may be a more [accessible](https://www.inmotionhosting.com/support/website/6-ways-to-improve-website-accessibility/) method for easily copying text for some users. Press V to select individual characters starting from the current cursor position. At the bottom you’ll see `-- VISUAL --`. Press Shift + V to select full lines including the current cursor position. At the bottom you’ll see `-- VISUAL LINE --`. ### Command Mode Commands start with `:` and are executed with Enter. Just as with returning to Normal mode, you can exit out by pressing Esc. Save changes: `:w` Exit Vim without saving changes: `:q!` Save changes and exit Vim: `:qw` Save changes and exit Vim, enter one of the following: `:x` or `:wq` Quit Vim without saving the file, enter `:q` To force an action, add `!` to the end of the command. For example, `:q!` or `:wq!`. Open a second document in the terminal with a vertical split: :vsplit path-to-file ## How to Configure Vim Sysadmins can make system-wide changes to Vim environments within the system vimrc files (/etc/vim/vimrc or /usr/share/vim/vimrc). Users can customize their personal Vim environment by creating a `~/.vimrc` file. We’ll share some notable features you can uncomment or add in system or personal vimrc files respectively. Enable syntax highlighting:  syntax on Show matching brackets while coding: set showmatch Enable mouse usage in all modes:  set mouse=a ## Vim Tutorials Want to learn more about Vim? Prefer hands-on training? Check out these resources below for interactive learning and advanced features. ### Vimtutor Vimtutor works as an extension of `man vim` with lessons to walk you through how to use Vim commands. Start the tutorial with the command `vimtutor`. ### Vim Cheat Sheet Check out the [rtorr Vim cheat sheet](https://vim.rtorr.com/) for when you’re on the go. It’s available in multiple languages and on [GitHub](https://github.com/rtorr/vim-cheat-sheet). [DuckDuckGo](https://www.inmotionhosting.com/support/news/search-with-duckduckgo/) users can find it quickly by searching “vim cheat sheet.” ### VIM Adventures To learn more about using the VIM text editor, you can try the [VIM Adventures](https://vim-adventures.com/) educational game. The full version requires a paid subscription. However, you can play the free trial in your browser.  ### The Linux Command Line Book One of our technical support representatives recommended [The Linux Command Line](https://linuxcommand.org/tlcl.php) book for it’s Vim coverage. This is just one of many ways to [learn Linux](https://www.inmotionhosting.com/blog/5-free-ways-to-learn-linux/). **Scalable VPS Infrastructure, Fully Managed** When shared hosting can’t handle your traffic, VPS delivers dedicated resources that scale with demand. 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