vi Quick Reference Guide

All commands in vi are preceded by pressing the escape key. Each time a different command is to be entered, the escape key needs to be used. Except where indicated, vi is case sensitive.

Cursor Movement Commands:
(n) indicates a number, and is optional
(n)h left (n) space(s)
(n)j down (n) space(s)
(n)k up (n) space(s)
(n)l right (n) space(s)
(The arrow keys usually work also)
ctrlF forward one screen
ctrlB back one screen
ctrlD down half screen
ctrlU up half screen
H beginning of top line of screen
M beginning of middle line of screen
L beginning of last line of screen
G beginning of last line of file
(n)G move to beginning of line (n)
0 (zero) beginning of line
$ end of line
(n)w forward (n) word(s)
(n)b back (n) word(s)
e end of word
Inserting Text:
i insert text before the cursor
a append text after the cursor (does not overwrite other text)
I insert text at the beginning of the line
A append text to the end of the line
r replace the character under the cursor with the next character typed
R Overwrite characters until the end of the line (or until escape is pressed to change command)
o (alpha o) open new line after the current line to type text
O (alpha O) open new line before the current line to type text
Deleting Text:
dd deletes current line
(n)dd deletes (n) line(s)
(n)dw deletes (n) word(s)
D deletes from cursor to end of line
x deletes current character
(n)x deletes (n) character(s)
X deletes previous character
Change Commands:
(n)cc changes (n) characters on line(s) until end of the line (or until escape is pressed)
cw changes characters of word until end of the word (or until escape is pressed)
(n)cw changes characters of the next (n) words
c$ changes text to the end of the line
ct(x) changes text to the letter (x)
C changes remaining text on the current line (until stopped by escape key)
~ changes the case of the current character
J joins the current line and the next line
u undo the last command just done on this line
. repeats last change
s substitutes text for current character
S substitutes text for current line
:s substitutes new word(s) for old :<line nos effected> s/old/new/g
& repeats last substitution (:s) command.
(n)yy yanks (n) lines to buffer
y(n)w yanks (n) words to buffer
p puts yanked or deleted text after cursor
P puts yanked or deleted text before cursor
File Manipulation:
:w (file) writes changes to file (default is current file)
:wq  writes changes to current file and quits edit session
:w! (file) overwrites file (default is current file)
:q  quits edit session w/no changes made
:q! Â quits edit session and discards changes
:n  edits next file in argument list
:f (name) changes name of current file to (name)
:r (file) reads contents of file into current edit at the current cursor position (insert a file)
:!(command) shell escape
:r!(command) inserts result of shell command at cursor position
ZZ write changes to current file and exit