Using a composable tool like Vim, everything you know can be linked together to do operations with increasing complexity. External command operator ( !) gives you as many filtering tools as the number of terminal commands you know. The search motion ( /) practically gives you near unlimited number motions because you can search for anything. Vim has a line-number motion ( nG) that gives you n motions, where n is how many lines you have in your file (to go to line 5, run 5G). If you know 10 motions and 5 operators, you have 60 moves (50 operations + 10 motions) in your arsenal.

Each new knowledge is a multiplier to your current abilities. This makes at 12 tools in your Vim tool belt. You have added not just one new ability to your Vim tool belt, but four: gUw, gU$, gU}, gUG. Then one day you learn about the uppercase ( gU) operator. You can do 8 actions: move 4 different ways ( w, $, }, G) and delete 4 different targets ( dw, d$, d}, dG). Suppose you only know four motions, w, $, }, G and only one operator, d. The more you know your operators, motions, and terminal commands, your ability to compose complex actions is multiplied. This is the power of Vim's composability. Great! The external command operator can also use pipe ( |). There are two types of text objects: inner and outer text objects. Vim has a way to capture this structure with text objects. They often contain parentheses, quotes, brackets, braces, and more. How can you quickly do it? Is there a way to delete the 'group' you are inside of? Imagine you are somewhere inside a pair of parentheses like (hello Vim) and you need to delete the entire phrase inside the parentheses. Vim has one more type of noun: text objects. For example, dd, yy, and cc perform deletion, yank, and change on the entire line. In general, by typing an operator command twice, Vim performs a linewise operation for that action. Repetition, repetition, repetition.Īs a side note, linewise operations (operations affecting the entire line) are common operations in text editing. When I first started, I had similar struggles but I got faster in time. Right now, you may have to think long and hard to do even a simple command. To yank two characters to the left: y2h.If you need to go up 3 lines, instead of pressing k 3 times, you can do 3k. Motions also accept count number as arguments (I will discourse this in the next chapter). To change from your current location to the end of the current paragraph, say c}.To delete from your current location to the beginning of the next word: dw.To yank everything from your current location to the end of the line: y$.There is only one grammar rule in Vim language: Likewise, to speak Vim language, you need to learn the grammar rules, increase vocabulary, and practice until you can run the commands without thinking. There are three things you need to do to learn to speak a new language: I learned English when I was 13 when I moved to the US. By the way, when I say Vim language in this chapter, I am not talking about Vimscript language (Vim's built-in programming language, you will learn that in later chapters). Once you understand the underlying grammatical structure, you will be able to 'speak' to Vim. This is the most important chapter in the entire guide. In this chapter, I will break down the general structure of Vim commands into a simple grammar rule. If you see a Vim user doing gUfV or 1GdG, you may not immediately know what these commands do. It is easy to get intimidated by the complexity of Vim commands.

Get it done grammar