VI Text Editor with Commands: Linux/Unix Tutorial – linuxteach

What is VI editor

VI Editor is most popular editor in linux operating system.It has two mode Command and insert.In command mode you specify operation and insert mode specify the text to be enter. It is faster editor than other because there are shortcut keys defined which makes faster editing in the file.

1.Inserting text

To insert text in file various command is used such as i , I etc. ESC key is pressed to come out from insert mode

Keys	Description
i	insert text to left of cursor
I	insert text at beginning of line
a	insert text after character on with
A	Begins inserting at end of current line
o	insert text at new line before the current line
O	insert text at new line after the current line

2. Appending text

this command is used to append the text anywhere

Keys	Description
shift+A	Append at end of line
shift+I	Append at beginning of line
shift+O	Append at above the current line
shift+R	Start overwrite at current position

3. Moving cursor

By default the cursor will be at upper left corner of editor.the keys which are included in the moving cursor provide the feature of moving the cursor from one place to another

Keys	Description
n	Set cursor location to left of one character
l	Set cursor location to right of one character
k	move cursor one line up
j	move cursor one line down
b	move cursor one word backward
w	move cursor one word forward

preserving text

press ESC button and type : before typing the below command

Keys	Description
x	replace old copy of file with new copy and quite
iq	quit with saving change
iw	saving without leaving screen
iwq	save and quit file
iwd	to exit

5. Display text

VI editor allows to view the file like cat command with feature of the editing

Syntax

VI filename

6.Deleting text

These command is used to delete the text from the file

Keys	Description
dd	delete the current line
dw	delete the word above ht cursor
D	delete text from current cursor location to end of line