Basic commands for the Linux vi Editor

From SynologyWiki

The Linux VI Editor is a text based editor used Linux, useful for editing configuration files or creating plain text documents.

vi is started by simply entering "vi" (it is case sensitive) at the linux prompt, and once started is exited using ESC:q! to abandon changes or SHIFT+ZZ (case sensitve) to save changes. If you want to edit (or create) a specific file use the command "vi /path_to_file/name_of_file". "path_to_file" must already exist as vi will not make any required directories.

Command	Description
i	insert mode, (ESC to exit insert mode) allows text to be entered on the screen
a	Append to right mode
/word	Move to the occurrence of "word"
n	Locate the next occurrence
w	Advance to the next word
e	Advance to the next end of a word
b	Move to the previous word
3b	Move backward 3 words
yy	Copy line (then move cursor and use p to paste after current cursor line)
dd	delete line
3dd	delete 3 lines
D	Delete remainder of a line
dw	Delete word
x	Delete character
o	Open space for new line below the cursor line
O	Open a line above the cursor
CTRL-w	Move back a word in append mode
u	Undo last
U	Undo all changes to current line
.	In command mode, repeat the last text changing the command on the current line
:w newfilename	save the file to newfilename from the command mode
:wq	save and quit
:q!	quit without saving
r	replace then typa a character ot be replaced with r then return to break up a line
J	join 2 lines
s	substitute (sentence) typed text over a character, ESC when done
cw	change word
c	change part of a line from the cursor to the end of the line
cc	substitute new text for aline, ESC when done
h	move the cursor back one space
H	move the cursor to the highest line on the screen
L	move the cursor to the lowest line on the screen
M	position the cursor at the midpoint on the screen
G	last line in the file
0 (zero)	Move the cursor to the beginning of the line it is on
view filename	Open a file for viewing only
set number	Turn on line numbers
set nonumber	Turn off line numbers
Options
autoindent	(ai ctrl-d to move to the left
showmatch	match brackets and parenthesis
tabstop=4
wrapmargine(wm)	when line is wrapped (80-value)
:2 copy 4	Place a copy of line 2 after line 4.
:1,4 copy 7	(lines 1-4)
:n	Access the next file for editing