Learning the Vim help is an incredibly important part of vim!
Get the fancy PDF version
Grab a fancy PDF Version and always keep it on hand. :)
Use the index Luke (Dave, Ed, whatever)
This is a great way to be reminded what Vim can do!
| What | What you get |
|---|---|
| :help index | points to an index of every command in every mode |
| :index | points to an index of every ex mode command |
| :help normal- | points to an index of every normal mode command |
| :help insert- | points to an index of every insert mode command |
Get specific help
It is possible to go directly to whatever you want help on, by giving an argument to the :help command. It is possible to further specify the context:
| What | Prepend | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Normal mode command | (nothing) | :help x |
| Visual mode command | v_ | :help v_u |
| Insert mode command | i_ | :help i_<Esc> |
| Command-line command | : | :help :quit |
| Command-line editing | c_ | :help c_<Del> |
| Vim command argument | - | :help -r |
| Option | ' | :help 'textwidth' |
| Search flags | / | :help /\U |
| Substitution flags | s/ | :help s/\& |
Search for help
Type :help word, then hit CTRL-D to see matching help entries for "word". Or use :helpgrep word.