Basic vi Commands

To Exit vi

*	:x<Return>	quit vi, writing out modified file to file named in original invocation
	:wq<Return>	quit vi, writing out modified file to file named in original invocation
	:q<Return>	quit (or exit) vi
*	:q!<Return>	quit vi even though latest changes have not been saved for this vi call

Moving the Cursor

*	j or <Return>   [or down-arrow]	move cursor down one line
*	k [or up-arrow]	move cursor up one line
*	h or <Backspace>   [or left-arrow]	move cursor left one character
*	l or <Space>   [or right-arrow]	move cursor right one character
*	0 (zero)	move cursor to start of current line (the one with the cursor)
*	$	move cursor to end of current line
	w	move cursor to beginning of next word
	b	move cursor back to beginning of preceding word
	:0<Return> or 1G	move cursor to first line in file
	:n<Return> or nG	move cursor to line n
	:$<Return> or G	move cursor to last line in file

Inserting or Adding Text

*	i	insert text before cursor, until <Esc> hit
	I	insert text at beginning of current line, until <Esc> hit
*	a	append text after cursor, until <Esc> hit
	A	append text to end of current line, until <Esc> hit
*	o	open and put text in a new line below current line, until <Esc> hit
*	O	open and put text in a new line above current line, until <Esc> hit

Changing Text

*	r	replace single character under cursor (no <Esc> needed)
	R	replace characters, starting with current cursor position, until <Esc> hit
	cw	change the current word with new text, starting with the character under cursor, until <Esc> hit
	cNw	change N words beginning with character under cursor, until <Esc> hit;   e.g., c5w changes 5 words
	C	change (replace) the characters in the current line, until <Esc> hit
	cc	change (replace) the entire current line, stopping when <Esc> is hit
	Ncc or cNc	change (replace) the next N lines, starting with the current line, stopping when <Esc> is hit

Saving and Reading Files

	:r filename<Return>	read file named filename and insert after current line (the line with cursor)
	:w<Return>	write current contents to file named in original vi call
	:w newfile<Return>	write current contents to a new file named newfile
	:12,35w smallfile<Return>	write the contents of the lines numbered 12 through 35 to a new file named smallfile
	:w! prevfile<Return>	write current contents over a pre-existing file named prevfile

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