Vim scripting 

cheatsheet
Start hacking Learn by example

let name = "John" function! SuperTab()

echo "Hello, " . name let l:part = strpart(getline('.'),col('.')-2,1)
if (l:part =~ '^\W\?$')
return "\<Tab>"
You can either put this in a script (script.vim) and run it (:source script.vim), or you can type the commandselse
individually in normal mode as :let and :echo.
return "\<C-n>"
endif
endfunction

imap <Tab> <C-R>=SuperTab()<CR>

Here’s another example with functions, variables and mapping.

# Variables
Defining Variable prefixes

let var = "hello" let g:ack_options = '-s -H' " g: global

let s:ack_program = 'ack' " s: local (to script)
let l:foo = 'bar' " l: local (to function)

Other prefixes
The s: prefix is also available in function names. See :help local-variables

let w:foo = 'bar' " w: window

let b:state = 'on' " b: buffer
let t:state = 'off' " t: tab
echo v:var " v: vim special
Vim options

echo 'tabstop is ' . &tabstop

let @/ = '' " @ register (this clears last search pattern)
if &insertmode
echo $PATH " $ env
echo &g:option
echo &l:option

Operators Prefix Vim options with &

a + b " numbers only!

'hello ' . name " concat

let var -= 2
let var += 5
let var .= 'string' " concat

# Strings
Strings String functions

let str = "String" strlen(str) " length

let str = "String with \n newline" len(str) " same
strchars(str) " character length
let literal = 'literal, no \ escaping'
let literal = 'that''s enough' " double '' => ' split("one two three") "=> ['one', 'two', 'three']
split("one.two.three", '.') "=> ['one', 'two', 'three']
echo "result = " . re " concatenation
join(['a', 'b'], ',') "=> 'a,b'

Also see :help literal-string and :help expr-quote. See: Strings tolower('Hello')

toupper('Hello')

Also see :help functions See: String functions

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# Functions
Functions Namespacing

" prefix with s: for local script-only functions function! myplugin#hello()

function! s:Initialize(cmd, args)
" a: prefix for arguments
echo "Command: " . a:cmd
Calling functions
return 1
endfunction
call s:Initialize()
call s:Initialize("hello")
See: Functions

Consuming return values

Abortable
echo "Result: " . s:Initialize()

function! myfunction() abort

endfunction
Var arguments
Aborts when an error occurs.
function! infect(...)
echo a:0 "=> 2
echo a:1 "=> jake
echo a:2 "=> bella

for s in a:000 " a list

echon ' ' . s
endfor
endfunction

infect('jake', 'bella')

See :help function-argument. See: Var arguments

# Loops
for s in list
echo s
continue " jump to start of loop
break " breaks out of a loop
endfor

while x < 5
endwhile

# Custom commands
Custom commands Commands calling functions

command! Save :set fo=want tw=80 nowrap command! Save call <SID>foo()

Custom commands start with uppercase letters. The ! redefines a command if it already exists. function! s:foo()
...
endfunction

Commands with arguments

command! -nargs=? Save call script#foo(<args>)

-nargs=0 0 arguments, default

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 -nargs=1 1 argument, includes spaces

-nargs=? 0 or 1 argument

-nargs=* 0+ arguments, space separated

-nargs=+ 1+ arguments, space reparated

# Flow
Conditionals Truthiness

let char = getchar() if 1 | echo "true" | endif

if char == "\<LeftMouse>" if 0 | echo "false" | endif
" ...
elseif char == "\<RightMouse>"
" ... if 1 "=> 1 (true)
else if 0 "=> 0 (false)
" ... if "1" "=> 1 (true)
endif if "456" "=> 1 (true)
if "xfz" "=> 0 (false)

No booleans. 0 is false, 1 is true. See: Truthiness

Operators

if 3 > 2
if a && b Strings
if (a && b) || (c && d)
if !c
if name ==# 'John' " case-sensitive
if name ==? 'John' " case-insensitive
See :help expression-syntax. See: Operators if name == 'John' " depends on :set ignorecase

" also: is#, is?, >=#, >=?, and so on

Identity operators
Regexp matches
a is b
a isnot b
"hello" =~ 'xx*'
"hello" !~ 'xx*'
Checks if it’s the same instance object. "hello" =~ '\v<\d+>'

\v enables “extended” regex mode which allows word boundary (<>), +, and

Single line

if empty(a:path) | return [] | endif Boolean logic

a ? b : c

if g:use_dispatch && s:has_dispatch

Use | to join lines together. ···
endif

# Lists
Lists Functions

let mylist = [1, two, 3, "four"] len(mylist)

empty(mylist)
let first = mylist[0]
let last = mylist[-1] sort(list)
let sortedlist = sort(copy(list))
" Suppresses errors
let second = get(mylist, 1) split('hello there world', ' ')
let second = get(mylist, 1, "NONE")

Concatenation
Sublists

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 let shortlist = mylist[2:-1] let longlist = mylist + [5, 6]
let shortlist = mylist[2:] " same let mylist += [7, 8]

let shortlist = mylist[2:2] " one item

Push

let alist = [1, 2, 3]

Map let alist = add(alist, 4)

call map(files, "bufname(v:val)") " use v:val for value

call filter(files, 'v:val != ""')

# Dictionaries
Dictionaries Using dictionaries

let colors = { remove(colors, "apple")

\ "apple": "red",
\ "banana": "yellow"
} " :help E715
if has_key(dict, 'foo')
echo colors["a"] if empty(dict)
echo get(colors, "apple") " suppress error keys(dict)
len(dict)

See :help dict
max(dict)
min(dict)

Iteration count(dict, 'x')

string(dict)

for key in keys(mydict)

echo key . ': ' . mydict[key] map(dict, '<>> " . v:val')
endfor

Extending Prefixes

keys(s:)
" Extending with more
let extend(s:fruits, { ... })

Prefixes (s:, g:, l:, etc) are actually dictionaries.

# Casting
str2float("2.3")
str2nr("3")
float2nr("3.14")

# Numbers
Numbers Floats

let int = 1000 let fl = 100.1

let int = 0xff let fl = 5.4e4
let int = 0755 " octal

See :help Float
See :help Number. See: Numbers

Arithmetic
Math functions
3 / 2 "=> 1, integer division
3 / 2.0 "=> 1.5

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 3 * 2.0 "=> 6.0
sqrt(100)
floor(3.5)
ceil(3.3)
abs(-3.4)

sin() cos() tan()

sinh() cosh() tanh()
asin() acos() atan()

# Vim-isms
Execute a command Running keystrokes

execute "vsplit" normal G

execute "e " . fnameescape(filename) normal! G " skips key mappings

execute "normal! gg/foo\<cr>dd"

Runs an ex command you typically run with :. Also see :help execute. See: Execute a command

Use :normal to execute keystrokes as if you’re typing them in normal mode.

Getting filenames

echo expand("%") " path/file.txt

Silencing
echo expand("%:t") " file.txt
echo expand("%:p:h") " /home/you/path/file.txt silent g/Aap/p
echo expand("%:r") " path/file
echo expand("%:e") " txt
Suppresses output. See :help silent

See :help expand

Echo

Settings
echoerr 'oh it failed'
echomsg 'hello there'
set number echo 'hello'
set nonumber
set number! " toggle echohl WarningMsg | echomsg "=> " . a:msg | echohl None
set numberwidth=5
set guioptions+=e

Prompts

Built-ins
let result = confirm("Sure?")
execute "confirm q"
has("feature") " :h feature-list
executable("python")
globpath(&rtp, "syntax/c.vim")

exists("$ENV")
exists(":command")
exists("variable")
exists("+option")
exists("g:...")

# Mapping
Mapping commands Explanation Arguments

<buffer>
nmap [nvixso](nore)map
vmap <silent>
imap
xmap │ └ don't recurse <nowait>
nnoremap │
vnoremap └ normal, visual, insert,
inoremap eX mode, select, operator-pending
xnoremap
...

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# Syntax
Highlights Filetype detection

hi Comment augroup filetypedetect

term=bold,underline au! BufNewFile,BufRead *.json setf javascript
gui=bold augroup END
ctermfg=4
guifg=#80a0ff au Filetype markdown setlocal spell

Conceal Region conceal

set conceallevel=2 syn region inBold concealends matchgroup=bTag start="<b>" end="</b>

syn match newLine "<br>" conceal cchar=} hi inBold gui=bold
hi newLine guifg=green hi bTag guifg=blue

Syntax Include guards

syn match :name ":regex" :flags if exists('g:loaded_myplugin')

finish
syn region Comment start="/\*" end="\*/" endif
syn region String start=+"+ end=+"+ skip=+\\"+
" ...
syn cluster :name contains=:n1,:n2,:n3...
let g:loaded_myplugin = 1
flags:
keepend
oneline
nextgroup=
contains=
contained

hi def link markdownH1 htmlH1

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