Alphabetical List of Keys (UNIX in a Nutshell: System V Edition)

8.9. Alphabetical List of Keys

For brevity, control characters are marked by ^.

`^]`	Perform a tag look-up on the text under the cursor.
`a`	Append text after cursor.
`A`	Append text at end of line.
`^A`	Unused.
`b`	Back up to beginning of word in current line.
`B`	Back up to beginning of word, ignoring punctuation.
`^B`	Scroll backward one window.
`c`	Change operator.
`C`	Change to end of current line.
`^C`	Unused in command mode; ends insert mode (`stty` interrupt character).
`d`	Delete operator.
`D`	Delete to end of current line.
`^D`	Scroll down half-window (command mode). Move backward one tab-stop (insert mode).
`e`	Move to end of word.
`E`	Move to end of word, ignoring punctuation.
`^E`	Show one more line at bottom of window.
`f`	Find next character typed forward on current line.
`F`	Find next character typed backward on current line.
`^F`	Scroll forward one window.
`g`	Unused.
`G`	Go to specified line or end of file.
`^G`	Print information about file on status line.
`h`	Left arrow cursor key.
`H`	Move cursor to Home position.
`^H`	Left arrow cursor key; Backspace key in insert mode.
`i`	Insert text before cursor.
`I`	Insert text before first nonblank character on line.
`^I`	Unused in command mode; in insert mode, same as Tab key.
`j`	Down arrow cursor key.
`J`	Join two lines.
`^J`	Down arrow cursor key; in insert mode, move down a line.
`k`	Up arrow cursor key.
`K`	Unused.
`^K`	Unused.
`l`	Right arrow cursor key.
`L`	Move cursor to last position in window.
`^L`	Redraw screen.
`m`	Mark the current cursor position in register (a–z).
`M`	Move cursor to middle position in window.
`^M`	Carriage return.
`n`	Repeat the last search command.
`N`	Repeat the last search command in the reverse direction.
`^N`	Down arrow cursor key.
`o`	Open line below current line.
`O`	Open line above current line.
`^O`	Unused.
`p`	Put yanked or deleted text after or below cursor.
`P`	Put yanked or deleted text before or above cursor.
`^P`	Up arrow cursor key.
`q`	Unused.
`Q`	Quit `vi` and invoke `ex`.
`^Q`	Unused (on some terminals, resume data flow).
`r`	Replace character at cursor with the next character you type.
`R`	Replace characters.
`^R`	Redraw the screen.
`s`	Change the character under the cursor to typed characters.
`S`	Change entire line.
`^S`	Unused (on some terminals, stop data flow).
`t`	Move cursor forward to character before next character typed.
`T`	Move cursor backward to character after next character typed.
`^T`	Return to the previous location in the tag stack (Solaris `vi` command mode). If `autoindent` is set, indent another tab stop (insert mode).
`u`	Undo the last change made.
`U`	Restore current line, discarding changes.
`^U`	Scroll the screen upward half-window.
`v`	Unused.
`V`	Unused.
`^V`	Unused in command mode; in insert mode, quote next character.
`w`	Move to beginning of next word.
`W`	Move to beginning of next word, ignoring punctuation.
`^W`	Unused in command mode; in insert mode, back up to beginning of word.
`x`	Delete character under cursor.
`X`	Delete character before cursor.
`^X`	Unused.
`y`	Yank or copy operator.
`Y`	Make copy of current line.
`^Y`	Show one more line at top of window.
`z`	Reposition line containing cursor. `z` must be followed either by: Return (reposition line to top of screen), . (reposition line to middle of screen), or – (reposition line to bottom of screen).
`ZZ`	Exit the editor, saving changes.
`^Z`	Suspend `vi` (only works on systems that have job control).


8.8. Miscellaneous Commands		8.10. Setting Up vi