How to Cut, Copy and Paste in Vim

Vim, short for Vi Improved, is a popular text editor used in the Linux operating system. It is a powerful and efficient editor but can take some getting used to for those new to the system. One of the basic functionalities of any text editor is the ability to cut, copy, and paste text. In this article, we will explain how to perform these operations in Vim.

Before we begin, it is important to note that Vim has different modes of operation. The three most common modes are:

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• Normal mode: This is the default mode in which Vim opens. In this mode, you can navigate through the text and perform operations such as cut, copy, and paste.
• Insert mode: In this mode, you can directly input text into the editor.
• Visual mode: In this mode, you can select text and perform operations on the selected text.

Now, let’s look at how to cut, copy, and paste text in Vim.

Cut and Paste in Vim

To cut text in Vim, follow these steps:

1. Open the file you want to edit in Vim.
2. Move the cursor to the beginning of the text you want to cut.
3. Press the ‘v’ key to enter visual mode. This will highlight the text that is currently under the cursor.
4. Use the arrow keys to select the text you want to cut.
5. Press the ‘d’ key to cut the selected text.

To paste the cut text, follow these steps:

1. Move the cursor to the location where you want to paste the cut text.
2. Press the ‘p’ key to paste the cut text. The text will be pasted below the current line.

Copy and Paste in Vim

To copy text in Vim, follow these steps:

1. Open the file you want to edit in Vim.
2. Move the cursor to the beginning of the text you want to copy.
3. Press the ‘v’ key to enter visual mode. This will highlight the text that is currently under the cursor.
4. Use the arrow keys to select the text you want to copy.
5. Press the ‘y’ key to copy the selected text.

To paste the copied text, follow these steps:

1. Move the cursor to the location where you want to paste the copied text.
2. Press the ‘p’ key to paste the copied text. The text will be pasted below the current line.

In conclusion, Vim is a powerful text editor that can be a bit challenging to use at first. However, once you become familiar with the basic functionalities, it can be a very efficient tool for editing text. By following the steps outlined in this article, you should now be able to cut, copy, and paste text in Vim with ease.