Using Text Editor vi

 

Vi is a powerful and versatile text editor that is widely used on Linux systems. It is known for its efficiency and flexibility, but it also has a steeper learning curve than some other text editors.

Basic vi commands:

• Opening a file: To open a file in vi, use the following command:

Bash

vi filename

Replace "filename" with the name of the file you want to open.

• Entering insert mode: To enter insert mode, press i. In insert mode, you can type text as you would in any other text editor. To exit insert mode, press Esc.

• Moving around the file: To move around the file, use the arrow keys. You can also use the following commands:

• h: Move one character left

• j: Move one line down

• k: Move one line up

• l: Move one character right

• w: Move one word forward

• b: Move one word backward

• Deleting text: To delete text, use the following commands:

• x: Delete the character under the cursor

• dd: Delete the current line

• d$: Delete the rest of the line from the cursor to the end of the line

• d^: Delete the rest of the line from the cursor to the beginning of the line

• Copying and pasting text: To copy and paste text, use the following commands:

• y: Copy the line under the cursor

• p: Paste the last copied or cut text after the cursor

• P: Paste the last copied or cut text before the cursor

• Saving a file: To save a file in vi, press Esc to enter command mode, then type the following command:

Bash

:w

This will save the file to its current location. To save the file with a different name, type the following command:

Bash

:w filename

Replace "filename" with the name you want to save the file as.

• Exiting vi: To exit vi, press Esc to enter command mode, then type the following command:

Bash

:q

This will exit vi without saving any changes. To exit vi and save any changes, type the following command:

Bash

:wq

Additional vi commands:

These are just a few of the many commands available in vi. For a complete list of commands, press Ctrl+K to open the vi help screen.

Conclusion:

Vi is a powerful and versatile text editor that can be a valuable tool for any Linux user. It is easy to learn the basics of vi, but it can take some time to master all of its features. With a little practice, you will be able to use vi to edit text files efficiently and effectively on your Linux system.