General Shortcuts
| dd | delete a line |
| x | delete a character |
| a | append after cursor |
| A | append after line |
Useful for script editing
| :![command] | allows you to run a command while still in VI |
| :!! | repeats previous command |
| :! [command] % | allows you to run a command, with % = current file name |
Motion
| h | Move left |
| j | Move down |
| k | Move up |
| l | Move right |
Modes
| i | insert mode |
| esc | return the editor to command mode |
Quitting
| :q! | Exit and ignore changes |
| :wq! | Exit and save changes |
Rick Donato is a Network Automation Architect/Evangelist and the founder of Packet Coders.
Latest posts by Rick Donato (see all)
- NETCONF & YANG: Automate Network Configs via Python - April 2, 2026
- Palo Alto – How to Configure Your Next-Generation Firewall - April 2, 2026
- How to Harden Linux SSH: Keys, Fail2ban & Ciphers - March 1, 2026
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Linux Mastery course
Linux Administration Bootcamp
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