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)
- Fortinet– How to configure NTP on FortiGate - January 13, 2026
- How to Configure a BIND Server on Ubuntu - March 15, 2018
- What is a BGP Confederation? - March 6, 2018
Want to become a Linux expert ?
Here is our hand-picked selection of the best courses you can find online:
Linux Mastery course
Linux Administration Bootcamp
and our recommended certification practice exams:
AlphaPrep Practice Tests - Free Trial