Correct Vim selection counts and drop repeated summary sections

---

title: "Vim basics"

weight: 4

weight: 7

description: >

  Learn the Vim text editor for efficient file editing on DAIC.

---

- Navigate efficiently without touching the mouse

- Delete, copy, and paste text

- Search and replace

- Edit SLURM scripts and Python code on the cluster

- Edit Slurm scripts and Python code on the cluster

**Time**: About 30 minutes

When working on DAIC, you'll often need to edit files directly on the cluster - tweaking a batch script, fixing a bug in your code, or checking a configuration file. Since DAIC is accessed via SSH (no graphical interface), you need a terminal-based text editor.

Vim is the most powerful and ubiquitous terminal editor. It's installed on every Linux system, so the skills you learn transfer everywhere. While Vim has a steeper learning curve than simpler editors like `nano`, investing time to learn it pays off:

Vim is a terminal editor that is installed on practically every Linux system, so the skills you learn transfer everywhere. While Vim has a steeper learning curve than simpler editors like `nano`, investing time to learn it pays off:

- **Speed**: Once fluent, you can edit text faster than with any other editor

- **Speed**: Once fluent, common edits take only a few keystrokes

- **Availability**: Always there, no installation needed

- **Efficiency**: Designed to minimize hand movement and keystrokes

- **Ubiquity**: Same editor on your laptop, on DAIC, on any server

Congratulations - you've completed your first Vim edit!

### Exercise 1: Basic editing

Create a new file, add three lines of text, save and quit. Then reopen it and verify your changes.

{{% alert title="Check your work" color="info" %}}

After `:wq`, verify with:

```shell-session

$ cat myfile.txt

line one

line two

line three

```

If the file is empty, you may have quit without saving (`:q!` instead of `:wq`).

{{% /alert %}}

## Navigation: moving around efficiently

One of Vim's superpowers is fast navigation. In Normal mode, you can move around without touching the mouse or arrow keys.

In Normal mode, you can move around without touching the mouse or arrow keys.

### Basic movement: hjkl

When reviewing a log file, `G` takes you straight to the end (most recent output), and `gg` takes you back to the beginning.

### Practice exercise

### Exercise 2: Navigation

Open any file:

6. Press `w` several times to move by words

7. Press `:q` to quit (no need to save - you shouldn't modify this file)

{{% alert title="Check your work" color="info" %}}

Check your position with `:set number` to show line numbers. After `G`, you should be on the last line. After `gg`, you should be on line 1. After `10G`, you should be on line 10.

{{% /alert %}}

## Editing text

Now that you can navigate, let's learn to edit.

Vim remembers many levels of undo, so you can press `u` repeatedly to go back through history.

### Exercise 3: Delete and undo

Open a file, delete a line (`dd`), undo (`u`), delete a word (`dw`), undo again.

{{% alert title="Check your work" color="info" %}}

After each `u`, the deleted content should reappear. If undo doesn't work, make sure you're in Normal mode (press `Esc` first).

{{% /alert %}}

### Copying and pasting

In Vim, copying is called "yanking" (the `y` key). Pasting is "putting" (the `p` key).

Here's a useful trick: when you delete with `d`, the deleted text is saved (like "cut" in other editors). So `dd` followed by `p` moves a line - delete it, then paste it elsewhere.

### Exercise 4: Copy and paste

Copy a line (`yy`), move to a new location, paste it (`p`). Then try with multiple lines using `V`.

{{% alert title="Check your work" color="info" %}}

After `yy` and `p`, you should see the same line duplicated. With `V`, select multiple lines (they highlight), then `y` to copy and `p` to paste them elsewhere.

{{% /alert %}}

### Changing text

The `c` command deletes and puts you in Insert mode - useful for replacing text:

:%s/learning_rate/lr/g

```

## Visual mode: selecting text

### Exercise 5: Search and replace

Open a file and search for a word (`/word`). Then replace all occurrences of one word with another (`:%s/old/new/g`).

{{% alert title="Check your work" color="info" %}}

After `/word` and pressing Enter, the cursor jumps to the first match. Press `n` to see subsequent matches. After `:%s/old/new/g`, Vim reports how many substitutions were made (e.g., "5 substitutions on 3 lines").

{{% /alert %}}

## Working with selections

Sometimes you need to select a region of text before acting on it. Visual mode lets you see exactly what you're selecting before you delete, copy, or modify it.

```bash

#!/bin/bash

#SBATCH --account=ewi-insy

#SBATCH --account=<your-account>

#SBATCH --partition=all

#SBATCH --time=4:00:00

#SBATCH --gres=gpu:1

Steps:

1. Move to `#!/bin/bash`

2. Press `V` to start line selection

3. Press `5j` to select down through `--gres=gpu:1`

3. Press `4j` to select down through `--gres=gpu:1`

4. Press `y` to yank (copy)

5. Open your new file: `:e new_script.sh`

6. Press `p` to paste

1. Move cursor to the `s` in `some`

2. Press `v` to start character selection

3. Press `e` repeatedly or `f(` to extend to the `(`

3. Press `e` to extend to the end of the function name (underscores count as part of a word); `t(` does the same by moving to just before the `(`

4. Press `c` to change (delete and enter Insert mode)

5. Type your new function name

6. Press `Esc`

### Editing a batch script

You need to change the time limit in your SLURM script:

You need to change the time limit in your Slurm script:

```shell-session

$ vim submit.sh

Check the output of a completed job:

```shell-session

$ vim slurm_12345.out

$ vim slurm-12345.out

```

1. Go to the end (most recent output): `G`

2. Search backward for errors: `?error`

3. Quit without saving: `:q`

For just viewing, you could also use `less slurm_12345.out`, but Vim's search is more powerful.

For just viewing, `less slurm-12345.out` also works and cannot modify the file by accident.

### Copying code between files

8. Save: `:w`

9. Go back: `:e model.py` or `Ctrl+^`

### Exercise 6: Real task

Edit a Slurm batch script: change the time limit, add a new `#SBATCH` directive, and save.

{{% alert title="Check your work" color="info" %}}

After saving, verify your changes:

```shell-session

$ grep -E "time|gres" submit.sh

#SBATCH --time=4:00:00

#SBATCH --gres=gpu:1

```

{{% /alert %}}

## Configuring Vim

Vim reads settings from `~/.vimrc` when it starts. Here's a good starting configuration:

" Usability

set showmatch       " Highlight matching brackets

set mouse=a         " Enable mouse

set ruler           " Show cursor position

set wildmenu        " Better command completion

| `cw` | Change word |

| `.` | Repeat last change |

## Summary

You've learned the essential Vim workflow:

| Task | Commands |

|------|----------|

| Open a file | `vim filename` |

| Enter insert mode | `i`, `a`, `o` |

| Return to normal mode | `Esc` |

| Save | `:w` |

| Quit | `:q` or `:wq` |

| Navigate | `hjkl`, `w`, `b`, `gg`, `G` |

| Delete | `x`, `dd`, `dw` |

| Copy/paste | `yy`, `p` |

| Undo/redo | `u`, `Ctrl+r` |

| Search | `/pattern`, `n`, `N` |

| Replace | `:%s/old/new/g` |

| Select lines | `V` + movement |

## Exercises

Practice these tasks to build muscle memory:

### Exercise 1: Basic editing

Create a new file, add three lines of text, save and quit. Then reopen it and verify your changes.

{{% alert title="Check your work" color="info" %}}

After `:wq`, verify with:

```shell-session

$ cat myfile.txt

line one

line two

line three

```

If the file is empty, you may have quit without saving (`:q!` instead of `:wq`).

{{% /alert %}}

### Exercise 2: Navigation

Open a Python file and practice: go to end (`G`), go to beginning (`gg`), jump by words (`w`, `b`), go to specific line (`10G`).

{{% alert title="Check your work" color="info" %}}

Check your position with `:set number` to show line numbers. After `G`, you should be on the last line. After `gg`, you should be on line 1. After `10G`, you should be on line 10.

{{% /alert %}}

### Exercise 3: Delete and undo

Open a file, delete a line (`dd`), undo (`u`), delete a word (`dw`), undo again.

{{% alert title="Check your work" color="info" %}}

After each `u`, the deleted content should reappear. If undo doesn't work, make sure you're in Normal mode (press `Esc` first).

{{% /alert %}}

### Exercise 4: Copy and paste

Copy a line (`yy`), move to a new location, paste it (`p`). Then try with multiple lines using `V`.

{{% alert title="Check your work" color="info" %}}

After `yy` and `p`, you should see the same line duplicated. With `V`, select multiple lines (they highlight), then `y` to copy and `p` to paste them elsewhere.

{{% /alert %}}

### Exercise 5: Search and replace

Open a file and search for a word (`/word`). Then replace all occurrences of one word with another (`:%s/old/new/g`).

{{% alert title="Check your work" color="info" %}}

After `/word` and pressing Enter, the cursor jumps to the first match. Press `n` to see subsequent matches. After `:%s/old/new/g`, Vim reports how many substitutions were made (e.g., "5 substitutions on 3 lines").

{{% /alert %}}

### Exercise 6: Real task

Edit a SLURM batch script: change the time limit, add a new `#SBATCH` directive, and save.

{{% alert title="Check your work" color="info" %}}

After saving, verify your changes:

```shell-session

$ grep -E "time|gres" submit.sh

#SBATCH --time=4:00:00

#SBATCH --gres=gpu:1

```

{{% /alert %}}

## Keep learning

- Run `vimtutor` for a 30-minute interactive tutorial

- Practice daily - even small edits help build muscle memory

- Add one new command to your repertoire each week

## Next steps

- [Slurm Tutorial](/tutorials/slurm/) - Submit jobs to the cluster