Elastic Compute Service:Use the Vim editor

Opening files

• vim filename: Opens a file in Normal mode. If the file does not exist, Vim creates it.

• vim filename1 filename2: Opens multiple files.

  • Vim opens `filename1` first. Save with :w, then run :bn to switch to `filename2`. Save `filename2` with :w.

  • :bp: Switches to the previous file.

  • :ls: Lists all open files.

• :open filename3: Opens a new file in Command mode. Save the current file with :w first.

Moving the cursor

• In Normal mode

  • Up arrow / k: Move up.

  • Down arrow / j: Move down.

  • Left arrow / h: Move left.

  • Right arrow / l: Move right.

• In Insert mode

  • Use arrow keys only.

Inserting content

In Normal mode, press i,I,a,A,o,O to enter Insert mode:

• i: Insert before the cursor.

• I: Insert at the beginning of the line.

• a: Insert after the cursor.

• A: Insert at the end of the line.

• o: Open a new line below.

• O: Open a new line above.

Copying and pasting

In Normal mode:

• yy: Copies the current line. Paste with p.

• nyy: Copies `n` lines starting from the current line. For example, 2yy copies two lines.

• p: Pastes below the cursor.

• P: Pastes above the cursor.

Deleting

• In Normal mode

  • x: Deletes the character at the cursor.

  • dd: Deletes the current line. Paste with p.

  • dk: Deletes the current line and the line above.

  • dj: Deletes the current line and the line below.

  • dG: Deletes from the current line to the end of the file.

  • nx: Deletes `n` characters starting from the cursor.

  • ndd: Deletes `n` lines starting from the current line. Paste with p.

• In Insert mode

  • Use Delete to delete characters.

Searching

In Normal mode

• /text: Searches for `text`. By default, the search is case-sensitive. Press Enter to highlight matches.

  • For case-insensitive search, run :set ignorecase. To restore case-sensitive search, run :set noignorecase.

• n: Next match.

• N: Previous match.

Replacing

• In Normal mode

  • r: Replaces the character at the cursor.

  • R: Enters Replace mode for continuous replacement. Press Esc to exit.

  • cc: Deletes the current line and enters Insert mode.

  • :%s/oldtext/newtext/g: Replaces all occurrences of `oldtext` with `newtext`. Without /g, only the first match per line is replaced.

• In Insert mode

  • Delete the old content and type the new content.

Undoing and redoing

In Normal mode

• u: Undoes the last change.

• U: Undoes all changes on the current line.

• Ctrl+r: Redoes the last undone change.

Indenting and alignment

• In Normal mode

  • >>: Indents the current line right. Default indent: 8 spaces (one tab).

  • <<: Indents the current line left.

• In Command mode

  • :ce: Center-aligns the line.

  • :le: Left-aligns the line.

  • :ri: Right-aligns the line.

Commenting code

• In Visual mode

  • Comment out multiple consecutive lines of code

    1. Select the lines to comment out by moving the cursor up or down.

    2. Press : to enter Command mode. Vim auto-fills :'<,'>, which targets the selected range.

    3. Enter the replacement command. For example, to add # to the beginning of each line, enter s/^/#/ and press Enter.

  • Comment out all code: :%s/^/#/g adds # to the beginning of every line.

• In Insert mode

  Manually type comment symbols to comment out code.

Saving and exiting

• Save: :w

• Exit: :q

• Save and exit: :wq, :x, or ZZ

• Force exit without saving: :q!

• Force save and exit: :wq!

Encrypting documents

• vim -x filename: Opens a file with encryption. Set a password, then save the file for encryption to take effect. Subsequent opens require the password.

• Cancel encryption:

  1. Run :set key= to clear the encryption key.

  2. Save and exit with :wq.

  3. Reopen the file with vim filename. No password prompt appears.

Executing shell commands

• !pwd: Shows the current working directory.

• !ls: Lists files in the current directory.

Multi-window editing

• vim -o filename1 filename2: Opens two files in separate windows. Exit each window individually.

• :n: Next window.

• :N: Previous window.

Help

• Run vim --help in the terminal to view Vim command syntax.

• In Normal mode

  • :help: Opens the Vim help document (read-only). Exit with :q.

  • :help i: Shows help for i.

  • :help yy: Shows help for yy.

  • :set nu: Shows line numbers.

Modify a configuration file

Insert Location on the first line of example.conf:

1. Run vim example.conf to open the file.

2. Place the cursor on the first character and press i to enter Insert mode.

3. Enter Location and press Enter to start a new line.

4. Press Esc to return to Normal mode.

5. Enter :wq to save and exit.

   

Insert content on a target line

Insert # at the beginning of line 10 in example.conf:

1. Run vim example.conf to open the file.

2. Run :10 to move the cursor to line 10.

3. Press i to enter Insert mode.

4. Enter #.

5. Press Esc to return to Normal mode.

6. Enter :wq to save and exit.

   

Find and insert content

In example.conf, insert LoadModule rewrite_module modules/mod_rewrite.so after Include conf.modules.d/*.conf:

1. Run vim example.conf to open the file.

2. Search for the target line: /Include conf.modules.d/*.conf

3. Press i to enter Insert mode.

4. Enter LoadModule rewrite_module modules/mod_rewrite.so.

5. Press Esc to return to Normal mode.

6. Enter :wq to save and exit.

   

Delete content

In example.conf, delete # from the beginning of the #Listen 12.34.XX:XX:80 line and delete the Listen 80 line:

1. Run vim example.conf to open the file.

2. Search for the target line: /#Listen 12.34.XX:XX:80. The cursor lands on #.

3. Press x to delete #.

4. Move the cursor to the Listen 80 line and press dd to delete it.

5. Enter :wq to save and exit.

   

Edit Docker.yaml

Create and edit docker-compose.yaml:

Remove multi-line comments

1. Assume # is at the beginning of a line, possibly preceded by spaces or indentation:

   # This is a comment
       # Another comment
   # Yet another comment

2. Remove the comments:

   :%s/^\s*#\s\?//

   Pattern breakdown:

   • ^: Beginning of line.

   • \s*: Any whitespace (handles indentation).

   • #: Comment symbol.

   • \s\?: One optional space after #.

   • //: Replaces the match with nothing (deletes it).

   This command processes the entire file. Result:

   This is a comment
   Another comment
   Yet another comment