The document provides an overview of the vi text editor, which is essential for editing on Unix systems lacking user-friendly alternatives. It explains the two modes of vi—command and insert mode—and outlines basic commands for navigation, text manipulation, and file management. Readers are guided on opening files, text editing functions, and saving or quitting the editor.

1. Vi may be a powerful text editor enclosed with most UNIX systems, even embedded ones.
generally you’ll ought toedit a document on a system that doesn’t embrace a friendlier text
editor, therefore knowing Vi is important.
Unlike Nano, Associate in Nursing easy-to-use terminal text editor, Vi doesn’t hold your hand
and supplya listingof keyboard shortcuts on the screen. It’s a modal text editor, Associate in
Nursingd it'seach an insert and command mode.
Vi may be a terminal application, therefore you’ll ought tobegin it from a terminal window. Use
the vi /path/to/file command to open Associate in Nursing existing file with Vi. The vi
/path/to/file command additionally works if the file doesn’t exist yet; Vi canproducea brand new
file and write it to the desired location once you save.
Command Mode
This is what you’ll see once you open a get in vi. it'ssuch as youwillsimplybeginwriting,
however you can’t. Vimay be a modal text editor, and it opens in command mode. making an
attempt to kind at this screen canlead tosudden behavior.
While in command mode, you'll move the pointer around with the arrow keys. Press the x key
to delete the characterbeneath the pointer. There area unita spread of alternative delete
commands — as an example, writingDD(press the d key twice) deletes a whole line of text.
You can choose, copy, cut and paste text in command mode. Position the pointer at the left or
right aspect of the text you would liketo repeat and press the v key. Move your pointerto pick out
text, so press y to repeatthe chosen text or x to chop it. Position your pointer at the required
location and press the p key to stick the text youtraced or cut.
Insert Mode
Aside from command mode, the opposite mode you wishto understandconcerning is insert
mode, thatpermitsyou to insert text in Vi. getting into insert mode is simple once you recognize it
exists — simply press the i key once when you’ve positioned the pointer in command mode.
beginwriting and Vi can insert the characters youkind into the file instead ofmaking an attempt to
interpret them as commands.
Once you’re worn out insert mode, press the escape key to come to command mode.

2. Saving and Quitting
You can save and quit vi from command mode. First, guarantee you’re in command mode by
pressing the escape key (pressing the escape key once morewill nothing if you’re already in
command mode.)
Type :wq and press enter to put in writing the file to disk and quit vi. you'lladditionally split
this command up — as an example, kind :w and press enter to put in writing the file to disk
while not quitting or kind :q to quit vi while not saving the file.
Vi won’t allow you to quit if you’ve changed the file since you last saved, howeveryou'llkind
:q! and press enter to ignore this warning.
Solution
Vi may be a powerful text editor enclosed with most UNIX systems, even embedded ones.
generally you’ll ought toedit a document on a system that doesn’t embrace a friendlier text
editor, therefore knowing Vi is important.
Unlike Nano, Associate in Nursing easy-to-use terminal text editor, Vi doesn’t hold your hand
and supplya listingof keyboard shortcuts on the screen. It’s a modal text editor, Associate in
Nursingd it'seach an insert and command mode.
Vi may be a terminal application, therefore you’ll ought tobegin it from a terminal window. Use
the vi /path/to/file command to open Associate in Nursing existing file with Vi. The vi
/path/to/file command additionally works if the file doesn’t exist yet; Vi canproducea brand new
file and write it to the desired location once you save.
Command Mode
This is what you’ll see once you open a get in vi. it'ssuch as youwillsimplybeginwriting,
however you can’t. Vimay be a modal text editor, and it opens in command mode. making an
attempt to kind at this screen canlead tosudden behavior.
While in command mode, you'll move the pointer around with the arrow keys. Press the x key
to delete the characterbeneath the pointer. There area unita spread of alternative delete
commands — as an example, writingDD(press the d key twice) deletes a whole line of text.

3. You can choose, copy, cut and paste text in command mode. Position the pointer at the left or
right aspect of the text you would liketo repeat and press the v key. Move your pointerto pick out
text, so press y to repeatthe chosen text or x to chop it. Position your pointer at the required
location and press the p key to stick the text youtraced or cut.
Insert Mode
Aside from command mode, the opposite mode you wishto understandconcerning is insert
mode, thatpermitsyou to insert text in Vi. getting into insert mode is simple once you recognize it
exists — simply press the i key once when you’ve positioned the pointer in command mode.
beginwriting and Vi can insert the characters youkind into the file instead ofmaking an attempt to
interpret them as commands.
Once you’re worn out insert mode, press the escape key to come to command mode.
Saving and Quitting
You can save and quit vi from command mode. First, guarantee you’re in command mode by
pressing the escape key (pressing the escape key once morewill nothing if you’re already in
command mode.)
Type :wq and press enter to put in writing the file to disk and quit vi. you'lladditionally split
this command up — as an example, kind :w and press enter to put in writing the file to disk
while not quitting or kind :q to quit vi while not saving the file.
Vi won’t allow you to quit if you’ve changed the file since you last saved, howeveryou'llkind
:q! and press enter to ignore this warning.