Let's say you have file data.txt that you have on your Mac desktop that you want to edit with Vim (vi) text editor then follow the below steps with screenshots.
Step 1: Open Terminal
Launch the Terminal application on your Mac. Use Spotlight Search to open it, or you can find it in the "Utilities" folder within the "Applications" folder using Finder.
Step 2: Navigate to the File's Location
Make use of the cd command to navigate to the directory where your file is located. For example here, cd ~/Desktop to enter the "Desktop" folder.
Step 3: Launch Vim
Type vim followed by the name of the file you want to edit. For instance here, vim data.txt.
Step 4: Enter Edit Mode
By default, Vim opens in "Normal" mode. To start editing, press i to enter "Insert" mode. You'll see "-- INSERT --" at the bottom of the screen.
Step 5: Edit Your File to make changes
Now you can type, edit, or make changes to your file as needed.
Step 6: Save Your Changes
To save your changes, press Esc to exit "Insert" mode. Then type :w and press Enter.
Step 7: Close Vim
To exit Vim, type :q and press Enter. If you've made changes and haven't saved, use :q! to forcefully quit.
tl;dr steps:
- Open Terminal.
- Use vim ~/Desktop/data.txt to open and edit the file.
- Make changes.
- To save and quit: Esc, then :wq
Related Questions and Answers:
What is Vim?
- Vim is a highly configurable, efficient, and powerful text editor known for its unique modal editing system.
How do I open a file in Vim?
- Use
vim
followed by the file's path, e.g., vim filename
.
What are the different modes in Vim?
- Vim has Normal, Insert, Visual, Command-line, and Ex modes.
How can I enter "Insert" mode in Vim?
- Press
i
to start inserting text.
How do I save changes in Vim?
- Save with
:w
in Command-line mode.
What's the command to quit Vim without saving?
- Quit without saving using
:q!
.
Where is the Vim configuration file located?
- The Vim configuration file is often
~/.vimrc
in your home directory.
How do I customize Vim key mappings?
- Edit your
.vimrc
file to define custom key mappings.
Can I change the color scheme in Vim?
- Yes, set color schemes with
:colorscheme
.
What are some essential Vim navigation commands?
h
, j
, k
, l
for left, down, up, and right navigation.
How can I search for text in Vim?
- Use
/
followed by your search query.
Is it possible to split the Vim window for multitasking?
- Yes, split windows with
:split
or :vsplit
.
What is the purpose of the Vim command mode?
- Command mode is used to navigate, manipulate, and perform various actions.
How do I copy and paste in Vim?
- Copy with
y
and paste with p
or P
.
Can I use Vim on Windows and Linux?
- Yes, Vim is available on various platforms.
What is the difference between Vim and Vi?
- Vim is an improved version of the Vi text editor with added features and enhancements.
How do I undo and redo changes in Vim?
- Undo with
u
and redo with Ctrl-r
.
What is the Vimrc file, and how do I use it?
.vimrc
is the Vim configuration file, where you customize Vim's behavior.
What are some popular Vim plugins and extensions?
- Popular plugins include Vundle, NERDTree, and YouCompleteMe.
Where can I find comprehensive Vim documentation?
- Access Vim documentation by typing
:help
in Vim or online at Vim Documentation.
Facing issues? Have Questions? Post them here! I am happy to answer!
Author Info:
Rakesh (He/Him) has over 14+ years of experience in Web and Application development. He is the author of insightful How-To articles for Code2care.
Follow him on: X
You can also reach out to him via e-mail: rakesh@code2care.org
More Posts related to MacOS,- How to show line numbers in Nano on Mac
- How to install Jupyter Notebook on macOS Sonoma
- How to Disable Remote Management using Mac Terminal
- Test internet speed using macOS Terminal command
- Docker Desktop needs privileged access macOS
- Google Search Hot Trends Screensaver for Mac OS X
- How to do calculations in Mac Terminal
- How to make TextEdit the default text Editor on Mac
- How to Show Full Website Address on Safari for Mac (Ventura/Sonoma)
- The Zsh Shell - Mac Tutorial
- Opening mac Terminal
- How to change the name of your Mac running on macOS Ventura 13
- How to find the Battery Cycle Count on macOS Ventura
- How to set an emoji as Zsh terminal prompt in macOS
- How to access Trash Folder using Mac Terminal Command
- macOS Ventura XCode Command Line Tools Installation
- Hide Bluetooth icon on Mac Menu Bar macOS Ventura 13
- How to run .sh file in Mac Terminal
- Terminal Command to get the list of available shells in macOS
- How to see Storage Information on macOS Ventura
- How to Go To /usr/local/bin on Mac Terminal?
- How to do screen recording on Mac
- How to Find File and Directory Size in Mac Terminal
- Open .bash_profile File in TextEdit using Terminal
- Remove Now Playing icon from macOS Big Sur Menu Bar
More Posts: - Install OpenJDK Java (8/11/17) versions using brew on Mac (Intel/M1/M2) - MacOS
- How to add two float numbers in Python - Python
- Add a User as a Sudoer Using Ubuntu Linux Command Line Terminal - Ubuntu
- List of Java Keywords - Java
- How to open Notepad? - NotepadPlusPlus
- WhatsApp Web escanner - WhatsApp
- Bootstrap tooltip not working - Bootstrap
- Microsoft Excel Fuzzy Lookup Add-in - Microsoft
Launch the Terminal application on your Mac. Use Spotlight Search to open it, or you can find it in the "Utilities" folder within the "Applications" folder using Finder.
Make use of the cd command to navigate to the directory where your file is located. For example here, cd ~/Desktop to enter the "Desktop" folder.
Type vim followed by the name of the file you want to edit. For instance here, vim data.txt.
By default, Vim opens in "Normal" mode. To start editing, press i to enter "Insert" mode. You'll see "-- INSERT --" at the bottom of the screen.
Now you can type, edit, or make changes to your file as needed.
To save your changes, press Esc to exit "Insert" mode. Then type :w and press Enter.
To exit Vim, type :q and press Enter. If you've made changes and haven't saved, use :q! to forcefully quit.
What is Vim?
- Vim is a highly configurable, efficient, and powerful text editor known for its unique modal editing system.
How do I open a file in Vim?
- Use
vim
followed by the file's path, e.g.,vim filename
.
- Use
What are the different modes in Vim?
- Vim has Normal, Insert, Visual, Command-line, and Ex modes.
How can I enter "Insert" mode in Vim?
- Press
i
to start inserting text.
- Press
How do I save changes in Vim?
- Save with
:w
in Command-line mode.
- Save with
What's the command to quit Vim without saving?
- Quit without saving using
:q!
.
- Quit without saving using
Where is the Vim configuration file located?
- The Vim configuration file is often
~/.vimrc
in your home directory.
- The Vim configuration file is often
How do I customize Vim key mappings?
- Edit your
.vimrc
file to define custom key mappings.
- Edit your
Can I change the color scheme in Vim?
- Yes, set color schemes with
:colorscheme
.
- Yes, set color schemes with
What are some essential Vim navigation commands?
h
,j
,k
,l
for left, down, up, and right navigation.
How can I search for text in Vim?
- Use
/
followed by your search query.
- Use
Is it possible to split the Vim window for multitasking?
- Yes, split windows with
:split
or:vsplit
.
- Yes, split windows with
What is the purpose of the Vim command mode?
- Command mode is used to navigate, manipulate, and perform various actions.
How do I copy and paste in Vim?
- Copy with
y
and paste withp
orP
.
- Copy with
Can I use Vim on Windows and Linux?
- Yes, Vim is available on various platforms.
What is the difference between Vim and Vi?
- Vim is an improved version of the Vi text editor with added features and enhancements.
How do I undo and redo changes in Vim?
- Undo with
u
and redo withCtrl-r
.
- Undo with
What is the Vimrc file, and how do I use it?
.vimrc
is the Vim configuration file, where you customize Vim's behavior.
What are some popular Vim plugins and extensions?
- Popular plugins include Vundle, NERDTree, and YouCompleteMe.
Where can I find comprehensive Vim documentation?
- Access Vim documentation by typing
:help
in Vim or online at Vim Documentation.
- Access Vim documentation by typing
Facing issues? Have Questions? Post them here! I am happy to answer!
Rakesh (He/Him) has over 14+ years of experience in Web and Application development. He is the author of insightful How-To articles for Code2care.
Follow him on: X
You can also reach out to him via e-mail: rakesh@code2care.org
- How to show line numbers in Nano on Mac
- How to install Jupyter Notebook on macOS Sonoma
- How to Disable Remote Management using Mac Terminal
- Test internet speed using macOS Terminal command
- Docker Desktop needs privileged access macOS
- Google Search Hot Trends Screensaver for Mac OS X
- How to do calculations in Mac Terminal
- How to make TextEdit the default text Editor on Mac
- How to Show Full Website Address on Safari for Mac (Ventura/Sonoma)
- The Zsh Shell - Mac Tutorial
- Opening mac Terminal
- How to change the name of your Mac running on macOS Ventura 13
- How to find the Battery Cycle Count on macOS Ventura
- How to set an emoji as Zsh terminal prompt in macOS
- How to access Trash Folder using Mac Terminal Command
- macOS Ventura XCode Command Line Tools Installation
- Hide Bluetooth icon on Mac Menu Bar macOS Ventura 13
- How to run .sh file in Mac Terminal
- Terminal Command to get the list of available shells in macOS
- How to see Storage Information on macOS Ventura
- How to Go To /usr/local/bin on Mac Terminal?
- How to do screen recording on Mac
- How to Find File and Directory Size in Mac Terminal
- Open .bash_profile File in TextEdit using Terminal
- Remove Now Playing icon from macOS Big Sur Menu Bar
- Install OpenJDK Java (8/11/17) versions using brew on Mac (Intel/M1/M2) - MacOS
- How to add two float numbers in Python - Python
- Add a User as a Sudoer Using Ubuntu Linux Command Line Terminal - Ubuntu
- List of Java Keywords - Java
- How to open Notepad? - NotepadPlusPlus
- WhatsApp Web escanner - WhatsApp
- Bootstrap tooltip not working - Bootstrap
- Microsoft Excel Fuzzy Lookup Add-in - Microsoft