NEXT STEPS
Learning Vim
Appendix A — Going Further
What You Have Covered
This course has taken you from opening a file for the very first time all the way through marks, registers, diff mode, configuration, and shell integration. That is a solid foundation — you now have the mental model that most long-term Vim users rely on every day.
- Chapter 1Introduction— modal editing, installation, first steps
- Chapter 2Basics— the five modes, file operations, quit variants
- Chapter 3Moving Around— HJKL, word and line motions, search
- Chapter 4Changing Text— operators, yank/put, registers, substitution
- Chapter 5Marks— local and global marks, the jump list
- Chapter 6Buffers, Windows and Tabs— splits, vimdiff, reading files
- Chapter 7Configuration— .vimrc, mappings, abbreviations, custom commands
- Chapter 8Day to Day Vim— startup flags, diff mode, archive editing, shell filters
Built-in Resources You Already Have
:help — the manual that ships with Vim
Vim's built-in help is one of the best pieces of documentation packaged with any open-source tool. It is comprehensive, searchable, and always matches the exact version you are running.
:help # open the help index :help {topic} # search for a specific topic :help user-manual # the full narrative user manual (excellent reading) :help quickref # a compact quick-reference of all commands :help tips # collection of Vim tips from the developers
Inside help: Ctrl+] follows any hyperlink (shown in |pipes|), Ctrl+O goes back. Close with :q.
vimtutor — the interactive tutorial
If you have not run vimtutor yet, do it now. It is a 30-minute hands-on walkthrough that ships with every Vim installation. Unlike reading docs, it teaches you by having you actually edit a file.
vimtutor # run from your terminal — it opens a practice file
The tutorial covers the basics thoroughly and is worth revisiting periodically — you will notice things you missed the first time.
Official Documentation Online
:help user-manual but browsable in a web browser. Excellent reference.:help when you just want to look something up quickly.Cheat Sheets and Quick References
A good cheat sheet on your desk or a second monitor is genuinely useful during the first few months. Here are the best ones available — all free, most printable.
Learning Resources
Free Books and Long Reads
.vimrc.Going Beyond Vim: Plugins
Stock Vim is already very capable, but the plugin ecosystem takes it much further. Once you are comfortable with the basics, a small set of well-chosen plugins can close the gap between Vim and a full IDE — while keeping the speed and keyboard-driven workflow that makes Vim worth using in the first place.
Plugin managers
Install a plugin manager first. It handles downloading, updating, and removing plugins through your .vimrc.
| Manager | Best for | Link |
|---|---|---|
| vim-plug | Most users — simple, fast, minimal config | github.com/junegunn/vim-plug |
| Vundle | Classic option, well documented | github.com/VundleVim/Vundle.vim |
| lazy.nvim | Neovim users — modern, fast-loading | github.com/folke/lazy.nvim |
Plugins worth knowing about
| Plugin | What it does |
|---|---|
| NERDTree | File explorer sidebar — browse and open files with a tree view |
| fzf.vim | Fuzzy file finder — open any file by typing part of its name |
| vim-fugitive | Git integration — run git commands, browse diffs, blame, all inside Vim |
| vim-airline | Enhanced status line showing mode, git branch, file info |
| ALE | Asynchronous linting — real-time syntax warnings as you type |
| coc.nvim | Language Server Protocol (LSP) — autocomplete, type hints, go-to-definition |
| vim-surround | Add, change, or remove surrounding quotes/brackets/tags with a few keys |
| vim-commentary | Toggle comments on any line or selection with gcc |
| vim-gitgutter | Shows git diff markers (+/−/~) in the sign column as you edit |
| gruvbox | One of the most popular colour schemes — warm, retro, easy on the eyes |
Should You Switch to Neovim?
Neovim is a fork of Vim started in 2014 with the goal of modernising the codebase. It is fully compatible with Vim — everything in this course works identically in Neovim — but it adds:
- Built-in LSP (Language Server Protocol) support — autocomplete and diagnostics without plugins
- Lua as a first-class configuration language (alongside Vimscript)
- A more active plugin ecosystem with modern tooling
- Better async performance for linting, completion, and search
- Terminal emulator built in
If you are just starting out, do not worry about this. Learn Vim first — every skill transfers. If after a few months you find yourself wanting a richer plugin ecosystem or are doing heavy programming work, Neovim is a natural upgrade path. The official Neovim site has installation instructions and a migration guide.
A Note on Humour
No Vim appendix is complete without acknowledging the memes. Vim has a rich tradition of jokes — mostly about how to quit it (:q!, as you now know), the learning curve, and the eternal Vim vs. Emacs debate. If you want to explore the lighter side:
- The Vim Beginners Site has a Vim Humour section worth a browse
- Search "how do I exit Vim" on Stack Overflow — the question has over 4,000 upvotes and the answers have become something of a rite of passage
- VimGolf is genuinely entertaining even when you cannot solve the puzzles — reading other people's solutions teaches you something new every time