Replace and substitute with r and s
Learn how to replace and substitute text
Replacing characters / a few characters is a common task when using Vim. Here are some ways to achieve that.
Replace with r
(returns you back to command mode)
If you have your cursor on a character in a word, and you want to replace it, you can press r
followed by the character to replace it with.
Note: you can enter a new line under the cursor with r
followed by the enter key (replacing it with a new line)
Replace multiple times with R
(leaves you in replace mode)
If you type Rabcd<Esc>
then it will replace the next 4 characters with abcd
. Press esc to quit this mode.
Substitute with s
(keeps you in insert mode)
If you want to replace the current characte, and continue typing (in insert mode), press s
(This is similar to cl
. )
You can also replace a bunch of characters together, e.g. 3s
will remove 3 characters, and put you in insert mode so you can type new characters.
Change text with c
Use something like cw
(c
for change, + the motion of w
for word) will delete the rest of the word and put you in insert mode so you can type.
cl
(c
with the motion of l
for letter) is basically the same as pressing s
If your cursor is in the middle of a word, press ciw
to replace the entire word (c
+ iw
for inner word (whole word))