I cannot get out of vim.

Press `Esc`, then type `:q!` and Enter. `Esc` returns you to normal mode and `:q!` quits without saving. To save first, use `:wq`.

Typing does strange things.

You are still in normal mode, where keys are commands rather than text. Press `i` to start typing, and `Esc` to go back.

`Esc`, then `:w`. To save and quit, `:wq`, or `ZZ` from normal mode, which does the same.

Do the arrow keys work?

They do. `h` `j` `k` `l` are worth learning anyway because your hands never leave the home row.

Why not just use nano or VS Code?

On your own machine, do. The reason to know vim is that it is on every server, so it is there when you are connected over SSH.

← Linux command list

vim command: edit a file inside the terminal

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\ \ / /__| |_|_ _|__ _ __ _ __ ___

\ \ /\ / / _ \ '_ \| |/ _ \ '__| '_ ` _ \

\ V V / __/ |_) | | __/ | | | | | |

\_/\_/ \___|_.__/|_|\___|_| |_| |_| |_

A sandbox for trying vim. Nothing here can touch your real files.

user@webterm:~/project$

vim is the editor that runs in your terminal. Learn how to get out with `:q!`, how the modes work, and the handful of movement and editing keys worth knowing, in a real terminal in your browser.

Updated: 2026-09-06

Syntax

vim [+line] [file]

It opens the file. A name that does not exist yet opens as a new file.

Try it first

Have a look at the file before editing it.

$ cat notes.txt
buy milk
call the bank
fix the login bug

Now open it.

$ vim notes.txt

The screen turns into the editor. The first thing to learn is how to leave.

What you want	What to press
Quit without saving	`Esc` → `:q!` → Enter
Save and quit	`Esc` → `:wq` → Enter
Just save	`Esc` → `:w` → Enter

Esc comes first because it takes you back to normal mode from wherever you were.

It has modes

What makes vim different from other editors is that keys mean different things in different modes.

Mode	What it is for	How to get there
Normal	Moving, deleting, copying	`Esc`
Insert	Typing text	`i` (before the cursor), `a` (after), `o` (new line below)
Command line	Saving, quitting, substituting	`:`

A freshly opened file is in normal mode. Type there and your letters are read as commands instead of text. That is the part everyone trips on, and the whole answer is: i to write, Esc when you are done.

Moving around

In normal mode, single keys move the cursor.

Key	Movement
`h` `j` `k` `l`	Left, down, up, right
`w` `b`	Forward and back one word
`0` `$`	Start and end of the line
`gg` `G`	Top and bottom of the file
`/text` then Enter	Search forward; `n` for the next match

Arrow keys work too, but h j k l keep your hands still.

Changing things

Key	What it does
`x`	Delete the character under the cursor
`dd`	Delete the whole line
`dw`	Delete a word
`yy` then `p`	Copy a line and paste it
`ciw`	Delete the word and start typing in its place
`u`	Undo
`Ctrl+r`	Redo
`.`	Repeat the last change

Deleting and pasting in one or two keystrokes is the reason people call vim fast.

Opening at a line

When you know which line the error is on, open there.

$ vim +12 logs/app.log

+12 puts the cursor on line 12 as the file opens.

When you actually reach for it

vim is what you type to fix a config file on a machine you reached over SSH.

Situation	What to type
Edit a config file	`vim config.yml`
Open at the line from a log	`vim +12 logs/app.log`
Start a new file	`vim draft.txt`
Only reading	use `cat` or `less` instead

Read with less, change with vim, and you will rarely have to think about which one.

Things that trip people up

Press Esc before :. Type :wq while still in insert mode and it goes into the file as text. If saving does not seem to work, Esc first.

Ctrl+S does nothing useful. In a terminal it can freeze the display instead. Saving is :w.

Directories cannot be opened.

$ vim logs
vim: logs: Is a directory

:q! is the escape hatch. :q refuses to quit while there are unsaved changes. When you have lost track of what you did, Esc then :q! puts the file back the way it was.

Practise it hands-on

webterm.appthis site

Vim Basics
Open, edit, save, and quit Vim
Try the tutorial
Vim Editing
Delete, copy, undo, and replace text
Try the tutorial

learn.webterm.appa separate site

>_WEBTERM LEARN

WebTerm Learn: from one command to actually using it

Commands stick when they show up in a real sequence of work, not one at a time. There is a course that builds them up in order.

See the course

Related commands

cat / less / man / echo

Frequently asked questions

I cannot get out of vim.: Press `Esc`, then type `:q!` and Enter. `Esc` returns you to normal mode and `:q!` quits without saving. To save first, use `:wq`.
Typing does strange things.: You are still in normal mode, where keys are commands rather than text. Press `i` to start typing, and `Esc` to go back.
How do I save?: `Esc`, then `:w`. To save and quit, `:wq`, or `ZZ` from normal mode, which does the same.
Do the arrow keys work?: They do. `h` `j` `k` `l` are worth learning anyway because your hands never leave the home row.
Why not just use nano or VS Code?: On your own machine, do. The reason to know vim is that it is on every server, so it is there when you are connected over SSH.