22-Mar-2025

Visual mode is a powerful feature in Vim that allows you to select text for operations like copying, deleting, changing, or indenting. It offers several variations, each with its own advantages.

Entering Visual Mode:

You can enter visual mode using the following keys:

• v: Character-wise visual mode. This is the most common mode and selects characters individually.
• V: Line-wise visual mode. This selects entire lines at a time.
• Ctrl-v (or Ctrl-q in some terminals): Block-wise visual mode. This selects rectangular blocks of text.

Using Visual Mode:

Once in visual mode, you can navigate using the standard Vim movement keys (e.g., h, j, k, l, w, b, e, 0, $, gg, G). As you move, the selection will expand or contract.

Performing Operations:

After selecting the desired text, you can perform an operation. Some common examples:

• y: Yank (copy) the selected text.
• d: Delete the selected text.
• c: Change (delete and enter insert mode) the selected text.
• >: Indent the selected text.
• <: Unindent the selected text.
• u: Convert the selected text to lowercase.
• U: Convert the selected text to uppercase.

Example:

Let’s say you have the following text:

This is line one.
This is line two.
This is line three.

1. Character-wise visual mode: Place your cursor on the ‘o’ in “one” and press v. Move your cursor to the ’t’ in “two” using w (move to next word). The text “one.This is line ” will be highlighted. Pressing d will delete the selection.

2. Line-wise visual mode: Place your cursor anywhere on line two and press V. Press j to select line three as well. Pressing y will copy both lines.

3. Block-wise visual mode: Place your cursor on the ’T’ of the first line. Press Ctrl-v. Press 2j to move down two lines. Press $ to extend the selection to the end of each line. Pressing I (insert at beginning of selection) followed by “// ” and then Esc will add “// ” to the beginning of each selected line, effectively commenting them out. This results in:

// This is line one.
// This is line two.
// This is line three.

Exiting Visual Mode:

Press Esc or any non-movement key that doesn’t initiate a Vim command (e.g., a letter key if you aren’t in insert mode) to exit visual mode.

Visual mode, combined with Vim’s movement keys and operators, offers a highly efficient way to manipulate text. Mastering it significantly enhances your editing speed and productivity.