{"id":820,"date":"2020-10-01T16:36:45","date_gmt":"2020-10-01T16:36:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.guyhowto.com\/?p=820"},"modified":"2023-12-25T13:17:30","modified_gmt":"2023-12-25T13:17:30","slug":"ways-to-exit-linux-unix-vim","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.guyhowto.com\/ways-to-exit-linux-unix-vim\/","title":{"rendered":"Ways to Exit Linux\/Unix Vim"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

Introduction to Vim: The Powerful Text Editor<\/strong><\/p>\n

Vim, an advanced text editor compatible with Vi, proves invaluable for editing various plain text, especially beneficial for programming. Offering numerous enhancements beyond Vi, such as multi-level reverse, syntax highlighting, and on-line assistance, Vim stands out as a Unix text editor available on Linux, BSD, and macOS.<\/p>\n

Known for its speed and efficiency, Vim operates seamlessly in a terminal or graphical user interface, distinguishing itself by its keyboard-centric control. Unlike conventional text editors, Vim relies entirely on keyboard commands, omitting the need for menus or a mouse.<\/p>\n

Unix administrators and programmers globally utilize Vim to edit configuration files, scripts, and more, navigating and executing commands with precision through keyboard inputs.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

So, How to Exit Vim?<\/strong><\/h5>\n

Enough of Vim intro, that you might already know, let us come to the topic of this tutorial; how to exit Vim with or without saving.<\/p>\n

Exiting Vim without saving<\/strong><\/h5>\n

Follow these steps to exit the vim without saving the changes:<\/p>\n

Step 1:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Press : <Esc><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

(You should remain in insert or append mode if not, just begin typing on a blank line to get in that mode).<\/p>\n

Step 2:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Press: <colon><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The cursor must come back at the lower left corner of the screen next to a colon prompt. The colon shows that what follows is a Vim command.<\/p>\n

Step 3:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Type this:<\/p>\n

q!<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

and press Enter<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

This will close the editor, and abandon all modifications you have made; all modifications to the file will be lost.<\/p>\n

Save then Exit the Vim<\/strong><\/h5>\n

In order to first save the file and then exit, follow these steps:<\/p>\n

Step 1:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Press <Escape><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

(You need to be in insert or append mode if not, just start typing on a blank line to enter that mode).<\/p>\n

Step 2:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Press :<\/strong> <colon><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The cursor ought to reappear at the lower-left corner of the screen beside a colon prompt. The colon shows that what follows is a Vim command.<\/p>\n

Step 3:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Type the following:<\/p>\n

wq<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The “w” indicates that the file must be written, or saved which will overwrite the existing file and the “q” shows that vim must quit, or exit.<\/p>\n

Finally, press the Enter<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

This will quit the editor, and write all modifications you have actually made; all changes to the document will be conserved.<\/p>\n

How to exit Vim using shortcut keys?<\/strong><\/h5>\n

You may also close the Vim editor by using shortcut keys.<\/p>\n

Press Esc >Shift + ZZ<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

This will save the file contents and then exit.<\/p>\n

For quitting without saving the contents:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Press Esc > Shift + ZX<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Summarizing the options (above + more) for quitting Vim<\/strong><\/h5>\n

Here’s a list of commands for existing Vim:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Command<\/th>\nDescription<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Esc<\/td>\nSwitch to command mode.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
:w<\/td>\nWrite out modifications that were made.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
:q<\/td>\nExit Vim.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
:q!<\/td>\nExit without saving the changes made in the file.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
:wq<\/td>\nSave the changes and exit Vim.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
: x<\/td>\nSave the file contents and close Vim.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n
How to see changes made in file?<\/strong><\/h5>\n

After exiting you can display the contents of the file by using this command.<\/p>\n

$ cat filename<\/pre>\n
Best Practices for Exiting Vim in Linux\/Unix<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\n
Exiting Vim might be a bit tricky for beginners, so here are some best practices to smoothly exit Vim in Linux\/Unix:<\/p>\n
    \n
  1. Switch to Command Mode:<\/strong>\n
      \n
    • Press Esc<\/code> to ensure you are in command mode before executing any exit command.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
    • Basic Exit Commands:<\/strong>\n
        \n
      • :q<\/code> – Exit Vim (only works if there are no unsaved changes).<\/li>\n
      • :wq<\/code> – Save changes and exit Vim.<\/li>\n
      • :x<\/code> – Similar to :wq<\/code>, save changes and exit.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
      • Forceful Exit Without Saving:<\/strong>\n
          \n
        • :q!<\/code> – Exit Vim without saving changes. Useful if you want to abandon modifications.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
        • Shortcut Keys for Quick Exit:<\/strong>\n
            \n
          • To save changes and exit: Press Esc<\/code>, then Shift + ZZ<\/code>.<\/li>\n
          • To exit without saving: Press Esc<\/code>, then Shift + ZX<\/code>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
          • Combining Commands:<\/strong>\n
              \n
            • Combine commands to save time:\n
                \n
              • ZZ<\/code> – Equivalent to :wq<\/code>, saves changes and exits.<\/li>\n
              • ZQ<\/code> – Equivalent to :q!<\/code>, exits without saving.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
              • Verify Changes:<\/strong>\n
                  \n
                • After exiting Vim, confirm changes using: $ cat filename<\/code>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n
                   <\/p>\n
                  \n
                  Troubleshooting and FAQs: Exiting Vim in Linux\/Unix<\/strong><\/p>\n
                  1. Q: I pressed Esc, but nothing happened. What went wrong?<\/strong><\/p>\n
                    \n
                  • A:<\/strong> Ensure you are not in insert or append mode. Pressing Esc in these modes won’t work. Type i<\/code> or a<\/code> to enter insert mode, then press Esc.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
                    2. Q: I accidentally pressed the wrong key, and now I’m stuck. What should I do?<\/strong><\/p>\n
                      \n
                    • A:<\/strong> Press Esc to ensure you are in command mode. Then, type :q!<\/code> and press Enter to exit Vim without saving.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
                      3. Q: I saved changes with :w<\/code>, but how do I exit now?<\/strong><\/p>\n
                        \n
                      • A:<\/strong> After saving with :w<\/code>, you can exit by typing :q<\/code> and pressing Enter. Alternatively, use :wq<\/code> to save and exit in one command.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
                        4. Q: What if I want to save changes but not exit immediately?<\/strong><\/p>\n
                          \n
                        • A:<\/strong> Save changes with :w<\/code> and continue editing. When you’re ready to exit, type :q<\/code> and press Enter.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
                          5. Q: I used :q!<\/code>, and now my changes are lost. Can I recover them?<\/strong><\/p>\n
                            \n
                          • A:<\/strong> Unfortunately, using :q!<\/code> abandons all changes. Regularly save your work with :w<\/code> to prevent accidental data loss.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
                            6. Q: How can I exit Vim using shortcut keys?<\/strong><\/p>\n
                              \n
                            • A:<\/strong> Press Esc to enter command mode, then use Shift + ZZ<\/code> to save and exit. For exiting without saving, use Shift + ZX<\/code>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
                              7. Q: Is there a way to see the changes I made in the file after exiting Vim?<\/strong><\/p>\n
                                \n
                              • A:<\/strong> Yes, use the command $ cat filename<\/code> in the terminal to display the contents of the file and verify the changes.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
                                8. Q: Vim is unresponsive. What should I do to force it to exit?<\/strong><\/p>\n
                                  \n
                                • A:<\/strong> Press Esc<\/code> to ensure you are in command mode. Then, type :x!<\/code> and press Enter to save changes and exit forcefully.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
                                  9. Q: I’m new to Vim, and the commands are confusing. Any tips for beginners?<\/strong><\/p>\n
                                    \n
                                  • A:<\/strong> Practice basic commands like i<\/code> for insert mode and Esc<\/code> for command mode. Familiarize yourself with :w<\/code>, :q<\/code>, and :wq<\/code> for saving and exiting.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
                                    10. Q: Can I customize shortcut keys for exiting Vim?<\/strong><\/p>\n
                                      \n
                                    • A:<\/strong> Yes, Vim allows customization. You can add key mappings to your Vim configuration file (~\/.vimrc<\/code>) for a personalized experience.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
                                      Remember, Vim has a learning curve, and mistakes are part of the process. Regularly save your work, and gradually you’ll become more comfortable with Vim commands.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
                                       <\/p>\n
                                      \n
                                      Conclusion<\/b><\/p>\n
                                      Vim, a powerful Unix text editor, is widely used for editing plain text and programming code. Notable for its efficiency and keyboard-centric control, Vim offers features such as multi-level reverse, syntax highlighting, and on-line assistance.<\/p>\n
                                      Exiting Vim without saving changes involves entering command mode by pressing Esc<\/code>, followed by :<\/code> and typing q!<\/code> to abandon modifications. To save and exit, press Esc<\/code>, :<\/code>, type wq<\/code>, and press Enter<\/code>. Shortcut keys like Shift + ZZ<\/code> can also be used for quick exits with saving, while Shift + ZX<\/code> allows quitting without saving.<\/p>\n
                                      In summary, key commands for exiting Vim include :q<\/code> to exit, :q!<\/code> to exit without saving, :wq<\/code> to save and exit, and Shift + ZZ<\/code> for quick saving and exiting. The summary emphasizes the importance of understanding these commands for efficient use of Vim, a staple for Unix admins and programmers worldwide.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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