Vim modes
Mode model
Section titled “Mode model”Both prompt types support three core modes:
| Mode | Purpose | Cursor |
|---|---|---|
| Insert | Enter text | Steady bar |
| Normal | Navigate and issue editing commands | Steady block |
| Visual | Select an inclusive grapheme range | Steady block |
textarea additionally specifies Visual Line for whole logical lines and Visual Block for rectangular selections across display columns.
The active mode appears as a textual label such as INSERT or VISUAL BLOCK. Color is supplemental, not the only mode cue.
Selections and operators
Section titled “Selections and operators”Ink supports delete, change, and yank over active selections:
- Delete removes selected graphemes, writes them to the unnamed register, and returns to Normal mode.
- Change follows the same deletion rules and enters Insert mode at the start of the removed range.
- Yank preserves the buffer, copies the exact selection, and returns to Normal mode at the selection start.
- Block operators process each selected row independently without removing unselected line breaks.
Unicode text
Section titled “Unicode text”Movement and editing operate on extended grapheme clusters rather than bytes or Unicode scalar values. A base character with combining marks, or a joined emoji sequence, moves and edits as one unit.
Viewports
Section titled “Viewports”For multiline values, the viewport follows the cursor horizontally and vertically without altering the underlying buffer. Layout is recomputed after terminal resize events, including very narrow and transient zero-sized areas.
Arrow keys move in Insert mode. Normal and Visual modes support h, j, k, l, 0, $, w, b, e, W, B, and E; i inserts at the cursor, a appends after the cursor, A appends at the end of the line, u undoes, r redoes, and v, V, and Ctrl-V enter Visual modes. The d, c, and y keys act on Visual selections. Lowercase word motions stop at keyword and punctuation boundaries, while uppercase WORD motions stop at whitespace boundaries. From Normal mode, : turns the status row into a command line; :wq accepts, :q! cancels, and :q or :qa asks for confirmation before submitting. Invalid commands briefly appear in the theme’s error color. Ctrl-C cancels in every mode, q cancels from Normal mode, and Ctrl-D accepts.
In Normal mode, d, c, and y compose with word motions and iw/aw. Repeating the operator (dd, cc, or yy) applies it linewise. Visual Block c applies the replacement entered on the first selected row to every selected row when Insert mode ends. Use p or P to paste after/before the cursor; linewise textarea registers paste below/above the current line. Textarea also supports o and O to open a line below/above and enter Insert mode.