• Edit mode allows you to type text into the file you are editing
• Command mode allows you to execute commands (in lieu of drop-down menus at the top of graphical editing programs); vi opens in Command mode

From edit mode:

Command	Command description
Esc	enter command mode

From command mode:

i	enter edit mode
:w	save file ("write" command)
:w fileName	saves to the file called "fileName"
:q	closes vi ("quit" command)
:q!	closes vi without saving changes to file
:r fileName	opens file fileName ("read" command)
u	undo last edit
dl	delete one letter
dw	delete one word
dd	delete one line
8dd	delete 8 lines
yy	copy one line
p	paste
/text	searches for first example of "text" in file
n	searches for next example of "text" in file
^	place cursor at front of line
$	place cursor at end of line
G	place cursor at end of document
1G	place cursor at beginning of document
:s/text1/text2/	replace first example of "text1" in current line with "text2"
:bn	Switch between files — if you have opened multiple files in vi, you view one at a time and switch between them using :bn