Table of Contents

  1. Introduction
  2. Staying in Insert Mode Too Long
  3. Using Arrow Keys Instead of hjkl
  4. Not Learning Navigation Commands
  5. Ignoring Visual Mode (and still using the mouse)
  6. Never Customizing .vimrc
  7. Forgetting How to Quit (yes, still)
  8. Thinking You Know Vim After the First Week
  9. Summary

1. Introduction

When I first started using Vim, I felt like I was trying to fly a spaceship just to edit a line of text. And even after “learning” it, I realized I was doing so many things the wrong way — or at least, the hard way.

This post is a list of the most common Vim mistakes I made (and sometimes still make), along with the better, smarter ways to use Vim. If you’re new to Vim or just winging it through the terminal, chances are you’ll find yourself nodding at a few of these.

Let’s get into it.

Vim Mistakes Chart

2. Staying in Insert Mode Too Long

Most of us treat Insert mode like our default playground. Type i, write code or text like we’re in Notepad, then hit Esc when we’re done.

But in Vim, Insert mode is not the main show. Normal mode is where the power lies. Moving around, editing, replacing, deleting all happen faster and more efficiently in Normal mode.

Mistake: Staying in Insert mode to move the cursor and make changes.

Fix: Drop into Insert mode only when you actually need to type something. Return to Normal mode quickly to navigate and manipulate.

3. Using Arrow Keys Instead of hjkl

Arrow keys work in Vim, but they're slow and break your flow. Your hands leave the home row. It ruins the whole point of Vim's design.

Mistake: Using arrow keys to move around.

Fix: Start using h (left), j (down), k (up), and l (right). It takes time, but once your muscle memory adapts, you won’t want to go back.

If it helps, try disabling arrow keys temporarily in your .vimrc:

" Disable arrow keys
autocmd! VimEnter * noremap <Up> <Nop>
autocmd! VimEnter * noremap <Down> <Nop>
autocmd! VimEnter * noremap <Left> <Nop>
autocmd! VimEnter * noremap <Right> <Nop>

4. Not Learning Navigation Commands

Scrolling line by line? Holding j until you reach the end of the file? We’ve all done it. But Vim gives us power tools:

  • w → Move forward by a word
  • b → Move backward by a word
  • 0 → Move to beginning of the line
  • ^ → First non-blank character
  • $ → End of the line
  • gg → Top of the file
  • G → Bottom of the file

Mistake: Navigating like you're in a basic editor.

Fix: Master Vim's navigation keys. They save you tons of time.

5. Ignoring Visual Mode (and still using the mouse)

Selecting text using a mouse in Vim? That's a sign you're missing one of Vim's coolest modes: Visual mode.

  • Press v to enter Visual mode (character selection)
  • Press V for line selection
  • Press Ctrl+v for block/column mode

Once in Visual mode, you can move using hjkl and apply actions like delete (d), yank (y), or change (c).

Mistake: Using the mouse or skipping Visual mode.

Fix: Practice visual selection and commands. You’ll edit faster, and without lifting your hands.

6. Never Customizing .vimrc

Out-of-the-box Vim is... bare. If you're not tweaking your .vimrc, you're missing out on major improvements:

set number              " Show line numbers
set relativenumber      " Show relative line numbers
set autoindent          " Keep indentation on new lines
set tabstop=4           " Set tab width
syntax on               " Enable syntax highlighting

Mistake: Using Vim as-is forever.

Fix: Learn how to configure your .vimrc file. Start small, tweak often.

💡 What is .vimrc?

.vimrc is a configuration file that lives in your home directory ~/.vimrc). It's used to personalize Vim based on your preferences — you can set options like line numbers, indentation, syntax highlighting, remap keys, and so much more.
Here's how to create or open it:

vim ~/.vimrc

Example content:

set number
syntax on
set tabstop=4
set shiftwidth=4
set expandtab

Once saved, these settings will load every time you open Vim.

7. Forgetting How to Quit (yes, still)

This one never dies. Even after months of Vim, sometimes I still catch myself typing :wq! when I just needed :q.

Mistake: Panicking when trying to exit Vim.

Fix: Get comfortable with the essentials:

  • :w → Save
  • :q → Quit
  • :wq → Save and quit
  • :q! → Quit without saving

And yes, ZZ still works too.

8. Thinking You Know Vim After the First Week

Vim is deep. Like rabbit-hole deep.

Just because you’ve memorized :wq, i, and a few navigation keys doesn’t mean you’re done. Vim has macros, registers, plugins, buffers, folds, and so much more.

Mistake: Settling too early.

Fix: Keep exploring. Read the Vim help (:help). Watch other people use it. Keep refining your flow.

Your goal? Make editing feel like typing. Seamless. Thoughtless. Fast.

9. Summary

Vim isn’t hard — it’s just different. And it’s easy to make mistakes when you treat it like a regular editor.

These were the things I did wrong. You might be doing some of them too. And that’s okay. You’re learning. And that's how we all progress.

If you’ve got a Vim mistake you used to make (or still do), share it in the comments. Let’s grow together; one keystroke at a time.