I’ve only started a venture into Neovim. With AI producing a lot of the code I need to get started, and my recent testing with Claude Code, I’m finding I’m back in the terminal a lot.

And while I’ve been here it has made me think of editing with Vim.

Therefore, any posts you see in here about Neovim are from this initial foray into the space, and the way I learn is by sharing what I’ve learned.

Mastering Delete in Neovim: A Beginner’s Guide

If you’re new to Neovim (or Vim), one of the first things you’ll need to master is how to delete text efficiently. Unlike traditional text editors where you simply highlight and press the Delete key, Neovim offers a powerful set of deletion commands that can dramatically speed up your editing once you learn them.

Understanding Neovim Modes

Before diving into delete commands, it’s crucial to understand that Neovim operates in different modes:

• Normal Mode: Where you navigate and execute commands (default mode)
• Insert Mode: Where you actually type text (press i to enter)
• Visual Mode: Where you select text (press v to enter)

Most delete commands work in Normal mode, so press Esc to ensure you’re there before trying these examples.

Basic Character and Line Deletion

Deleting Single Characters

The most basic delete command is x, which deletes the character under the cursor:

Original: Hello World
Cursor on 'W' → press x
Result: Hello orld

To delete the character before the cursor, use X (capital X):

Original: Hello World
Cursor on 'W' → press X
Result: HelloWorld

Deleting Entire Lines

To delete an entire line, use dd:

Original:
Line 1
Line 2  ← cursor here
Line 3

After pressing dd:
Line 1
Line 3

The Powerful ’d’ Command

The d command is your Swiss Army knife for deletion. It follows the pattern d + motion, where motion tells Neovim what to delete.

Common Motion Commands

• w - to the beginning of the next word
• e - to the end of the current word
• b - to the beginning of the previous word
• $ - to the end of the line
• 0 - to the beginning of the line
• G - to the end of the file
• gg - to the beginning of the file

Delete + Motion Examples

Delete to end of word (dw):

Original: function calculateTotal() {
Cursor on 'f' → press dw
Result: calculateTotal() {

Delete to end of line (d$):

Original: const name = "John Doe";
Cursor on 'n' in "name" → press d$
Result: const na

Delete to beginning of line (d0):

Original: const name = "John Doe";
Cursor on '=' → press d0
Result: = "John Doe";

Working with Multiple Lines

Delete Multiple Lines

You can delete multiple lines by prefixing dd with a number:

Original:
function example() {
  let a = 1;     ← cursor here
  let b = 2;
  let c = 3;
  return a + b + c;
}

Press 3dd to delete 3 lines:
function example() {
  return a + b + c;
}

Delete from Current Line to End of File

Use dG to delete from the current line to the end of the file:

Original:
Line 1
Line 2  ← cursor here
Line 3
Line 4

After pressing dG:
Line 1

Advanced Deletion with Text Objects

Neovim includes powerful text objects that let you delete logical units of text:

Word Objects

• diw - delete inner word (word only)
• daw - delete a word (including surrounding spaces)

Original: Hello world example
Cursor anywhere on "world" → press diw
Result: Hello  example

Cursor anywhere on "world" → press daw
Result: Hello example

Parentheses, Brackets, and Quotes

• di( or di) - delete inside parentheses
• da( or da) - delete around parentheses (including the parentheses)
• di[ or di] - delete inside square brackets
• di" - delete inside double quotes

Original: function add(x, y) { return x + y; }
Cursor inside parentheses → press di(
Result: function add() { return x + y; }

Cursor inside parentheses → press da(
Result: function add { return x + y; }

Sentence and Paragraph Objects

• dis - delete inner sentence
• das - delete around sentence
• dip - delete inner paragraph
• dap - delete around paragraph

Visual Mode Deletion

Sometimes it’s easier to select text visually before deleting:

1. Press v to enter Visual mode
2. Use arrow keys or motion commands to select text
3. Press d to delete the selection

Original: The quick brown fox jumps
1. Place cursor on "quick"
2. Press v (enter Visual mode)
3. Press 2w (select "quick brown ")
4. Press d (delete selection)
Result: The fox jumps

Cut, Copy, and Paste Integration

An important concept: in Neovim, “delete” operations actually cut text to a register (clipboard). This means you can paste deleted text elsewhere using p (paste after cursor) or P (paste before cursor).

Original: Hello World
1. Place cursor on "World"
2. Press dw (delete word)
3. Move cursor after "Hello"
4. Press p (paste)
Result: HelloWorld

Practical Examples

Cleaning up Code

Remove empty lines: Position cursor on empty line and press dd.

Delete trailing semicolon:

Original: let x = 5;
Move cursor to ';' → press x
Result: let x = 5

Delete function parameters:

Original: function calculate(a, b, c) {
Cursor inside parentheses → press di(
Result: function calculate() {

Refactoring Text

Change a quoted string:

Original: const message = "Hello World";
Cursor inside quotes → press di"
Result: const message = "";

Delete until a specific character: Use dt + character to delete until (but not including) that character:

Original: [email protected]
Cursor at beginning → press dt@
Result: @domain.com

Common Mistakes and Tips

1. Remember the mode: Most delete commands only work in Normal mode. Press Esc if you’re unsure.

2. Start simple: Begin with x, dd, and dw before moving to complex text objects.

3. Use counts: Remember you can prefix most commands with numbers (3dd, 5dw, etc.).

4. Undo is your friend: Press u to undo any deletion. Press Ctrl+r to redo.

5. Practice with purpose: Don’t just memorize commands; use them while editing real files.

Quick Reference

Next Steps

Once you’re comfortable with these deletion commands, explore:

• Change commands (c instead of d) which delete and enter Insert mode
• Search and replace (:s/old/new/g)
• Macros for repeating complex deletion patterns
• Plugins that extend Neovim’s text manipulation capabilities

Remember, mastering Neovim’s delete functionality is about building muscle memory. Start with the basics and gradually incorporate more advanced commands into your workflow. With practice, you’ll find yourself editing text much faster than you ever thought possible!