Advanced Text-Fu

Navigate text like a Linux spider monkey with Vim and Emacs.

0 of 13 lessons complete

Syllabus

01 regex (Regular Expressions) Learn how anchors, character sets, repetition, and regex flavors control text pattern matching.
02 Text Editors Learn how to choose and configure a terminal text editor for Linux administration and development.
03 Vim (Vi Improved) Learn what Vim is, how it relates to vi, and how to open files, help, and guided practice.
04 Vim Search Patterns Learn how to search forward or backward in Vim and repeat, refine, or clear pattern matches.
05 Vim Navigation Learn how to move by characters, words, lines, and file positions in Vim's Normal mode.
06 Vim Inserting and Appending Text Learn how Vim enters Insert mode before, after, above, or below the current cursor position.
07 Vim Editing Learn how Vim combines operators, motions, registers, puts, and undo commands for text editing.
08 Vim Saving and Exiting Learn how to write, quit, save under another name, or deliberately discard Vim buffer changes.
09 Emacs Learn how to start Emacs, interpret its key notation, and distinguish buffers, windows, and frames.
10 Emacs Manipulate Files Learn how to visit, save, rename, revisit, and review file-backed buffers in Emacs.
11 Emacs Buffer Navigation Learn how to switch and kill Emacs buffers while splitting, selecting, and closing display windows.
12 Emacs Editing Learn how to move point, activate a region, and use Emacs kill-ring commands to edit text.
13 Emacs Exiting and Help Learn how to exit Emacs safely, cancel pending commands, inspect help topics, and undo changes.

Frequently Asked Questions

What editors are taught in this course?

The course introduces both Vim and Emacs, covering navigation, editing, file operations, help, search patterns, and safe ways to exit each editor.

Do I need to master both Vim and Emacs?

No. Learning the fundamentals of both helps you work on unfamiliar systems, but you can choose one editor for deeper daily use.

Are regular expressions included?

Yes. A dedicated lesson explains regular expressions so you can recognize patterns and perform more powerful searches in editors and command-line tools.