Vim Editor Mode - Claude Code
Full vim keybindings (normal and insert modes) for prompt editing.
Vim editor mode turns the Claude Code prompt into a modal editor with familiar normal and insert mode bindings.
What it does
Enable vim mode and your prompt supports h j k l motion, w b e word jumps, dd line delete, yy yank, p paste, and insert mode via i, a, or o. Escape returns to normal mode. It works on single-line and multiline drafts alike, so you can compose long prompts the same way you'd compose code.
When to use it
- You already live in vim or neovim and want consistent motions.
- You draft long, complex prompts that benefit from modal editing.
- You find yourself reaching for arrow keys too often.
- You want
.repeats anduundo in the prompt buffer.
Gotchas
- Some readline shortcuts are disabled while vim mode is active. Check the keybindings doc for the full swap.
- Visual mode selections don't integrate with system clipboard on every terminal.
- If you toggle vim mode mid-session, the current draft keeps its previous mode behavior until you press a motion.
Official docs: https://code.claude.com/docs/en/interactive-mode.md#vim-editor-mode
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