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Modes, introduction                             *vim-modes-intro* *vim-modes*

Vim has seven BASIC modes:

                                        *Normal* *Normal-mode* *command-mode*
- Normal mode:          In Normal mode you can enter all the normal editor
                        commands.  If you start the editor you are in this
                        mode.  This is also known as command mode.

- Visual mode:          This is like Normal mode, but the movement commands
                        extend a highlighted area.  When a non-movement
                        command is used, it is executed for the highlighted
                        area.  See |Visual-mode|.
                        If the 'showmode' option is on "-- VISUAL --" is shown
                        at the bottom of the window.

- Select mode:          This looks most like the MS-Windows selection mode.
                        Typing a printable character deletes the selection
                        and starts Insert mode.  See |Select-mode|.
                        If the 'showmode' option is on "-- SELECT --" is shown
                        at the bottom of the window.

- Insert mode:          In Insert mode the text you type is inserted into the
                        buffer.  See |Insert-mode|.
                        If the 'showmode' option is on "-- INSERT --" is shown
                        at the bottom of the window.

- Cmdline mode:         In Command-line mode (also called Cmdline mode) you
                        can enter one line of text at the bottom of the
                        window.  This is for the Ex commands, ":", the pattern
                        search commands, "?" and "/", and the filter command,
                        "!".  |Cmdline-mode|

- Ex mode:              Like Command-line mode, but after entering a command
                        you remain in Ex mode.  Very limited editing of the
                        command line.  |Ex-mode|

                                                        *Terminal-mode*
- Terminal mode:        In Terminal mode all input (except CTRL-\) is sent to
                        the process running in the current |terminal| buffer.
                        If CTRL-\ is pressed, the next key is sent unless it
                        is CTRL-N (|CTRL-\_CTRL-N|) or CTRL-O (|t_CTRL-\_CTRL-O|).
                        If the 'showmode' option is on "-- TERMINAL --" is shown
                        at the bottom of the window.

There are six ADDITIONAL modes.  These are variants of the BASIC modes:

                                *Operator-pending* *Operator-pending-mode*
- Operator-pending mode: This is like Normal mode, but after an operator
                        command has started, and Vim is waiting for a {motion}
                        to specify the text that the operator will work on.

- Replace mode:         Replace mode is a special case of Insert mode.  You
                        can do the same things as in Insert mode, but for
                        each character you enter, one character of the existing
                        text is deleted.  See |Replace-mode|.
                        If the 'showmode' option is on "-- REPLACE --" is
                        shown at the bottom of the window.

- Virtual Replace mode: Virtual Replace mode is similar to Replace mode, but
                        instead of file characters you are replacing screen
                        real estate.  See |Virtual-Replace-mode|.
                        If the 'showmode' option is on "-- VREPLACE --" is
                        shown at the bottom of the window.

- Insert Normal mode:   Entered when CTRL-O is typed in Insert mode (see
                        |i_CTRL-O|).  This is like Normal mode, but after
                        executing one command Vim returns to Insert mode.
                        If the 'showmode'