Learning Path and Resources
Step 1: Survival (Day 1)
Learn only these to get by:
i/Esc— Enter/leave Insert modehjkl— Move:w:q:wq— Save and quitddp— Delete line, pasteu— Undo
Step 2: Basics (Week 1)
- All navigation keys (word movement, screen movement, file navigation)
- Operators + motions (
dw,ci",dap, etc.) - Visual mode
- Search and replace
- Buffers and windows
Step 3: Proficiency (Weeks 2-4)
- Text objects mastery
- Macros
- Registers and marks
- Dot command workflow
- Custom key mappings
- Begin configuring
init.lua
Step 4: Mastery (Months 2-6)
- LSP setup and usage
- Telescope fuzzy finding
- Treesitter text objects
- Custom Lua functions and autocommands
- Plugin development
Resources
| Resource | Description |
|---|---|
vimtutor | Built-in interactive tutorial — run in terminal |
:help | Neovim's built-in documentation — comprehensive |
| Open Vim | Interactive Vim tutorial in the browser |
| Vim Adventures | Game-based Vim learning |
| Neovim from Scratch (YouTube) | Full configuration series by Chris@Machine |
| The Primeagen | Vim/Neovim tips and workflows |
:checkhealth | Built-in diagnostic for Neovim setup |
Practice Tips
- Use Neovim for everything — even small edits. Muscle memory requires repetition.
- When you find yourself repeating an action, stop and look up a better way. There almost always is one.
- Learn one new thing per day. Add it to your configuration and use it.
- Don't install plugins on day one. Learn the built-in features first. Plugins should fill gaps, not replace fundamentals.
- Use
vimtutor— it takes 30 minutes and covers the essentials.