A quick reference for Vim's built-in netrw file selector.

netrw quick reference.md

Map	Action
<F1>	Causes Netrw to issue help
<cr>	Netrw will enter the directory or read the file
<del>	Netrw will attempt to remove the file/directory
-	Makes Netrw go up one directory
a	Toggles between normal display, hiding (suppress display of files matching g:netrw_list_hide) showing (display only files which match g:netrw_list_hide)
c	Make browsing directory the current directory
C	Setting the editing window
d	Make a directory
D	Attempt to remove the file(s)/directory(ies)
gb	Go to previous bookmarked directory
gh	Quick hide/unhide of dot-files
<c-h>	Edit file hiding list
i	Cycle between thin, long, wide and tree listings
<c-l>	Causes Netrw to refresh the directory listing
mb	Bookmark current directory
mc	Copy marked files to marked-file target directory
md	Apply diff to marked files (up to 3)
me	Place marked files on arg list and edit them
mf	Mark a file
mh	Toggle marked file suffices' presence on hiding list
mm	Move marked files to marked-file target directory
mp	Print marked files
mr	Mark files satisfying a shell-style
mt	Current browsing directory becomes markfile target
mT	Apply ctags to marked files
mu	Unmark all marked files
mx	Apply arbitrary shell command to marked files
mz	Compress/decompress marked files
o	Enter the file/directory under the cursor in a new browser window. A horizontal split is used.
O	Obtain a file specified by cursor
p	Preview the file
P	Browse in the previously used window
qb	List bookmarked directories and history
qf	Display information on file
r	Reverse sorting order
R	Rename the designed file(s)/directory(ies)
s	Select sorting style: by name, time or file size
S	Specify suffix priority for name-sorting
t	Enter the file/directory under the cursor in a new tab
u	Change to recently-visited directory
U	Change to subsequently-visited directory
v	Enter the file/directory under the cursor in a new browser window. A vertical split is used.
x	View file with an associated program
X	Execute filename under cursor via
%	Open a new file in netrw's current directory

Or simply bind ? to show netrw quickmaps help entry:

autocmd FileType netrw nnoremap ? :help netrw-quickmap<CR>

Thank you

Starring — great reference and super helpful comment by @ArtBIT 👍

Thank you!

Thanks

@ArtBIT iiuc that command binding persists in other buffers

e.g.

• open a file in vim
• ? is search
• split view (^Wv)
• open netrw (:e ./)
• ? opens netrw quickmap
• go back to the file buffer ^w^w
• ? still opens netrw quickmap. imo it should (meaning it would be more intuitive and more desirable) search again.

@pseyfert you could try something like this, then:

autocmd BufEnter * if &ft == "netrw" | execute 'nmap ? :help netrw-quickmap<CR>' | endif
autocmd BufEnter * if &ft != "netrw" | execute 'silent! nunmap ?' | endif

gn -- make netrw move the currently selected directory to the root of the buffer view

I wonder if there's a way to print this gist without all the github fluff around it.

@davidmaxwaterman There are a few options:

• Fork the gist, then no comments will remain in the new fork
• Open web developer tools and you delete the nodes you want to take out

In order to copy the content of directory/folder A to folder B:

1. mark A with "mf"
2. mark B with "mf" (order matters)
3. press "mX" and enter: cp -r % %

To remove directory/folder A:

1. mark A with "mf"
2. press "mX" and enter: rm -r %

Hey @davidmaxwaterman I created a bookmarklet that lets you remove all the "github fluff" here: https://aalvarado.github.io/pretty-print-gist.html

I could never get c to set the browsing directory as the current working directory, the command that worked for me was actually cd.

I could never get c to set the browsing directory as the current working directory, the command that worked for me was actually cd.

Actually, yeah, I think that might be wrong on this page. I've always used 'cd'.