Vim Registers How to use vim registers, a :h registers tutorial 

List of Registers • 1. The unnamed register "" • 2. 10 numbered registers "0 to "9 • 3. The small delete register "- • 4. 26 named registers "a to "z or "A to "Z • 5. four read-only registers ":, ". and "% • 6. the expression register "= • 7. The selection and drop registers "*, "+ and "~ • 8. The black hole register "_ • 9. Last search pattern register "/ 

1. Unnamed register Any D, C, S, X and Y: Will fill "" register. Except the _ register. The "" is used in p, P or :put commands. Example: Try yank a line, delete with "_dd and paste it. The yanked line will be pasted :) 

2. Numbered registers Yank register (0) stores your recent yanked line. Check your registers: :reg "0 Paste last yanked line: "0p Paste deleted line: p 

3. Small delete register Read-only register Referenced by "- Stores any text that you deleted or changed that was less than one line in length Example: Delete something and check :reg "- 

4. Named registers See full list of your registers: :reg Note a quote (") in start of line How to yank to a register? and ! "ayy OR :yank a Append to named register: "Ayy OR :yank A Cleaning a named register: qaq Copying a pattern to register: :global/Lorem/yank A See more: :h quote_alpha 

5. Read-only registers ":, ". and "% ": Contains the most recent executed cmd line ". Contains the last inserted text "% Contains the name of current file ! "# Contains alternate file (can't reproduce) 

6. Expression register In --INSERT-- mode: =(your-expression) Or in normal mode: :put =(your-expression) List of functions: :h function-list Examples: 2+2 4*4 sqrt(4) 

7. Selection registers "*, "+ and "~ Selects and drops text into the clipboard Copy to system clipboard: "+y OR "*y Paste from system clipboard: "+p OR "*p OR :set paste, then p "~ Stores the dropped text from last drag'n'drop 

8. Blackhole register Check your registers: :reg " Delete without write in default register: "_dd Check again: :reg " 

9. Last search pattern register "/ Contains the most recent search-pattern Used for "n" and 'hlsearch' You can't yank or delete into this register ! 

Thank you! @wevtimoteo ! References: http://vimcasts.org/results/#stq=registers http://www.vim.org/docs.php http://vim.wikia.com