Vim Dot Command and Related Operations Cheatsheet

Dot Command

Command	Description
.	Repeat the last change

The dot command repeats the last change, including the last command and its motion or text object.

Related Repeat Commands

Command	Description
;	Repeat last f, t, F, or T motion
,	Repeat last f, t, F, or T motion in opposite direction
n	Repeat last search in same direction
N	Repeat last search in opposite direction
@:	Repeat last Ex command
@@	Repeat last executed macro

Efficient Editing with Dot Command

Scenario	Commands	Description
Change multiple occurrences	cw[new text]<Esc>n.n.n.	Change word, then use n to find next occurrence and . to repeat change
Delete multiple lines	dd.....	Delete a line and repeat with . for subsequent lines
Append to multiple lines	A[text]<Esc>j.j.j.	Append text to end of line, move down, and repeat
Change inside multiple parentheses	ci([new text]<Esc>n.n.	Change inside parentheses, find next pair, repeat

Advanced Dot Command Techniques

Technique	Description
Combine with counts	Use 3. to repeat the last change three times
Use with visual mode	Make a change in visual mode, then use . to repeat on next visual selection
Combine with macros	Record a macro, execute it, then use . to repeat the macro's effect
Two-step repeats	Use ; to repeat a motion, then . to repeat a change

Tips for Effective Use

• Make your changes repeatable: prefer cw over cwiwi
• Use text objects (e.g., ciw, ci") for more repeatable actions
• Combine the dot command with searches or jumps for efficient editing
• Remember that u (undo) and Ctrl-R (redo) work well with the dot command
• Practice combining . with n and ; for powerful editing sequences