LazyVim + Lazygit Basics: Navigate, Edit and Commit Without Leaving Your Editor

LazyVim turns Neovim into a full IDE with sensible defaults, and lazygit gives you a complete git interface in the terminal. In this guide you'll learn how to get around LazyVim, copy and move text, find anything in a file or project, and run a normal git workflow with lazygit, all without leaving the editor.

You don't need deep Vim knowledge. If you know i to start typing, Esc to stop, and :w to save, you're ready.

---

Before you start

You'll need:

• Neovim 0.11.2 or newer and LazyVim installed (installation guide)
• lazygit installed and on your PATH, otherwise Space g g won't open it (lazygit on GitHub)
• ripgrep and fd for fast project-wide search
• A Nerd Font in your terminal so the icons display properly

All keybindings below are LazyVim defaults. You can check the full list on the LazyVim keymaps page.

---

1. The dashboard, leader key and which-key

When you open nvim without a file, you land on the LazyVim dashboard. From here you can find files, open recent files, jump into your config or open the plugin manager. Each option has a one-letter shortcut.

The most important thing to learn is the leader key, which is the Space bar. Almost every LazyVim command starts with it.

Press Space and wait a moment. A popup called which-key appears, listing every command you can run next, grouped by letter:

Group	Purpose
f	Files
s	Search
g	Git
b	Buffers
c	Code
x	Diagnostics and lists
u	UI toggles
q	Quit and sessions

Press a letter to drill into that group. You don't need to memorise anything on day one: press Space and read.

Useful extras:

• Space s k searches every keymap by name. Lost? Start here.
• Space l opens Lazy, the plugin manager. Press U to update everything and q to close it.

---

2. Files, buffers and windows

Opening files

• Space Space opens the fuzzy file finder. Type a few letters of the name, move with the arrow keys or Ctrl+j / Ctrl+k, and press Enter.
• Space e toggles the file explorer. Move with j and k, press Enter to open, and a to create a new file.
• Space f r shows recently opened files.

Buffers

Every open file is a buffer, shown along the top like tabs.

• Shift+h / Shift+l move to the previous / next buffer
• Space , lists open buffers in a searchable picker
• Space b d closes the current buffer

Splits

• Space | splits the window to the right
• Space - splits the window below
• Ctrl+h, Ctrl+j, Ctrl+k, Ctrl+l move between splits
• Space w d closes the current split

Saving and quitting

• Ctrl+s saves the file, in any mode
• Space q q quits everything

---

3. Copying, cutting and moving text

Vim calls copying yanking and pasting putting. Deleting text also cuts it, so you can paste whatever you just deleted. LazyVim connects yanks to your system clipboard by default, so you can paste into other apps too.

The basics (Normal mode)

Keys	What it does
yy	Copy the current line
yiw	Copy the word under the cursor
y$	Copy from the cursor to the end of the line
dd	Cut the current line
diw	Cut the word under the cursor
x	Cut the character under the cursor
p	Paste after the cursor (or below the line)
P	Paste before the cursor (or above the line)
u	Undo
Ctrl+r	Redo

Add a number to repeat: 3yy copies three lines, 5dd cuts five.

Selecting with Visual mode

When you'd rather select first and then act:

1. Press v to select characters, V to select whole lines, or Ctrl+v to select a block (columns).
2. Move the cursor to grow the selection.
3. Press y to copy, d to cut, or p to replace the selection with what you copied.

Moving lines up and down

LazyVim adds a handy shortcut for moving lines without cutting and pasting:

• Alt+j moves the current line (or selected lines) down
• Alt+k moves it up

This works in Normal, Insert and Visual mode. Select a few lines with V and press Alt+j to move the whole block.

Indenting a selection

Select lines with V, then press > to indent or < to un-indent. LazyVim keeps the selection active, so you can press it repeatedly.

Moving text between files

1. Copy or cut the text (yy, dd or a Visual selection).
2. Open the other file with Space Space, or switch buffer with Shift+l.
3. Move to where you want it and press p.

Clipboard history

Vim stores your recent copies and deletes in registers. Press Space s " to browse them and paste an older one.

---

4. Finding text in a file

Searching with /

1. Press /, type what you're looking for, and press Enter.
2. Press n to jump to the next match and N for the previous one.
3. Press Esc to clear the highlighting.

Use ? instead of / to search backwards.

Searching for the word under your cursor

Put the cursor on a word and press * to jump to its next occurrence, or # to jump to the previous one.

Searching with a picker

Space s b searches the lines of the current file in a picker with a preview, which is easier when there are lots of matches.

Jumping to anything on screen with flash

Press s, then type two characters. LazyVim labels every match on screen. Press a label and your cursor jumps straight there. This is often faster than searching when the target is already visible.

Find and replace in the current file

Type this in Normal mode and press Enter:

:%s/old/new/g

• % means the whole file
• g replaces every match on each line
• Add c at the end (/gc) to confirm each replacement one at a time

---

5. Finding text anywhere in the project

Keys	What it does
Space /	Live search (grep) across the whole project
Space s w	Search the project for the word under the cursor, or the selected text
Space s G	Search from the current working directory instead of the project root
Space s r	Search and replace across the project
Space s R	Reopen your last search

Space / updates results as you type, with a preview on the right. Press Enter to jump to a result.

Search and replace across files

Space s r opens a search-and-replace panel:

1. Type the text to find in the Search field.
2. Type the new text in the Replace field.
3. Optionally narrow it down with the Files filter, for example *.lua.
4. Review the preview, then apply the changes using the key shown at the top of the panel.

Always review the preview before replacing across a whole project, and commit first so you can undo it in lazygit if needed.

---

6. Navigating code

LazyVim sets up language servers so you can move through code like in an IDE.

Keys	What it does
gd	Go to definition
gr	List references
K	Show documentation for the symbol under the cursor
Ctrl+o	Jump back to where you were
Space c r	Rename a symbol everywhere
Space c a	Code actions and quick fixes
]d / [d	Next / previous problem
Space x x	Full diagnostics list
Space c f	Format the file
Space c m	Open Mason to install language servers and formatters

---

7. Using lazygit inside LazyVim

Opening lazygit

Press Space g g and lazygit opens in a floating window over your editor. Space g G does the same from your current working directory rather than the project root.

The layout

On the left are five panels: Status, Files, Branches, Commits and Stash. Press 1 to 5 to jump to one, or move between them with h / l or the arrow keys. The right side shows the diff for whatever you've selected.

Staging changes

In the Files panel (2):

• Space stages or unstages the selected file
• a stages everything
• Enter opens the file's diff, where Space stages just the line or hunk under the cursor. Esc takes you back.

Committing, pushing and pulling

• c opens the commit message box. Type your message and press Enter.
• P (capital) pushes
• p (lowercase) pulls

Branches

In the Branches panel (3):

• n creates a new branch and switches to it
• Space checks out the selected branch

Undo and help

• z undoes your last git action, and Z redoes it. Be careful with anything you've already pushed.
• ? shows every shortcut for the panel you're in
• q closes lazygit and returns you to your code

Quick git shortcuts without lazygit

Keys	What it does
Space g b	Blame for the current line
Space g f	History of the current file
Space g s	Git status picker
Space g l	Git log

---

Cheat sheet

LazyVim

Keys	What it does
Space (wait)	which-key menu of all commands
Space Space	Find files
Space e	Toggle file explorer
Space ,	List open buffers
Shift+h / Shift+l	Previous / next buffer
Space b d	Close buffer
Space | / Space -	Split right / below
Ctrl+h/j/k/l	Move between splits
Ctrl+s	Save
Space q q	Quit all

Copy, cut and move

Keys	What it does
yy / dd	Copy / cut line
yiw / diw	Copy / cut word
p / P	Paste after / before
v / V / Ctrl+v	Select characters / lines / block
Alt+j / Alt+k	Move line or selection down / up
u / Ctrl+r	Undo / redo
Space s "	Browse clipboard history (registers)

Find

Keys	What it does
/text then n / N	Search in file, next / previous
*	Search for word under cursor
s + 2 letters	Flash jump on screen
Space s b	Search lines in current file
:%s/old/new/g	Replace in current file
Space /	Search the whole project
Space s w	Search project for word under cursor
Space s r	Search and replace across project

Lazygit

Keys	What it does
Space g g	Open lazygit
1–5	Jump to panel
Space	Stage / unstage (file, or line in diff view)
a	Stage all
c	Commit
P / p	Push / pull
n (Branches)	New branch
z / Z	Undo / redo
?	All keybindings
q	Quit lazygit

---

Final tip

Don't try to learn everything at once. Use LazyVim for a week, and every time you reach for the mouse, press Space and see whether which-key has an answer.

Want more? Check out the GrimStormZA channels on YouTube, Twitch and TikTok, and let me know what you'd like covered next: customising LazyVim, or a deeper lazygit guide with rebasing and cherry-picking.

Links

• LazyVim documentation
• LazyVim keymaps
• lazygit on GitHub