Vim Buffers

The Problem

Editing multiple files sequentially requires efficiently loading, saving, and switching between file buffers.

Core Idea

A buffer is an in-memory copy of a file. Vim provides commands to load, save, and navigate between open buffers.

How It Works

Basic buffer commands:

Command	Action
`:e <path>`	Open (edit) a file
`:w`	Save current buffer
`:w <path>`	Save to new file
`:saveas <path>`	Save buffer as new file
`:x`	Save if modified and quit
`:q`	Quit (fails if unsaved)
`:q!`	Quit without saving
`:qa!`	Quit all, ignore changes
`:bn`	Next buffer
`:bp`	Previous buffer

Key Properties

:q! discards unsaved changes
:x only writes if buffer is modified
ZZ = :wq (write and quit)
Buffer list persists until explicitly cleared

Edge Cases & Gotchas

Unload buffer vs delete buffer are different
Hidden buffers: :bn fails with unsaved changes — use :bn! or :set hidden
:b# switches to alternate buffer

Connections

Vim Splits — Each split shows a buffer
Survival Commands — Basic save/quit
Vim Modes — Works in Normal mode
Macros — Can record buffer operations