How to Duplicate a Whole Line in Vim

Vim is a powerful text editor that provides numerous shortcuts and commands to efficiently edit files. One common operation for developers and writers is duplicating a line of text. Vim makes this simple with a few intuitive commands.

In this article, we’ll explore different methods to duplicate a whole line in Vim and provide some tips for making the process even faster.

1. Using the yyp Command

The easiest way to duplicate a line in Vim is by using the yyp command.

Steps:

1. Navigate to the line you want to duplicate.
2. Press yy to yank (copy) the current line.
3. Press p to paste the yanked line below the current line.

Example:

Original:
Line 1
Line 2
Line 3

After yyp on Line 2:
Line 1
Line 2
Line 2
Line 3

2. Using the :t Command

The :t command allows you to duplicate a line by targeting it directly.

Steps:

1. Navigate to the line you want to duplicate.
2. Use the :t command followed by a line number or relative position.
   • :t. duplicates the line below the current one.
   • :t+1 duplicates the line after the current one.
   • :t-1 duplicates the line before the current one.

Example:

Original:
Line 1
Line 2
Line 3

Command: `:t.` on Line 2
Result:
Line 1
Line 2
Line 2
Line 3

3. Using Visual Line Mode

Visual line mode lets you visually select and duplicate a line.

Steps:

1. Navigate to the line you want to duplicate.
2. Press V to select the entire line.
3. Press y to yank the line.
4. Press p to paste it below the current line.

Tip: You can repeat the paste operation (p) multiple times to duplicate the line as many times as needed.

4. Using Macros for Repeated Duplications

If you need to duplicate a line multiple times, using a macro can save time.

Steps:

1. Start recording a macro by pressing q followed by a register key (e.g., q).
2. Use yyp to duplicate the line.
3. Stop recording by pressing q again.
4. Replay the macro by pressing @ followed by the register key.

Example:

• Record with qq, type yyp, and stop recording with q.
• Replay the macro by typing @q as many times as needed.

5. Mapping a Shortcut for Line Duplication

You can add a custom mapping to your Vim configuration file (~/.vimrc) to streamline line duplication.

Example Mapping:

nnoremap <Leader>d yyp

Here:

• <Leader> is a customizable key, often set as \ by default.
• Pressing \d (or your custom leader key + d) will duplicate the current line.

6. Duplicating Multiple Lines

If you want to duplicate more than one line, you can combine line ranges with yank and paste.

Steps:

1. Yank multiple lines by specifying a range:
   • :2,4y yanks lines 2 through 4.
2. Paste the yanked lines:
   • Navigate to the target location and press p.

Example:

Original:
Line 1
Line 2
Line 3
Line 4

Command: `:2,3y` then move to Line 4 and press `p`
Result:
Line 1
Line 2
Line 3
Line 4
Line 2
Line 3

Duplicating lines in Vim is straightforward and can be achieved in various ways, from simple commands like yyp to advanced techniques like macros and custom mappings. By practicing these methods and tailoring your workflow with shortcuts or plugins, you can significantly boost your productivity in Vim.