How to exit VIM and get back to 'normal' terminal?

Question

I did find this answer here: Vim Stuck In Insert Mode

However none of the commands listed worked for me. Exit, cntrl + [, cntrl + q

I'm totally a terminal newb, trying to learn how to setup git using homebrew. Watching this tutorial and I was able to set my global username and email, but I'm stuck in VIM.

I can get out of it by quitting the terminal, but I have to do this every time :(

Is there a better way?

Solution 1

:q is not good because you need to save the file manually before quit.

If you use main window only(no tabs), :wq or equivalent ZZ is better. They will save and quit. ZZ is easier to type.

I use tabs often, so normal commands :wq or ZZ can't fit my need.

Then I made such mapping in vimrc

"Quit vim with saving all tabs and buffers
nnoremap WQ :wqa<CR>

After this, I forget all other quit options, only this one to fit all.

Solution 2

Just found out that I need to use :q or :q!

Comments

[Ignacio Vazquez-Abrams]

Then you weren't in insert mode.

[Ignacio Vazquez-Abrams]

Vim is... primarily a sysadmin tool. It just happens to be useful enough for coding.

[LSerni]

Vim is pretty useful if you use it remotely (e.g. via SSH). Also, it has several features that used to be not as powerful or easy to access in other editors, especially non-GUI ones. I've been using vim for ten years (still do), but today, for a GUI, I'd maybe suggest Eclipse. I hope not to start an editor war here :-)

[LSerni]

Also, you might be interested in this: stackoverflow.com/questions/442057/…