How do I switch between command and insert mode in Vim

Question

I just started using Vim as an IDE  I was using it as a test editor for a while now  so I didn t have to go to command mode very often  But  since I program in Java  I have to go to command mode to make the file  compile run it    etc    The problem is  I need a good way to switch between the two modes    I looked online and it says that the  lt Esc gt  key is supposed to do that  but that doesn t work for me  maybe it s not for gVim  I don t know why    I have to press CTRLO every time to go to command mode  the escape key works from that mode    it brings me back to insert mode  But is there a better  or easier  way of switching between command mode and insert mode

User · Answer

Coming from emacs I ve found that I like ctrl   keys to do stuff  and in vim I ve found that both  ctrl   C  and  alt   backspace  will enter Normal mode from insert mode  You might try and see if any of those works out for you

User · Answer

Looks like your Vim is launched in easy mode  See  help easy   This happens when Vim is invoked with the -y argument or as evim  or maybe you have a  set insertmode somewhere in your  vimrc configuration  Find the source and disable it  temporarily this can be also done via Ctrl   O  set noim Enter

User · Answer

Pressing ESC quits from insert mode to normal mode  where you can press   to type in a command  Press i again to back to insert mode  and you are good to go   I m not a Vim guru  so someone else can be more experienced and give you other options

User · Answer

For me  the problem was that I was in recording mode  To exit from recording mode press q  Then Esc worked as expected for me

User · Answer

This has been mentioned in other questions  but ctrl     is an equivalent to ESC on all keyboards

User · Answer

You can use Alt H J K L to move cursor in insert mode

User · Answer

There is also one more solution for that kind of problem  which is rather rare  I think  and you may experience it  if you are using vim on OS X Sierra  Actually  it s a problem with Esc button     not with vim  For example  I wasnt able to exit fullscreen video on youtube using Esc  but I lived with that for a few months until I had experienced the same problem with vim   I found this solution  If you are lazy enough to follow external link  switching off Siri and killing the process in Activity Monitor helped

User · Answer

Using jj  In my case  the  vimrc  or in gVim it is in  vimrc  setting below   inoremap jj  lt Esc gt        jj key is  lt Esc gt  setting

[vim] How do I switch between command and insert mode in Vim?

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