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10.3. Summary of Commands by Group

Reminder: Tables list keystrokes, command name, and description. C- indicates the Control key; M- indicates the Meta key.

10.3.1. File-Handling Commands

Binding Command Action
C-x C-f find-file Find file and read it.
C-x C-v find-alternate-file

Read another file; replace the one read currently in the buffer.

C-x i insert-file Insert file at cursor position.
C-x C-s save-buffer

Save file. (If terminal hangs, C-q restarts.)

C-x C-w write-file Write buffer contents to file.
C-x C-c save-buffers-kill-emacs Exit Emacs.
C-z suspend-emacs

Suspend Emacs (use exit or fg to restart).

10.3.2. Cursor Movement Commands

Some words are emphasized in the Action column to help you remember the binding for the command.

Binding Command Action
C-f forward-char Move forward one character (right).
C-b backward-char Move backward one character (left).
C-p previous-line Move to previous line (up).
C-n next-line Move to next line (down).
M-f forward-word Move one word forward.
M-b backward-word Move one word backward.
C-a beginning-of-line Move to beginning of line.
C-e end-of-line Move to end of line.
M-a backward-sentence Move backward one sentence.
M-e forward-sentence Move forward one sentence.
M-{ backward-paragraph Move backward one paragraph.
M-} forward-paragraph Move forward one paragraph.
C-v scroll-up Move forward one screen.
M-v scroll-down Move backward one screen.
C-x [ backward-page Move backward one page.
C-x ] forward-page Move forward one page.
M-> end-of-buffer Move to end-of-file.
M-< beginning-of-buffer Move to beginning of file.
(none) goto-line Go to line n of file.
(none) goto-char Go to character n of file.
C-l recenter

Redraw screen with current line in the center.

M-n digit-argument Repeat the next command n times.
C-u n universal-argument Repeat the next command n times.

10.3.3. Deletion Commands

Binding Command Action
Del backward-delete-char Delete previous character.
C-d delete-char Delete character under cursor.
M-Del backward-kill-word Delete previous word.
M-d kill-word

Delete the word the cursor is on.

C-k kill-line

Delete from cursor to end-of-line.

M-k kill-sentence

Delete sentence the cursor is on.

C-x Del backward-kill-sentence Delete previous sentence.
C-y yank Restore what you've deleted.
C-w kill-region

Delete a marked region (see Section 10.3.4, "Paragraphs and Regions").

(none) backward-kill-paragraph Delete previous paragraph.
(none) kill-paragraph

Delete from the cursor to the end of the paragraph.

10.3.4. Paragraphs and Regions

Binding Command Action
C-@

set-mark-command

Mark the beginning (or end) of a region.

C-Space (Same as preceding) (Same as preceding)
C-x C-p mark-page Mark page.
C-x C-x exchange-point-and-mark

Exchange location of cursor and mark.

C-x h mark-whole-buffer Mark buffer.
M-q fill-paragraph Reformat paragraph.
(none) fill-region

Reformat individual paragraphs within a region.

M-h mark-paragraph Mark paragraph.
M-{ backward-paragraph Move backward one paragraph.
M-} forward-paragraph Move forward one paragraph.
(none) backward-kill-paragraph Delete previous paragraph.
(none) kill-paragraph

Delete from the cursor to the end of the paragraph.

10.3.5. Stopping and Undoing Commands

Binding Command Action
C-g keyboard-quit Abort current command.
C-x u advertised-undo Undo last edit (can be done repeatedly).
(none) revert-buffer

Restore buffer to the state it was in when the file was last saved (or auto-saved).

10.3.6. Transposition Commands

Binding Command Action
C-t transpose-chars Transpose two letters.
M-t transpose-words Transpose two words.
C-x C-t transpose-lines Transpose two lines.
(none) transpose-sentences Transpose two sentences.
(none) transpose-paragraphs Transpose two paragraphs.

10.3.7. Capitalization Commands

Binding Command Action
M-c capitalize-word Capitalize first letter of word.
M-u upcase-word Uppercase word.
M-l downcase-word Lowercase word.
M- - M-c

negative-argument; capitalize-word

Capitalize previous word.
M- - M-u

negative-argument; upcase-word

Uppercase previous word.
M- - M-l

negative-argument; downcase-word

Lowercase previous word.
(none) capitalize-region Capitalize initial letters in region.
C-x C-u upcase-region Uppercase region.
C-x C-l downcase-region Lowercase region.

10.3.8. Incremental Search Commands

Binding Command Action
C-s isearch-forward

Start or repeat incremental search forward.

C-r isearch-backward

Start or repeat incremental search backward.

Return (none) Exit a successful search.
C-g keyboard-quit

Cancel incremental search; return to starting point.

Del (none) Delete incorrect character of search string.
M-C-r isearch-backward-regexp

Incremental search backward for regular expression.

M-C-s isearch-forward-regexp

Incremental search forward for regular expression.

10.3.9. Word Abbreviation Commands

Binding Command Action
(none) abbrev-mode

Enter (or exit) word abbreviation mode.

C-x a -

inverse-add- global-abbrev

Define previous word as global (mode- independent) abbreviation.

C-x a i l

inverse-add- mode-abbrev

Define previous word as mode-specific abbreviation.

(none) unexpand-abbrev Undo the last word abbreviation.
(none) write-abbrev-file Write the word abbreviation file.
(none) edit-abbrevs Edit the word abbreviations.
(none) list-abbrevs View the word abbreviations.
(none) kill-all-abbrevs Kill abbreviations for this session.

10.3.10. Buffer Manipulation Commands

Binding Command Action
C-x b switch-to-buffer Move to specified buffer.
C-x C-b list-buffers Display buffer list.
C-x k kill-buffer Delete specified buffer.
(none) kill-some-buffers Ask about deleting each buffer.
(none) rename-buffer

Change buffer name to specified name.

C-x s save-some-buffers

Ask whether to save each modified buffer.

10.3.11. Window Commands

Binding Command Action
C-x 2 split-window-vertically

Divide the current window in two vertically, resulting in one window on top of the other.

C-x 3 split-window-horizontally

Divide the current window in two horizontally, resulting in two side-by-side windows.

C-x > scroll-right Scroll the window right.
C-x < scroll-left Scroll the window left.
C-x o other-window

Move to the other window.

C-x 0 delete-window Delete current window.
C-x 1 delete-other-windows

Delete all windows but this one.

(none) delete-windows-on

Delete all windows on a given buffer.

C-x ^ enlarge-window Make window taller.
(none) shrink-window Make window shorter.
C-x }

enlarge-window- horizontally

Make window wider.
C-x {

shrink-window- horizontally

Make window narrower.
M-C-v scroll-other-window Scroll other window.
C-x 4 f find-file-other-window

Find a file in the other window.

C-x 4 b

switch-to-buffer-other-window

Select a buffer in the other window.

C-x 5 f find-file-other-frame

Find a file in a new frame.

C-x 5 b

switch-to-buffer-other-frame

Select a buffer in another frame.

(none) compare-windows

Compare two buffers; show first difference.

10.3.12. Special Shell Mode Characters

Binding Command Action
C-c C-c interrupt-shell-subjob Terminate the current job.
C-c C-d shell-send-eof End-of-file character.
C-c C-u kill-shell-input Erase current line.
C-c C-w backward-kill-word

Erase the previous word.

C-c C-z stop-shell-subjob

Suspend the current job.

10.3.13. Indentation Commands

Binding Command Action
C-x .

set-fill-prefix

Prepend each line in paragraph with characters from beginning of line up to cursor column; cancel prefix by typing this command in column 1.

(none)

indented-text-mode

Major mode: each tab defines a new indent for subsequent lines.

(none) text-mode

Exit indented text mode; return to text mode.

M-C-\ indent-region

Indent a region to match first line in region.

M-m

back-to-indentation

Move cursor to first character on line.

M-^ delete-indentation

Join this line to the previous line.

M-C-o split-line

Split line at cursor; indent to column of cursor.

(none)

fill-individual- paragraphs

Reformat indented paragraphs, keeping indentation.

10.3.14. Centering Commands

Binding Command Action
(none) center-line Center line that cursor is on.
(none) center-paragraph Center paragraph that cursor is on.
(none) center-region Center currently defined region.

10.3.15. Macro Commands

Binding Command Action
C-x ( start-kbd-macro Start macro definition.
C-x ) end-kbd-macro End macro definition.
C-x e call-last-kbd-macro Execute last macro defined.
M-n C-x e

digit-argument and call-last-kbd-macro

Execute last macro defined n times.

C-u C-x ( start-kbd-macro

Execute last macro defined, then add keystrokes.

(none) name-last-kbd-macro

Name last macro you created (before saving it).

(none)

insert-last-keyboard- macro

Insert the macro you named into a file.

(none) load-file

Load macro files you've saved.

(none) macroname

Execute a keyboard macro you've saved.

C-x q kbd-macro-query

Insert a query in a macro definition.

C-u C-x q (none)

Insert a recursive edit in a macro definition.

M-C-c exit-recursive-edit Exit a recursive edit.

10.3.16. Detail Information Help Commands

Binding Command Action
C-h a command-apropos

What commands involve this concept?

(none) apropos

What commands, functions, and variables involve this concept?

C-h c describe-key-briefly

What command does this keystroke sequence run?

C-h b describe-bindings

What are all the key bindings for this buffer?

C-h k describe-key

What command does this keystroke sequence run, and what does it do?

C-h l view-lossage

What are the last 100 characters I typed?

C-h w where-is

What is the key binding for this command?

C-h f describe-function

What does this function do?

C-h v describe-variable

What does this variable mean, and what is its value?

C-h m describe-mode

Tell me about the mode the current buffer is in.

C-h s describe-syntax

What is the syntax table for this buffer?

10.3.17. Help Commands

Binding Command Action
C-h t help-with-tutorial Run the Emacs tutorial.
C-h i info

Start the Info documentation reader.

C-h n view-emacs-news

View news about updates to Emacs.

C-h C-c describe-copying

View the Emacs General Public License.

C-h C-d describe-distribution

View information on ordering Emacs from the FSF.

C-h C-w describe-no-warranty

View the (non)warranty for Emacs.



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