In vi normal mode, the cursor is on the line to remove.
Delete that line including its newline.
Which key sequence is correct?
dd deletes the current line as a linewise operation. The deleted text is placed in a register and can later be pasted with p.
Detailed explanation
xIncorrect. x deletes one character at the cursor.
Incorrect. x deletes one character at the cursor.
dwIncorrect. dw deletes from the cursor through a word motion, not necessarily the whole line.
Incorrect. dw deletes from the cursor through a word motion, not necessarily the whole line.
DIncorrect. D deletes from the cursor to the end of the line.
Incorrect. D deletes from the cursor to the end of the line.
ddCorrect. dd removes the complete current line.
Correct. dd removes the complete current line.
Try it yourself
An example you can run in a temporary verification environment.
printf 'one\ntwo\nthree\n' > sample.txt; vim -Nu NONE -n -es sample.txt -c 'normal! 2Gdd' -c 'wq'; cat sample.txtExpected result
one
threeKey points
- dd deletes a line
- x deletes one character
- D deletes from the cursor to the line end
Notes
- Environment: Vim 9.x（vi互換操作）
- Command output formatting can vary slightly by distribution or tool version.
- Run the example in a temporary directory or process when possible.
Foundation review
Read the scope first
Check whether the command acts on the current shell, a new process, an existing process, or a file.
Verify the observable result
Use the supplied command and compare the output with the expected result.