Learning the vi Editor, Sixth Edition

4.4. Marking Your Place

During a vi session, you can mark your place in the file with an invisible "bookmark," perform edits elsewhere, then return to your marked place. In command mode:

m x

Marks the current position with x (x can be any letter).

' x

(apostrophe) Moves the cursor to the first character of the line marked by x.

` x

(backquote) Moves the cursor to the character marked by x.

``

(backquotes) Returns to the exact position of the previous mark or context after a move.

''

(apostrophes) Returns to the beginning of the line of the previous mark or context.

Place markers are set only during the current vi session; they are not stored in the file.