Special Marks
Marks Vim sets for you automatically.
Some marks are set by Vim itself: '' for last jump, `` for last position, '. for last edit, '< / '> for last visual selection, and more.
Most marks you set yourself. But Vim quietly sets a handful of special marks all the time. They're worth memorizing — they make navigation feel telepathic.
| Mark | What it tracks |
|---|---|
| '' | Position before the last big jump |
| `` | Same, but exact position |
| '. | Line of the last change |
| `. | Exact position of the last change |
| '^ | Line where Insert mode was last left |
| `^ | Exact spot Insert was last left |
| '< / '> | Start/end (line) of last visual selection |
| `< / `> | Start/end (exact) of last visual selection |
| '[ / '] | Start/end of last yanked or changed text |
See also: Setting and Jumping to Marks, The Change List, Visual Mode Tricks