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18/24

Brackets, Braces & Parentheses

Estimated time: 10 minutes

Task Instructions

Master delimiter text objects for code manipulation

Use delimiter text objects to edit code structures. Position cursor inside parentheses and use ci( to change contents, or use ci{ for braces, ci[ for brackets.

Learning objectives

  • Master delimiter text objects: i(, a(, i[, a[, i{, a{
  • Learn to edit function arguments and array elements
  • Practice changing code blocks and data structures
  • Understand nested delimiter handling

Required Keystrokes

This lesson requires you to use specific keystrokes to complete it. Your submission will be evaluated based on whether you used the required keystrokes mentioned below, rather than matching a specific output.

ci[\(\[\{]
Change inside delimiters
[cd][ia][\(\[\{]
Use delimiter objects

What This Means

  • Your solution must include the required keystroke patterns
  • The order of keystrokes may matter depending on the exercise
  • You'll still need to achieve the expected output
  • This helps you practice specific Vim techniques

Helpful commands:

Command Description
ci( Change inside parentheses
ci[ Change inside brackets
ci{ Change inside braces
ca( Change around parentheses
di{ Delete inside braces

Hints

  • Works with (), [], {}, and even <> for HTML tags
  • Vim is smart about nested delimiters
  • Use 'a' variants to include the delimiters

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Read the directions on the left, and when you're ready, let's go!