====== VIM - Read And Write Remote Files ====== Reading and writing remote files are almost same as editing remote files. To read a remote file from our local system, we simply open it using command: vim scp://peterk@192.168.1.69/test.txt ---- View the remote file’s contents from your local system to verify if the file has been really modified using command: ssh peter@192.168.1.69 cat test.txt Please note that if you want to mention the absolute path for the directory on the remote host, use double slashes **//** as shown in the following command: vim scp://peter@192.168.1.69//home/peter/Documents/test.txt ---- Just in case you have already changed the default SSH port for security purposes, you should explicitly mention the SSH port no like below. vim scp://peter@192.168.1.69:2200/test.txt Replace 2200 with your SSH port number. If you don’t have ssh/scp access, you can use other protocols, for example ftp, like below. vim ftp://user@remotesystem/path/to/file ---- ===== Read and Write remote files within Vim session ===== If you are already inside a Vim session, you can then read and write remote files using Nread (NetRead) and Nwrite (NetWrite) commands. Open Vim editor in your local system using the following command: vim You’re now inside the Vim session. To read remote file from within the local Vim session in a new buffer, simply run: :e scp://peterk@192.168.1.69/test.txt Alternatively, you can use the “Nread” command like below. :Nread scp://peter@192.168.1.69/test.txt Or, :Nread "scp://peter@192.168.1.69/test.txt" For more details, type the following command inside the Vim session: :Nread ? After reading the file, type :q to exit. Similarly, to write the remote file, run: :e scp://peter@192.168.1.69/test.txt Press “i” to enter into insert mode and start writing /modifying it. You can also use :w command to create and write files. But this command will create new empty file only. :w scp://peter@192.168.1.69/test.txt After writing, press ESC and type :wq to save and exit. Alternatively, use “Nwrite” command to create to write files like below. :Nwrite scp://peter@192.168.1.69/test.txt To know more details about Nwrite, type the following in the Vim session: :Nwrite ?