Buffers are files loaded in memory. Windows are views onto buffers (you can split windows). Tabs are collections of windows. Understanding the three is key to managing large projects.

:e file — open file in buffer (or create if new). :enew — new blank buffer. :bn — next buffer, :bp — previous buffer.

:bd — delete buffer (close file). :bdelete or :bwipe for variants. :ls or :buffers — list all open buffers.

:e newfile.txt       " open file
:enew                " new blank buffer
:bn                  " next buffer
:bp                  " previous buffer
:bd                  " close buffer

Buffers are independent of windows — closing a window doesn't close the buffer.

:split — split window horizontally (same file). :vsplit — split vertically. :new — new buffer in horizontal split, :vnew — vertical.

Ctrl+W then navigation: Ctrl+W h/j/k/l — move to left/down/up/right window. Ctrl+W w — cycle through windows.

Ctrl+W n — new window below, Ctrl+W v — new window to right. Ctrl+W c — close window.

Resize: Ctrl+W + — increase height, Ctrl+W - — decrease, Ctrl+W > — increase width, Ctrl+W < — decrease.

:split          " split horizontal
:vsplit         " split vertical
Ctrl+W h        " move to left window
Ctrl+W j        " move to below window
Ctrl+W +        " increase window height
Ctrl+W =        " equalize all windows

:tabnew — new tab (empty buffer). :tabnew file — new tab with file. gt — next tab, gT — previous tab.

:tabclose — close current tab, :tabnext N — jump to tab N (numbered from 1).

Tabs are useful for organizing unrelated work (one tab for editing, one for running commands).

:tabnew          " new tab
gt               " next tab
gT               " previous tab
:tabnext 2       " jump to tab 2

Multiple files: :e file1, :e file2, then :bn/:bp to switch. Or :split file2 to view side-by-side.

Exploring directory: :Explore or :Ex opens file browser (Netrw). Navigate and press Enter to open.

Search across files: :grep pattern searches files in project (requires ripgrep/grep installed). Then :copen to see results, :cn to next result.

:args *.py loads matching files into arg list, :argdo %s/old/new/g applies command to all.

:split file2         " view two files
:vsplit              " vertical split of current
:Explore             " file browser
:grep TODO *.py      " search for TODO
:copen               " show results

The more files you work with, the more valuable buffers/windows/tabs become. Start with :e for simple cases, graduate to splits for comparison, tabs for organizing distinct tasks.