EMACS: General Keys

M stands for the Meta, which exists on older keyboards. On modern keyboards, it is achieved either by pressing and releasing ESC then the next key, or holding down the ALT key and the next key at the same time. Depending on the system, it may be one or the other, or both may be an option.

General Movement and DELetion

Scope	Move Forward	Move Backward	Delete Forward	Delete Backward
Characters	`C-f`	`C-b`	`C-d` or Backspace	`DEL`
Words	`M-f`	`M-b`	`M-d`	`M-DEL`
Lines	`C-n`	`C-p`	`C-K` (to EOL)	`C-Space` `C-a` `C-w`
Sentences	`M-e`	`M-a`	`M-k`	`C-x DEL`
Expressions	`C-M-f`	`C-M-b`	`C-M-k`	`C-M-DEL`
Paragraphs	`M-}`	`M-{`	N/A	N/A
End/Start of Line	`C-e`	`C-a`	N/A	N/A
End/Start of Buffer	`M->`	`M-<`	N/A	N/A
Screen-Full	`C-v` or `Page Up`	`M-v` or `Page Down`	N/A	N/A

Windows

Keystroke	Function
`C-x 1`	Make current window the only one
`C-x 0`	Make the other window the only one
`C-x 2`	Split window horizontally
`C-x 3`	Split window vertically
`C-x o`	Switch window

Files and Buffers

Keystroke	Function
`C-x C-f`	Find (Open) File
`C-x C-s`	Saves file
`C-x C-w`	“Save As”
`C-x b`	Switch buffer
`C-x C-b`	List Buffers
`C-x k`	Kill Buffer

Miscellaneous

Keystroke	Function
`C-_` or `C-x u`	Undo
`C-q`	Quote the next key, even if a command
`C-x C-c`	Exit EMACS
`M-\|`	Shell Command on Region. Put numerical argument and output will replace region (so `M-1 M-\|`)

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Created by I. Charles Barilleaux
Last Update: 2021-03-27