nnoremap

nnoremap is a Vim and Neovim command used to create non-recursive mappings for normal mode. It assigns a left-hand side sequence of keys to a right-hand side action without allowing the right-hand side to be remapped by other mappings. This ensures predictable behavior and prevents accidental recursion if the RHS happens to be mapped elsewhere.

Syntax and scope: The basic form is nnoremap lhs rhs. The lhs is the key sequence pressed in normal mode, and the rhs is what gets executed. The right-hand side can include commands, keystrokes, or special keys such as <CR> or <Esc>. It can also use <expr> in the rhs to treat the mapping as an expression that is evaluated when invoked. Options like <silent> or <nowait> can be added to refine behavior. For example: nnoremap <leader>w :w<CR> saves the current buffer.

Comparison and related mappings: nnoremap is the normal-mode counterpart of the broader noremap family. There are analogous non-recursive mappings for other modes, such as vnoremap for visual mode and inoremap for insert mode. By contrast, nmap (without nore) is recursive, meaning the RHS can be remapped if it contains other mapped sequences. This distinction helps avoid unintended interactions with existing mappings and plugins.

Best practices: Use non-recursive mappings for user-defined shortcuts and plugin integrations to keep mappings stable. Prefer <Plug> mappings as an abstraction layer when exposing plugin functionality, and keep the RHS as short and robust as possible.

Examples:

- nnoremap <leader>w :w<CR>

- nnoremap <leader>q :q!<CR>

- nnoremap <silent> <leader>p <Plug>MyPluginDoSomething

Overall, nnoremap provides safe, predictable normal-mode key remapping suitable for both personal workflow customization and plugin compatibility.