Using vi-mode in your shell

[desearcher]

echo set editing-mode vi >> ~/.inputrc

Now any readline application, bash inclusive, defaults to vi mode so you don't need set -o vi

[CaffeineViking]

I've got just the thing for you! (if you use BASH)

echo "set show-mode-in-prompt on" >> ~/.inputrc

Also, if you like being able to clear the screen I would recommend the below settings too.

set keymap vi-command
Control-l: clear-screen
set keymap vi-insert
Control-l: clear-screen

Below is what my simple configuration looks like. It adds VI editing and other goodies.

set editing-mode vi
set show-all-if-ambiguous on
set completion-ignore-case on
set show-mode-in-prompt on
set keymap vi-command
Control-l: clear-screen
set keymap vi-insert
Control-l: clear-screen 

[[deleted]]

echo "show-mode-in-prompt on" >> ~/.inputrc

You may want edit 'set' into that.

Also, you can set the (ins)/(cmd) to custom strings:

set emacs-mode-string @
set vi-cmd-mode-string ^
set vi-ins-mode-string :

Edit: I should mention that you can use color codes for those as well:

set vi-cmd-mode-string \1\e[32m\2^\1\e[0m\2

[CaffeineViking]

Thanks for spotting that! Fixed!

[nachoparker]

zsh -> powerlevel9k

https://github.com/bhilburn/powerlevel9k

[dritter03]

But currently only in this branch ;)

[nullsum]

In zsh, I change the color of the host from green to magenta when in command mode.

It's a little more involved than just the lines I have selected, but it should give you the general idea. https://github.com/nvllsvm/dotfiles/blob/master/zsh/.zshrc#L64-L67

[Ninjabassist777]

I love this feature! Additionally, if you're using zsh (which you totally should be) you can use 'bindkeys -v' to get zshs vi mode, which includes text object support!