Sublime Text Cheat Sheet

Updated 2026-04-28

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Sublime Text is a sophisticated cross-platform text editor built for code, markup, and prose, known for its speed, elegant interface, and powerful features. Released in 2008, it pioneered features like multiple selections, Goto Anything, and a minimap that have since become standard in modern editors. Build 4200 (stable, May 2025) added sidebar placement options, interactive build systems, and native TOML/Zsh syntax; the dev channel (build 4205) upgraded the plugin Python runtime to 3.14. While VS Code and Zed have surged in popularity, Sublime Text remains the choice of developers who prioritize raw performance, minimal resource usage, and a distraction-free workflow — it starts instantly, handles massive files without slowdown, and stays responsive where Electron-based editors struggle.

What This Cheat Sheet Covers

This topic spans 23 focused tables and 247 indexed concepts, 77 flashcards. Below is a complete table-by-table outline of this topic, spanning foundational concepts through advanced details.

Table 1: Navigation and Quick AccessTable 2: Multiple Selections and EditingTable 3: Find and ReplaceTable 4: Editing and Text ManipulationTable 5: Code Formatting and IndentationTable 6: Snippets and MacrosTable 7: Projects and WorkspacesTable 8: Build Systems and TasksTable 9: Git IntegrationTable 10: View and Layout ManagementTable 11: Bookmarks and MarksTable 12: Code FoldingTable 13: Settings and CustomizationTable 14: Key Bindings CustomizationTable 15: Themes and Color SchemesTable 16: Package Control and ExtensionsTable 17: Autocomplete and IntelliSenseTable 18: Vintage Mode (Vim Emulation)Table 19: Advanced FeaturesTable 20: Command Line InterfaceTable 21: Keyboard Shortcuts — File ManagementTable 22: Keyboard Shortcuts — SelectionTable 23: Minimap and Visual Elements

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Sublime's reputation for speed rests largely on these jump-anywhere commands. Goto Anything (Ctrl+P) and its cousins let you reach any file, symbol, line, or word with a few keystrokes — once they become muscle memory, you stop scrolling and start teleporting through a codebase.

Command	Example	Description
Goto Anything	`Ctrl+P` → type `myfile.py`	• Opens fuzzy file search across the project • type a filename or path fragment to jump to any file.
Command Palette	`Ctrl+Shift+P`	Searchable list of all commands, settings, and plugin actions — access everything without memorizing shortcuts.
Goto Symbol	`Ctrl+R` or `Ctrl+P` → `@functionName`	• Lists all symbols (functions, classes, methods) in the current file • navigate with arrows or fuzzy search.
Goto Symbol in Project	`Ctrl+Shift+R`	• Searches symbols across all project files • useful for finding definitions in large codebases.
Goto Line	`Ctrl+G` → `145` or `Ctrl+P` → `:145`	• Jumps to a specific line number • `:` prefix works inside Goto Anything.
Goto Word	`Ctrl+;`	• Jumps to any word in the current file using fuzzy search • faster than scrolling or find for single-file navigation.
Goto Definition	`F12` or right-click → Goto Definition	• Jumps to the symbol definition • uses indexed symbols from project files.
Goto Reference	`Shift+F12`	• Finds all uses of a function or variable within the project • useful for impact analysis.
Jump Back/Forward	`Alt+-` / `Alt+Shift+-`	• Navigates through jump history • works after Goto Definition or symbol jumps.
Switch File	`Ctrl+Tab` / `Ctrl+Shift+Tab`	• Cycles through open tabs forward/backward • hold Ctrl to see tab preview.
Reveal in Sidebar	`Ctrl+K, Ctrl+B` (with SyncedSideBar)	• Highlights the current file in the sidebar tree • useful for understanding file location in project structure.

Table 2: Multiple Selections and Editing

Multiple selections are the feature Sublime made famous, and they're the single biggest reason its fans stay loyal. Drop a cursor on every match with Ctrl+D or Alt+F3, then type once and watch the edit apply everywhere at once — these techniques turn tedious find-and-replace chores into a few quick keystrokes.

Technique	Example	Description
Select Next Occurrence	`Ctrl+D`	• Selects the next instance of the current word/selection • repeat to add more for simultaneous editing.

The rest of this section is part of the full cheat sheet

Table 3: Find and Replace

Beyond the everyday Ctrl+F, Sublime's search panel hides incremental find, regex with capture groups, project-wide search, and the ability to scope a replace to just the text you've selected. Knowing which toggle to flip is the difference between a clean surgical edit and accidentally rewriting half the file.

Feature	Example	Description
Find	`Ctrl+F`	• Opens the find panel for searching the current file • supports case sensitivity and whole word toggles.

The rest of this section is part of the full cheat sheet

Table 4: Editing and Text Manipulation

These are the small line-level moves you reach for hundreds of times a day — shuffling a line up or down, duplicating it, joining two together, or fixing a transposed typo. None are flashy, but together they keep your hands on the keyboard and your code in shape without touching the mouse.

Command	Example	Description
Move Line Up/Down	`Ctrl+Shift+Up` / `Ctrl+Shift+Down`	Swaps the current line or selection with the line above/below, maintaining indentation.

The rest of this section is part of the full cheat sheet

Table 1: Navigation and Quick Access

Command	Example	Description
Goto Anything	`Ctrl+P` → type `myfile.py`	• Opens fuzzy file search across the project • type a filename or path fragment to jump to any file.
Command Palette	`Ctrl+Shift+P`	Searchable list of all commands, settings, and plugin actions — access everything without memorizing shortcuts.
Goto Symbol	`Ctrl+R` or `Ctrl+P` → `@functionName`	• Lists all symbols (functions, classes, methods) in the current file • navigate with arrows or fuzzy search.
Goto Symbol in Project	`Ctrl+Shift+R`	• Searches symbols across all project files • useful for finding definitions in large codebases.
Goto Line	`Ctrl+G` → `145` or `Ctrl+P` → `:145`	• Jumps to a specific line number • `:` prefix works inside Goto Anything.
Goto Word	`Ctrl+;`	• Jumps to any word in the current file using fuzzy search • faster than scrolling or find for single-file navigation.
Goto Definition	`F12` or right-click → Goto Definition	• Jumps to the symbol definition • uses indexed symbols from project files.
Goto Reference	`Shift+F12`	• Finds all uses of a function or variable within the project • useful for impact analysis.
Jump Back/Forward	`Alt+-` / `Alt+Shift+-`	• Navigates through jump history • works after Goto Definition or symbol jumps.
Switch File	`Ctrl+Tab` / `Ctrl+Shift+Tab`	• Cycles through open tabs forward/backward • hold Ctrl to see tab preview.
Reveal in Sidebar	`Ctrl+K, Ctrl+B` (with SyncedSideBar)	• Highlights the current file in the sidebar tree • useful for understanding file location in project structure.

Table 2: Multiple Selections and Editing

Technique	Example	Description
Select Next Occurrence	`Ctrl+D`	• Selects the next instance of the current word/selection • repeat to add more for simultaneous editing.

Table 3: Find and Replace

Feature	Example	Description
Find	`Ctrl+F`	• Opens the find panel for searching the current file • supports case sensitivity and whole word toggles.

Table 4: Editing and Text Manipulation

Command	Example	Description
Move Line Up/Down	`Ctrl+Shift+Up` / `Ctrl+Shift+Down`	Swaps the current line or selection with the line above/below, maintaining indentation.