This document contains a rudimentary set of commands. Refer to the EMACS reference card for a more extensive collection of commands. Also use the help button of your emacs session (if you run X) to obtain more detailed information on commands.

The ^ character stands for the ctrl key on your keyboard. The M character stands for the esc key on your keyboard. It used to stand for the meta key, but they don't make keyboards with that key anymore.

emacs file	To open a file in emacs.
^x^c	To leave emacs, saving the current file
^x^s	To save the current file without leaving emacs. Also notice that emacs has an autosave feature.
uparrow or ^p	move up a line
downarrow or ^n	move down a line
rightarrow or ^f	move forward one character
leftarrow or ^b	move backwards one character
Mf	move to end of string
Mb	move to beginning of string
Mv	move up a screen
^v	move down a screen
^e	move to end of line
^a	move to beginning of line
M<	move to beginning of document
M>	move to end of document
^k	kill text from cursor position to end of line (store in buffer)
^y	yank back text from buffer, insert in current position. You can kill several lines at a time, they all go into the buffer and can then be yanked back.
^g	kill current command
^l	recenter text, refresh screen
^s	search forward
^r	search backwards