When working with big file editing, I would simple save the file I'm working on into a duplicate with :w somefile, do whatever editing I need to by yanking, deleting, and putting working only one file then do a bash diff or compare on the two files to see if the correct changes are indeed correct. If they are and you still have extensive editing then save the working file to a second :w some2ndfile and so forth ... Keep track of your changes in Note.file just in case you have to go back and reconstruct something. Best done if line numbering is turned on. Also, use NerdTree to navigate between files. Some mapping that I put in .vimrc are: map the keystroke jj to go to command mode when in insert mode and map to get a command prompt : when in command mode, to save a file in both command and insert modes, to open nerdTree in a side pane, ctrl-w navigates through the nerdTree panes. I also set my default window nearly as big as the screen so I have plenty room navigating between and into files. If you are using vim as a quassi IDE another handy tool is to map a function key to generate a tagfile in your /home/projects/directory/file so that if you can't quite remember some command you used some time ago, it is easy to without leaving vim using nerdTree.