Ctrl-Z Fg Vim

Jump out and back to Vim with Ctrl+Z and fg

What

Suspend Vim with Ctrl+Z, run a shell command, then use fg to return instantly — no closing files or losing your place.

Context

• Shells: bash/zsh with job control on (default in interactive shells).
• Works in a tmux pane; fg must be issued in the same shell session.
• Handy when working on a small screen and you need quick one‑off commands.

Steps / Snippet

vim app.py
# Need a quick check without quitting Vim:
# Press CTRL+Z to suspend Vim (you'll see: [1]+  Stopped  vim app.py)
grep -n TODO -R .
jobs           # optional: list jobs
fg             # resume the last stopped job (Vim) in the foreground
# Or, explicitly by job:
fg %1

How it works

• CTRL+Z sends the terminal’s suspend character (configured by stty susp), and the kernel delivers SIGTSTP to the foreground process group (Vim and any children).
• Vim stops; the shell records the job as “Stopped” and regains control of the TTY.
• fg is a shell builtin: it selects a job, sends SIGCONT to its process group, and uses tcsetpgrp to hand the terminal back so Vim resumes exactly where it paused.

Pitfalls

• Use the same pane/tab: fg only sees jobs created by that shell.
• Some tools may trap suspension or alter TTY modes; Vim behaves well.
• Non‑interactive shells or disabled job control (set +m in bash) prevent this.

Links

• GNU Bash Manual: Job Control Basics https://www.gnu.org/software/bash/manual/html_node/Job-Control-Basics.html
• POSIX fg specification https://pubs.opengroup.org/onlinepubs/9699919799/utilities/fg.html
• Signals overview (SIGTSTP/SIGCONT) https://man7.org/linux/man-pages/man7/signal.7.html

Now we really are not exiting Vim.