My configuration is available on GitHub.

Editing text

To mark a region use C-SPACE or C-@. To copy the selected text use M-w, to cut use C-w, for pasting use C-y. To select a column use C-x-SPACE.

To load a file with the given encoding use C-x RET r or revert-buffer-with-coding-system. To reload a file from disk use M-x revert-buffer. To enable autorealoading one can use the auto revert mode with the command M-x auto-revert-mode.

Configuration

To reload the configuration use M-x eval-buffer.

Saving sessions is so called desktop mode: (desktop-save-mode 1)

To match parenthesis use the Paren Mode: (show-paren-mode 1)

In order to show tabs of the opened files, install package emacs-goodies-el for Debian based distribution. In the configuration file put: (tabbar-mode 1)

To force SSH connection to remote machines set in the configuration file: (setq tramp-default-method "ssh")

Then use C-x C-f with the prefix ssh of the file path.

There is a possibility to setup Window split policy, it defines minimum width or height when to apply the split policy:
(setq split-height-threshold 80)
(setq split-width-threshold 240)

For the line highlighting use
(global-hl-line-mode 1)
(set-face-background hl-line-face "#222222")

Magit

To install Magit, first setup the package archive in .emacs/init.el:
(require 'package)
(add-to-list 'package-archives
  '("melpa" . "http://melpa.org/packages/") t)

After refreshing Emacs with eval-buffer, refresh the package list using M-x package-refresh-contents RET and then install it with M-x package-install RET magit RET.

To use Magit type M-x magit-status or C-x g, to exit use q. When Magit window is opened, use key TAB to show the diff, use s to stage changes, key u to unstage, key k to revert a file changes. To commit press c and then c again; when log comment is finished, press C-c C-c to finish the commit. To push the commit use P and then u to push to the current upstream. Since Magit does not provide git rm, delete a file with M-x delete-file RET <file> RET and then refresh Magit buffer with g.

Ido mode

To reload a directory in Tramp mode use C-l.

JSON mode

Install it via Melpa: M-x package-install RET json-mode RET. Set indent size with: M-x customize-group RET json-mode RET. To format a buffer use C-c C-f.

TeX mode

To compile from .tex into .pdf use C-c C-c. To view the PDF file use again C-c C-c. Emacs will show the PDF file in a new buffer. For the autocomplete of Tex commands use M-/.

Dired

Use it with dired. Open a file by selecting it and pressing the Enter. To rename a file use R Enter. To flag a file for deletion press d. To actually delete the flagged files press x and confirm it.

Ibuffer

Use it with M-x ibuffer to show all the open buffers. To mark a buffer use m, to unmark it use u, to kill all the marked buffers use D. To see the help use ?.

Term mode

Call it with M-x term. To switch between the terminal buffer and another one use C-c C-left and C-c C-right. To switch to the line mode use C-c C-j. To switch to the character mode use C-c C-k. To kill the terminal buffer use C-c k.