VIM Mapping doesn't work properly when I create macros

Question

I started studying VIM around 3 days ago. And now I'm stuck creating macros.

On the beginning of learning VIM I created mapping: jk -> ESC for convenience ( inoremap jk <ESC> ). Now my macros works correctly only if I pressed ESC ; with jk they don't work properly.

For example I create macros to add : to the beginning and end of line:

'I' + ':' + 'ESC' + 'A' + ':' + 'ESC'

@a macros: I exited insert mode with jk .
@b macros: I exited insert mode with <ESC> .

If apply @a to the line example , I don't get the colon at the end... I end up with:

:example

If apply @b to the line example , I do get the colon at the end... I end up with:

:example:

Output of command - :registers (macros aren't the same):

~/.vimrc :

1 syntax on " highlight syntax 
2 set number " show line numbers
3 set hlsearch " highlight all results
4 set noswapfile " disable the swapfile
5 set ignorecase " ignore case in search
6 set incsearch " show search results as you type
7 " set spell spelllang=en_us " misspelled words are automatically underlined
8 
9 inoremap jk <ESC> " type 'jk' for leaving insert mode

Q: How to make behavior of 'jk' and 'ESC' equal when recording macros.

PS Sorry if the explanation is not smooth, this is my first question and I tried to make it as simple as possible.

Answer 1

You need to move the comment up.

Instead of

inoremap jk  " type 'jk' for leaving insert mode

Do

" type 'jk' for leaving insert mode
inoremap jk 

Vim interprets this comment as part of your mapping.

Related: https://vi.stackexchange.com/a/6922