You can use buffers to work with multiple files. When you open a file using
:e path/to/file
it opens in a new buffer (the command means edit the file). New buffer that holds a temporary copy of the file.
You can go to previous buffer with :bp[rev] and next buffer with :bn[ext].
You can go to a particular buffer with b{n} to go to nth buffer. b2 goes to second buffer.
Use :ls or :buffers to list all buffers