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book/src/SUMMARY.md
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[Helix](./title-page.md)
- [Installation](./install.md)
- [Package Managers](./package-managers.md)
- [Building from source](./building-from-source.md)
- [Usage](./usage.md)
- [Registers](./registers.md)
- [Surround](./surround.md)
- [Textobjects](./textobjects.md)
- [Syntax aware motions](./syntax-aware-motions.md)
- [Keymap](./keymap.md)
- [Commands](./commands.md)
- [Language support](./lang-support.md)
- [Migrating from Vim](./from-vim.md)
- [Configuration](./configuration.md)
- [Editor](./editor.md)
- [Themes](./themes.md)
- [Key remapping](./remapping.md)
- [Languages](./languages.md)

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## Building from source
- [Configuring Helix's runtime files](#configuring-helixs-runtime-files)
- [Linux and macOS](#linux-and-macos)
- [Windows](#windows)
- [Multiple runtime directories](#multiple-runtime-directories)
- [Note to packagers](#note-to-packagers)
- [Validating the installation](#validating-the-installation)
- [Configure the desktop shortcut](#configure-the-desktop-shortcut)
Requirements:
Clone the Helix GitHub repository into a directory of your choice. The
examples in this documentation assume installation into either `~/src/` on
Linux and macOS, or `%userprofile%\src\` on Windows.
- The [Rust toolchain](https://www.rust-lang.org/tools/install)
- The [Git version control system](https://git-scm.com/)
- A C++14 compatible compiler to build the tree-sitter grammars, for example GCC or Clang
If you are using the `musl-libc` standard library instead of `glibc` the following environment variable must be set during the build to ensure tree-sitter grammars can be loaded correctly:
```sh
RUSTFLAGS="-C target-feature=-crt-static"
```
1. Clone the repository:
```sh
git clone https://github.com/helix-editor/helix
cd helix
```
2. Compile from source:
```sh
cargo install --path helix-term --locked
```
This command will create the `hx` executable and construct the tree-sitter
grammars in the local `runtime` folder.
> 💡 If you do not want to fetch or build grammars, set an environment variable `HELIX_DISABLE_AUTO_GRAMMAR_BUILD`
> 💡 Tree-sitter grammars can be fetched and compiled if not pre-packaged. Fetch
> grammars with `hx --grammar fetch` and compile them with
> `hx --grammar build`. This will install them in
> the `runtime` directory within the user's helix config directory (more
> [details below](#multiple-runtime-directories)).
### Configuring Helix's runtime files
#### Linux and macOS
The **runtime** directory is one below the Helix source, so either export a
`HELIX_RUNTIME` environment variable to point to that directory and add it to
your `~/.bashrc` or equivalent:
```sh
export HELIX_RUNTIME=~/src/helix/runtime
```
Or, create a symbolic link:
```sh
ln -Ts $PWD/runtime ~/.config/helix/runtime
```
If the above command fails to create a symbolic link because the file exists either move `~/.config/helix/runtime` to a new location or delete it, then run the symlink command above again.
#### Windows
Either set the `HELIX_RUNTIME` environment variable to point to the runtime files using the Windows setting (search for
`Edit environment variables for your account`) or use the `setx` command in
Cmd:
```sh
setx HELIX_RUNTIME "%userprofile%\source\repos\helix\runtime"
```
> 💡 `%userprofile%` resolves to your user directory like
> `C:\Users\Your-Name\` for example.
Or, create a symlink in `%appdata%\helix\` that links to the source code directory:
| Method | Command |
| ---------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| PowerShell | `New-Item -ItemType Junction -Target "runtime" -Path "$Env:AppData\helix\runtime"` |
| Cmd | `cd %appdata%\helix` <br/> `mklink /D runtime "%userprofile%\src\helix\runtime"` |
> 💡 On Windows, creating a symbolic link may require running PowerShell or
> Cmd as an administrator.
#### Multiple runtime directories
When Helix finds multiple runtime directories it will search through them for files in the
following order:
1. `runtime/` sibling directory to `$CARGO_MANIFEST_DIR` directory (this is intended for
developing and testing helix only).
2. `runtime/` subdirectory of OS-dependent helix user config directory.
3. `$HELIX_RUNTIME`
4. Distribution-specific fallback directory (set at compile time—not run time—
with the `HELIX_DEFAULT_RUNTIME` environment variable)
5. `runtime/` subdirectory of path to Helix executable.
This order also sets the priority for selecting which file will be used if multiple runtime
directories have files with the same name.
#### Note to packagers
If you are making a package of Helix for end users, to provide a good out of
the box experience, you should set the `HELIX_DEFAULT_RUNTIME` environment
variable at build time (before invoking `cargo build`) to a directory which
will store the final runtime files after installation. For example, say you want
to package the runtime into `/usr/lib/helix/runtime`. The rough steps a build
script could follow are:
1. `export HELIX_DEFAULT_RUNTIME=/usr/lib/helix/runtime`
1. `cargo build --profile opt --locked --path helix-term`
1. `cp -r runtime $BUILD_DIR/usr/lib/helix/`
1. `cp target/opt/hx $BUILD_DIR/usr/bin/hx`
This way the resulting `hx` binary will always look for its runtime directory in
`/usr/lib/helix/runtime` if the user has no custom runtime in `~/.config/helix`
or `HELIX_RUNTIME`.
### Validating the installation
To make sure everything is set up as expected you should run the Helix health
check:
```sh
hx --health
```
For more information on the health check results refer to
[Health check](https://github.com/helix-editor/helix/wiki/Healthcheck).
### Configure the desktop shortcut
If your desktop environment supports the
[XDG desktop menu](https://specifications.freedesktop.org/menu-spec/menu-spec-latest.html)
you can configure Helix to show up in the application menu by copying the
provided `.desktop` and icon files to their correct folders:
```sh
cp contrib/Helix.desktop ~/.local/share/applications
cp contrib/helix.png ~/.icons # or ~/.local/share/icons
```
To use another terminal than the system default, you can modify the `.desktop`
file. For example, to use `kitty`:
```sh
sed -i "s|Exec=hx %F|Exec=kitty hx %F|g" ~/.local/share/applications/Helix.desktop
sed -i "s|Terminal=true|Terminal=false|g" ~/.local/share/applications/Helix.desktop
```

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Finally, you can have a `config.toml` local to a project by putting it under a `.helix` directory in your repository.
Its settings will be merged with the configuration directory `config.toml` and the built-in configuration.
## Editor
### `[editor]` Section
| Key | Description | Default |
|--|--|---------|
| `scrolloff` | Number of lines of padding around the edge of the screen when scrolling | `5` |
| `mouse` | Enable mouse mode | `true` |
| `middle-click-paste` | Middle click paste support | `true` |
| `scroll-lines` | Number of lines to scroll per scroll wheel step | `3` |
| `shell` | Shell to use when running external commands | Unix: `["sh", "-c"]`<br/>Windows: `["cmd", "/C"]` |
| `line-number` | Line number display: `absolute` simply shows each line's number, while `relative` shows the distance from the current line. When unfocused or in insert mode, `relative` will still show absolute line numbers | `absolute` |
| `cursorline` | Highlight all lines with a cursor | `false` |
| `cursorcolumn` | Highlight all columns with a cursor | `false` |
| `gutters` | Gutters to display: Available are `diagnostics` and `diff` and `line-numbers` and `spacer`, note that `diagnostics` also includes other features like breakpoints, 1-width padding will be inserted if gutters is non-empty | `["diagnostics", "spacer", "line-numbers", "spacer", "diff"]` |
| `auto-completion` | Enable automatic pop up of auto-completion | `true` |
| `auto-format` | Enable automatic formatting on save | `true` |
| `auto-save` | Enable automatic saving on the focus moving away from Helix. Requires [focus event support](https://github.com/helix-editor/helix/wiki/Terminal-Support) from your terminal | `false` |
| `idle-timeout` | Time in milliseconds since last keypress before idle timers trigger. | `250` |
| `completion-timeout` | Time in milliseconds after typing a word character before completions are shown, set to 5 for instant. | `250` |
| `preview-completion-insert` | Whether to apply completion item instantly when selected | `true` |
| `completion-trigger-len` | The min-length of word under cursor to trigger autocompletion | `2` |
| `completion-replace` | Set to `true` to make completions always replace the entire word and not just the part before the cursor | `false` |
| `auto-info` | Whether to display info boxes | `true` |
| `true-color` | Set to `true` to override automatic detection of terminal truecolor support in the event of a false negative | `false` |
| `undercurl` | Set to `true` to override automatic detection of terminal undercurl support in the event of a false negative | `false` |
| `rulers` | List of column positions at which to display the rulers. Can be overridden by language specific `rulers` in `languages.toml` file | `[]` |
| `bufferline` | Renders a line at the top of the editor displaying open buffers. Can be `always`, `never` or `multiple` (only shown if more than one buffer is in use) | `never` |
| `color-modes` | Whether to color the mode indicator with different colors depending on the mode itself | `false` |
| `text-width` | Maximum line length. Used for the `:reflow` command and soft-wrapping if `soft-wrap.wrap-at-text-width` is set | `80` |
| `workspace-lsp-roots` | Directories relative to the workspace root that are treated as LSP roots. Should only be set in `.helix/config.toml` | `[]` |
| `default-line-ending` | The line ending to use for new documents. Can be `native`, `lf`, `crlf`, `ff`, `cr` or `nel`. `native` uses the platform's native line ending (`crlf` on Windows, otherwise `lf`). | `native` |
| `insert-final-newline` | Whether to automatically insert a trailing line-ending on write if missing | `true` |
| `popup-border` | Draw border around `popup`, `menu`, `all`, or `none` | `none` |
| `indent-heuristic` | How the indentation for a newly inserted line is computed: `simple` just copies the indentation level from the previous line, `tree-sitter` computes the indentation based on the syntax tree and `hybrid` combines both approaches. If the chosen heuristic is not available, a different one will be used as a fallback (the fallback order being `hybrid` -> `tree-sitter` -> `simple`). | `hybrid`
| `jump-label-alphabet` | The characters that are used to generate two character jump labels. Characters at the start of the alphabet are used first. | `"abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz"`
### `[editor.statusline]` Section
Allows configuring the statusline at the bottom of the editor.
The configuration distinguishes between three areas of the status line:
`[ ... ... LEFT ... ... | ... ... ... CENTER ... ... ... | ... ... RIGHT ... ... ]`
Statusline elements can be defined as follows:
```toml
[editor.statusline]
left = ["mode", "spinner"]
center = ["file-name"]
right = ["diagnostics", "selections", "position", "file-encoding", "file-line-ending", "file-type"]
separator = "│"
mode.normal = "NORMAL"
mode.insert = "INSERT"
mode.select = "SELECT"
```
The `[editor.statusline]` key takes the following sub-keys:
| Key | Description | Default |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `left` | A list of elements aligned to the left of the statusline | `["mode", "spinner", "file-name", "read-only-indicator", "file-modification-indicator"]` |
| `center` | A list of elements aligned to the middle of the statusline | `[]` |
| `right` | A list of elements aligned to the right of the statusline | `["diagnostics", "selections", "register", "position", "file-encoding"]` |
| `separator` | The character used to separate elements in the statusline | `"│"` |
| `mode.normal` | The text shown in the `mode` element for normal mode | `"NOR"` |
| `mode.insert` | The text shown in the `mode` element for insert mode | `"INS"` |
| `mode.select` | The text shown in the `mode` element for select mode | `"SEL"` |
The following statusline elements can be configured:
| Key | Description |
| ------ | ----------- |
| `mode` | The current editor mode (`mode.normal`/`mode.insert`/`mode.select`) |
| `spinner` | A progress spinner indicating LSP activity |
| `file-name` | The path/name of the opened file |
| `file-absolute-path` | The absolute path/name of the opened file |
| `file-base-name` | The basename of the opened file |
| `file-modification-indicator` | The indicator to show whether the file is modified (a `[+]` appears when there are unsaved changes) |
| `file-encoding` | The encoding of the opened file if it differs from UTF-8 |
| `file-line-ending` | The file line endings (CRLF or LF) |
| `read-only-indicator` | An indicator that shows `[readonly]` when a file cannot be written |
| `total-line-numbers` | The total line numbers of the opened file |
| `file-type` | The type of the opened file |
| `diagnostics` | The number of warnings and/or errors |
| `workspace-diagnostics` | The number of warnings and/or errors on workspace |
| `selections` | The number of active selections |
| `primary-selection-length` | The number of characters currently in primary selection |
| `position` | The cursor position |
| `position-percentage` | The cursor position as a percentage of the total number of lines |
| `separator` | The string defined in `editor.statusline.separator` (defaults to `"│"`) |
| `spacer` | Inserts a space between elements (multiple/contiguous spacers may be specified) |
| `version-control` | The current branch name or detached commit hash of the opened workspace |
| `register` | The current selected register |
### `[editor.lsp]` Section
| Key | Description | Default |
| --- | ----------- | ------- |
| `enable` | Enables LSP integration. Setting to false will completely disable language servers regardless of language settings.| `true` |
| `display-messages` | Display LSP progress messages below statusline[^1] | `false` |
| `auto-signature-help` | Enable automatic popup of signature help (parameter hints) | `true` |
| `display-inlay-hints` | Display inlay hints[^2] | `false` |
| `display-signature-help-docs` | Display docs under signature help popup | `true` |
| `snippets` | Enables snippet completions. Requires a server restart (`:lsp-restart`) to take effect after `:config-reload`/`:set`. | `true` |
| `goto-reference-include-declaration` | Include declaration in the goto references popup. | `true` |
[^1]: By default, a progress spinner is shown in the statusline beside the file path.
[^2]: You may also have to activate them in the LSP config for them to appear, not just in Helix. Inlay hints in Helix are still being improved on and may be a little bit laggy/janky under some circumstances. Please report any bugs you see so we can fix them!
### `[editor.cursor-shape]` Section
Defines the shape of cursor in each mode.
Valid values for these options are `block`, `bar`, `underline`, or `hidden`.
> 💡 Due to limitations of the terminal environment, only the primary cursor can
> change shape.
| Key | Description | Default |
| --- | ----------- | ------- |
| `normal` | Cursor shape in [normal mode][normal mode] | `block` |
| `insert` | Cursor shape in [insert mode][insert mode] | `block` |
| `select` | Cursor shape in [select mode][select mode] | `block` |
[normal mode]: ./keymap.md#normal-mode
[insert mode]: ./keymap.md#insert-mode
[select mode]: ./keymap.md#select--extend-mode
### `[editor.file-picker]` Section
Set options for file picker and global search. Ignoring a file means it is
not visible in the Helix file picker and global search.
All git related options are only enabled in a git repository.
| Key | Description | Default |
|--|--|---------|
|`hidden` | Enables ignoring hidden files | `true`
|`follow-symlinks` | Follow symlinks instead of ignoring them | `true`
|`deduplicate-links` | Ignore symlinks that point at files already shown in the picker | `true`
|`parents` | Enables reading ignore files from parent directories | `true`
|`ignore` | Enables reading `.ignore` files | `true`
|`git-ignore` | Enables reading `.gitignore` files | `true`
|`git-global` | Enables reading global `.gitignore`, whose path is specified in git's config: `core.excludesfile` option | `true`
|`git-exclude` | Enables reading `.git/info/exclude` files | `true`
|`max-depth` | Set with an integer value for maximum depth to recurse | Unset by default
Ignore files can be placed locally as `.ignore` or put in your home directory as `~/.ignore`. They support the usual ignore and negative ignore (unignore) rules used in `.gitignore` files.
Additionally, you can use Helix-specific ignore files by creating a local `.helix/ignore` file in the current workspace or a global `ignore` file located in your Helix config directory:
- Linux and Mac: `~/.config/helix/ignore`
- Windows: `%AppData%\helix\ignore`
Example:
```ini
# unignore in file picker and global search
!.github/
!.gitignore
!.gitattributes
```
### `[editor.auto-pairs]` Section
Enables automatic insertion of pairs to parentheses, brackets, etc. Can be a
simple boolean value, or a specific mapping of pairs of single characters.
To disable auto-pairs altogether, set `auto-pairs` to `false`:
```toml
[editor]
auto-pairs = false # defaults to `true`
```
The default pairs are <code>(){}[]''""``</code>, but these can be customized by
setting `auto-pairs` to a TOML table:
```toml
[editor.auto-pairs]
'(' = ')'
'{' = '}'
'[' = ']'
'"' = '"'
'`' = '`'
'<' = '>'
```
Additionally, this setting can be used in a language config. Unless
the editor setting is `false`, this will override the editor config in
documents with this language.
Example `languages.toml` that adds `<>` and removes `''`
```toml
[[language]]
name = "rust"
[language.auto-pairs]
'(' = ')'
'{' = '}'
'[' = ']'
'"' = '"'
'`' = '`'
'<' = '>'
```
### `[editor.search]` Section
Search specific options.
| Key | Description | Default |
|--|--|---------|
| `smart-case` | Enable smart case regex searching (case-insensitive unless pattern contains upper case characters) | `true` |
| `wrap-around`| Whether the search should wrap after depleting the matches | `true` |
### `[editor.whitespace]` Section
Options for rendering whitespace with visible characters. Use `:set whitespace.render all` to temporarily enable visible whitespace.
| Key | Description | Default |
|-----|-------------|---------|
| `render` | Whether to render whitespace. May either be `all` or `none`, or a table with sub-keys `space`, `nbsp`, `nnbsp`, `tab`, and `newline` | `none` |
| `characters` | Literal characters to use when rendering whitespace. Sub-keys may be any of `tab`, `space`, `nbsp`, `nnbsp`, `newline` or `tabpad` | See example below |
Example
```toml
[editor.whitespace]
render = "all"
# or control each character
[editor.whitespace.render]
space = "all"
tab = "all"
nbsp = "none"
nnbsp = "none"
newline = "none"
[editor.whitespace.characters]
space = "·"
nbsp = "⍽"
nnbsp = "␣"
tab = "→"
newline = "⏎"
tabpad = "·" # Tabs will look like "→···" (depending on tab width)
```
### `[editor.indent-guides]` Section
Options for rendering vertical indent guides.
| Key | Description | Default |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `render` | Whether to render indent guides | `false` |
| `character` | Literal character to use for rendering the indent guide | `│` |
| `skip-levels` | Number of indent levels to skip | `0` |
Example:
```toml
[editor.indent-guides]
render = true
character = "╎" # Some characters that work well: "▏", "┆", "┊", "⸽"
skip-levels = 1
```
### `[editor.gutters]` Section
For simplicity, `editor.gutters` accepts an array of gutter types, which will
use default settings for all gutter components.
```toml
[editor]
gutters = ["diff", "diagnostics", "line-numbers", "spacer"]
```
To customize the behavior of gutters, the `[editor.gutters]` section must
be used. This section contains top level settings, as well as settings for
specific gutter components as subsections.
| Key | Description | Default |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `layout` | A vector of gutters to display | `["diagnostics", "spacer", "line-numbers", "spacer", "diff"]` |
Example:
```toml
[editor.gutters]
layout = ["diff", "diagnostics", "line-numbers", "spacer"]
```
#### `[editor.gutters.line-numbers]` Section
Options for the line number gutter
| Key | Description | Default |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `min-width` | The minimum number of characters to use | `3` |
Example:
```toml
[editor.gutters.line-numbers]
min-width = 1
```
#### `[editor.gutters.diagnostics]` Section
Currently unused
#### `[editor.gutters.diff]` Section
The `diff` gutter option displays colored bars indicating whether a `git` diff represents that a line was added, removed or changed.
These colors are controlled by the theme attributes `diff.plus`, `diff.minus` and `diff.delta`.
Other diff providers will eventually be supported by a future plugin system.
There are currently no options for this section.
#### `[editor.gutters.spacer]` Section
Currently unused
### `[editor.soft-wrap]` Section
Options for soft wrapping lines that exceed the view width:
| Key | Description | Default |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `enable` | Whether soft wrapping is enabled. | `false` |
| `max-wrap` | Maximum free space left at the end of the line. | `20` |
| `max-indent-retain` | Maximum indentation to carry over when soft wrapping a line. | `40` |
| `wrap-indicator` | Text inserted before soft wrapped lines, highlighted with `ui.virtual.wrap` | `↪ ` |
| `wrap-at-text-width` | Soft wrap at `text-width` instead of using the full viewport size. | `false` |
Example:
```toml
[editor.soft-wrap]
enable = true
max-wrap = 25 # increase value to reduce forced mid-word wrapping
max-indent-retain = 0
wrap-indicator = "" # set wrap-indicator to "" to hide it
```
### `[editor.smart-tab]` Section
Options for navigating and editing using tab key.
| Key | Description | Default |
|------------|-------------|---------|
| `enable` | If set to true, then when the cursor is in a position with non-whitespace to its left, instead of inserting a tab, it will run `move_parent_node_end`. If there is only whitespace to the left, then it inserts a tab as normal. With the default bindings, to explicitly insert a tab character, press Shift-tab. | `true` |
| `supersede-menu` | Normally, when a menu is on screen, such as when auto complete is triggered, the tab key is bound to cycling through the items. This means when menus are on screen, one cannot use the tab key to trigger the `smart-tab` command. If this option is set to true, the `smart-tab` command always takes precedence, which means one cannot use the tab key to cycle through menu items. One of the other bindings must be used instead, such as arrow keys or `C-n`/`C-p`. | `false` |
Due to lack of support for S-tab in some terminals, the default keybindings don't fully embrace smart-tab editing experience. If you enjoy smart-tab navigation and a terminal that supports the [Enhanced Keyboard protocol](https://github.com/helix-editor/helix/wiki/Terminal-Support#enhanced-keyboard-protocol), consider setting extra keybindings:
```
[keys.normal]
tab = "move_parent_node_end"
S-tab = "move_parent_node_start"
[keys.insert]
S-tab = "move_parent_node_start"
[keys.select]
tab = "extend_parent_node_end"
S-tab = "extend_parent_node_start"
```

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## Editor
- [`[editor]` Section](#editor-section)
- [`[editor.statusline]` Section](#editorstatusline-section)
- [`[editor.lsp]` Section](#editorlsp-section)
- [`[editor.cursor-shape]` Section](#editorcursor-shape-section)
- [`[editor.file-picker]` Section](#editorfile-picker-section)
- [`[editor.auto-pairs]` Section](#editorauto-pairs-section)
- [`[editor.search]` Section](#editorsearch-section)
- [`[editor.whitespace]` Section](#editorwhitespace-section)
- [`[editor.indent-guides]` Section](#editorindent-guides-section)
- [`[editor.gutters]` Section](#editorgutters-section)
- [`[editor.gutters.line-numbers]` Section](#editorguttersline-numbers-section)
- [`[editor.gutters.diagnostics]` Section](#editorguttersdiagnostics-section)
- [`[editor.gutters.diff]` Section](#editorguttersdiff-section)
- [`[editor.gutters.spacer]` Section](#editorguttersspacer-section)
- [`[editor.soft-wrap]` Section](#editorsoft-wrap-section)
- [`[editor.smart-tab]` Section](#editorsmart-tab-section)
### `[editor]` Section
| Key | Description | Default |
|--|--|---------|
| `scrolloff` | Number of lines of padding around the edge of the screen when scrolling | `5` |
| `mouse` | Enable mouse mode | `true` |
| `middle-click-paste` | Middle click paste support | `true` |
| `scroll-lines` | Number of lines to scroll per scroll wheel step | `3` |
| `shell` | Shell to use when running external commands | Unix: `["sh", "-c"]`<br/>Windows: `["cmd", "/C"]` |
| `line-number` | Line number display: `absolute` simply shows each line's number, while `relative` shows the distance from the current line. When unfocused or in insert mode, `relative` will still show absolute line numbers | `absolute` |
| `cursorline` | Highlight all lines with a cursor | `false` |
| `cursorcolumn` | Highlight all columns with a cursor | `false` |
| `gutters` | Gutters to display: Available are `diagnostics` and `diff` and `line-numbers` and `spacer`, note that `diagnostics` also includes other features like breakpoints, 1-width padding will be inserted if gutters is non-empty | `["diagnostics", "spacer", "line-numbers", "spacer", "diff"]` |
| `auto-completion` | Enable automatic pop up of auto-completion | `true` |
| `auto-format` | Enable automatic formatting on save | `true` |
| `auto-save` | Enable automatic saving on the focus moving away from Helix. Requires [focus event support](https://github.com/helix-editor/helix/wiki/Terminal-Support) from your terminal | `false` |
| `idle-timeout` | Time in milliseconds since last keypress before idle timers trigger. | `250` |
| `completion-timeout` | Time in milliseconds after typing a word character before completions are shown, set to 5 for instant. | `250` |
| `preview-completion-insert` | Whether to apply completion item instantly when selected | `true` |
| `completion-trigger-len` | The min-length of word under cursor to trigger autocompletion | `2` |
| `completion-replace` | Set to `true` to make completions always replace the entire word and not just the part before the cursor | `false` |
| `auto-info` | Whether to display info boxes | `true` |
| `true-color` | Set to `true` to override automatic detection of terminal truecolor support in the event of a false negative | `false` |
| `undercurl` | Set to `true` to override automatic detection of terminal undercurl support in the event of a false negative | `false` |
| `rulers` | List of column positions at which to display the rulers. Can be overridden by language specific `rulers` in `languages.toml` file | `[]` |
| `bufferline` | Renders a line at the top of the editor displaying open buffers. Can be `always`, `never` or `multiple` (only shown if more than one buffer is in use) | `never` |
| `color-modes` | Whether to color the mode indicator with different colors depending on the mode itself | `false` |
| `text-width` | Maximum line length. Used for the `:reflow` command and soft-wrapping if `soft-wrap.wrap-at-text-width` is set | `80` |
| `workspace-lsp-roots` | Directories relative to the workspace root that are treated as LSP roots. Should only be set in `.helix/config.toml` | `[]` |
| `default-line-ending` | The line ending to use for new documents. Can be `native`, `lf`, `crlf`, `ff`, `cr` or `nel`. `native` uses the platform's native line ending (`crlf` on Windows, otherwise `lf`). | `native` |
| `insert-final-newline` | Whether to automatically insert a trailing line-ending on write if missing | `true` |
| `popup-border` | Draw border around `popup`, `menu`, `all`, or `none` | `none` |
| `indent-heuristic` | How the indentation for a newly inserted line is computed: `simple` just copies the indentation level from the previous line, `tree-sitter` computes the indentation based on the syntax tree and `hybrid` combines both approaches. If the chosen heuristic is not available, a different one will be used as a fallback (the fallback order being `hybrid` -> `tree-sitter` -> `simple`). | `hybrid`
| `jump-label-alphabet` | The characters that are used to generate two character jump labels. Characters at the start of the alphabet are used first. | `"abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz"`
### `[editor.statusline]` Section
Allows configuring the statusline at the bottom of the editor.
The configuration distinguishes between three areas of the status line:
`[ ... ... LEFT ... ... | ... ... ... CENTER ... ... ... | ... ... RIGHT ... ... ]`
Statusline elements can be defined as follows:
```toml
[editor.statusline]
left = ["mode", "spinner"]
center = ["file-name"]
right = ["diagnostics", "selections", "position", "file-encoding", "file-line-ending", "file-type"]
separator = "│"
mode.normal = "NORMAL"
mode.insert = "INSERT"
mode.select = "SELECT"
```
The `[editor.statusline]` key takes the following sub-keys:
| Key | Description | Default |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `left` | A list of elements aligned to the left of the statusline | `["mode", "spinner", "file-name", "read-only-indicator", "file-modification-indicator"]` |
| `center` | A list of elements aligned to the middle of the statusline | `[]` |
| `right` | A list of elements aligned to the right of the statusline | `["diagnostics", "selections", "register", "position", "file-encoding"]` |
| `separator` | The character used to separate elements in the statusline | `"│"` |
| `mode.normal` | The text shown in the `mode` element for normal mode | `"NOR"` |
| `mode.insert` | The text shown in the `mode` element for insert mode | `"INS"` |
| `mode.select` | The text shown in the `mode` element for select mode | `"SEL"` |
The following statusline elements can be configured:
| Key | Description |
| ------ | ----------- |
| `mode` | The current editor mode (`mode.normal`/`mode.insert`/`mode.select`) |
| `spinner` | A progress spinner indicating LSP activity |
| `file-name` | The path/name of the opened file |
| `file-absolute-path` | The absolute path/name of the opened file |
| `file-base-name` | The basename of the opened file |
| `file-modification-indicator` | The indicator to show whether the file is modified (a `[+]` appears when there are unsaved changes) |
| `file-encoding` | The encoding of the opened file if it differs from UTF-8 |
| `file-line-ending` | The file line endings (CRLF or LF) |
| `read-only-indicator` | An indicator that shows `[readonly]` when a file cannot be written |
| `total-line-numbers` | The total line numbers of the opened file |
| `file-type` | The type of the opened file |
| `diagnostics` | The number of warnings and/or errors |
| `workspace-diagnostics` | The number of warnings and/or errors on workspace |
| `selections` | The number of active selections |
| `primary-selection-length` | The number of characters currently in primary selection |
| `position` | The cursor position |
| `position-percentage` | The cursor position as a percentage of the total number of lines |
| `separator` | The string defined in `editor.statusline.separator` (defaults to `"│"`) |
| `spacer` | Inserts a space between elements (multiple/contiguous spacers may be specified) |
| `version-control` | The current branch name or detached commit hash of the opened workspace |
| `register` | The current selected register |
### `[editor.lsp]` Section
| Key | Description | Default |
| --- | ----------- | ------- |
| `enable` | Enables LSP integration. Setting to false will completely disable language servers regardless of language settings.| `true` |
| `display-messages` | Display LSP progress messages below statusline[^1] | `false` |
| `auto-signature-help` | Enable automatic popup of signature help (parameter hints) | `true` |
| `display-inlay-hints` | Display inlay hints[^2] | `false` |
| `display-signature-help-docs` | Display docs under signature help popup | `true` |
| `snippets` | Enables snippet completions. Requires a server restart (`:lsp-restart`) to take effect after `:config-reload`/`:set`. | `true` |
| `goto-reference-include-declaration` | Include declaration in the goto references popup. | `true` |
[^1]: By default, a progress spinner is shown in the statusline beside the file path.
[^2]: You may also have to activate them in the LSP config for them to appear, not just in Helix. Inlay hints in Helix are still being improved on and may be a little bit laggy/janky under some circumstances. Please report any bugs you see so we can fix them!
### `[editor.cursor-shape]` Section
Defines the shape of cursor in each mode.
Valid values for these options are `block`, `bar`, `underline`, or `hidden`.
> 💡 Due to limitations of the terminal environment, only the primary cursor can
> change shape.
| Key | Description | Default |
| --- | ----------- | ------- |
| `normal` | Cursor shape in [normal mode][normal mode] | `block` |
| `insert` | Cursor shape in [insert mode][insert mode] | `block` |
| `select` | Cursor shape in [select mode][select mode] | `block` |
[normal mode]: ./keymap.md#normal-mode
[insert mode]: ./keymap.md#insert-mode
[select mode]: ./keymap.md#select--extend-mode
### `[editor.file-picker]` Section
Set options for file picker and global search. Ignoring a file means it is
not visible in the Helix file picker and global search.
All git related options are only enabled in a git repository.
| Key | Description | Default |
|--|--|---------|
|`hidden` | Enables ignoring hidden files | `true`
|`follow-symlinks` | Follow symlinks instead of ignoring them | `true`
|`deduplicate-links` | Ignore symlinks that point at files already shown in the picker | `true`
|`parents` | Enables reading ignore files from parent directories | `true`
|`ignore` | Enables reading `.ignore` files | `true`
|`git-ignore` | Enables reading `.gitignore` files | `true`
|`git-global` | Enables reading global `.gitignore`, whose path is specified in git's config: `core.excludesfile` option | `true`
|`git-exclude` | Enables reading `.git/info/exclude` files | `true`
|`max-depth` | Set with an integer value for maximum depth to recurse | Unset by default
Ignore files can be placed locally as `.ignore` or put in your home directory as `~/.ignore`. They support the usual ignore and negative ignore (unignore) rules used in `.gitignore` files.
Additionally, you can use Helix-specific ignore files by creating a local `.helix/ignore` file in the current workspace or a global `ignore` file located in your Helix config directory:
- Linux and Mac: `~/.config/helix/ignore`
- Windows: `%AppData%\helix\ignore`
Example:
```ini
# unignore in file picker and global search
!.github/
!.gitignore
!.gitattributes
```
### `[editor.auto-pairs]` Section
Enables automatic insertion of pairs to parentheses, brackets, etc. Can be a
simple boolean value, or a specific mapping of pairs of single characters.
To disable auto-pairs altogether, set `auto-pairs` to `false`:
```toml
[editor]
auto-pairs = false # defaults to `true`
```
The default pairs are <code>(){}[]''""``</code>, but these can be customized by
setting `auto-pairs` to a TOML table:
```toml
[editor.auto-pairs]
'(' = ')'
'{' = '}'
'[' = ']'
'"' = '"'
'`' = '`'
'<' = '>'
```
Additionally, this setting can be used in a language config. Unless
the editor setting is `false`, this will override the editor config in
documents with this language.
Example `languages.toml` that adds `<>` and removes `''`
```toml
[[language]]
name = "rust"
[language.auto-pairs]
'(' = ')'
'{' = '}'
'[' = ']'
'"' = '"'
'`' = '`'
'<' = '>'
```
### `[editor.search]` Section
Search specific options.
| Key | Description | Default |
|--|--|---------|
| `smart-case` | Enable smart case regex searching (case-insensitive unless pattern contains upper case characters) | `true` |
| `wrap-around`| Whether the search should wrap after depleting the matches | `true` |
### `[editor.whitespace]` Section
Options for rendering whitespace with visible characters. Use `:set whitespace.render all` to temporarily enable visible whitespace.
| Key | Description | Default |
|-----|-------------|---------|
| `render` | Whether to render whitespace. May either be `all` or `none`, or a table with sub-keys `space`, `nbsp`, `nnbsp`, `tab`, and `newline` | `none` |
| `characters` | Literal characters to use when rendering whitespace. Sub-keys may be any of `tab`, `space`, `nbsp`, `nnbsp`, `newline` or `tabpad` | See example below |
Example
```toml
[editor.whitespace]
render = "all"
# or control each character
[editor.whitespace.render]
space = "all"
tab = "all"
nbsp = "none"
nnbsp = "none"
newline = "none"
[editor.whitespace.characters]
space = "·"
nbsp = "⍽"
nnbsp = "␣"
tab = "→"
newline = "⏎"
tabpad = "·" # Tabs will look like "→···" (depending on tab width)
```
### `[editor.indent-guides]` Section
Options for rendering vertical indent guides.
| Key | Description | Default |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `render` | Whether to render indent guides | `false` |
| `character` | Literal character to use for rendering the indent guide | `│` |
| `skip-levels` | Number of indent levels to skip | `0` |
Example:
```toml
[editor.indent-guides]
render = true
character = "╎" # Some characters that work well: "▏", "┆", "┊", "⸽"
skip-levels = 1
```
### `[editor.gutters]` Section
For simplicity, `editor.gutters` accepts an array of gutter types, which will
use default settings for all gutter components.
```toml
[editor]
gutters = ["diff", "diagnostics", "line-numbers", "spacer"]
```
To customize the behavior of gutters, the `[editor.gutters]` section must
be used. This section contains top level settings, as well as settings for
specific gutter components as subsections.
| Key | Description | Default |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `layout` | A vector of gutters to display | `["diagnostics", "spacer", "line-numbers", "spacer", "diff"]` |
Example:
```toml
[editor.gutters]
layout = ["diff", "diagnostics", "line-numbers", "spacer"]
```
#### `[editor.gutters.line-numbers]` Section
Options for the line number gutter
| Key | Description | Default |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `min-width` | The minimum number of characters to use | `3` |
Example:
```toml
[editor.gutters.line-numbers]
min-width = 1
```
#### `[editor.gutters.diagnostics]` Section
Currently unused
#### `[editor.gutters.diff]` Section
The `diff` gutter option displays colored bars indicating whether a `git` diff represents that a line was added, removed or changed.
These colors are controlled by the theme attributes `diff.plus`, `diff.minus` and `diff.delta`.
Other diff providers will eventually be supported by a future plugin system.
There are currently no options for this section.
#### `[editor.gutters.spacer]` Section
Currently unused
### `[editor.soft-wrap]` Section
Options for soft wrapping lines that exceed the view width:
| Key | Description | Default |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `enable` | Whether soft wrapping is enabled. | `false` |
| `max-wrap` | Maximum free space left at the end of the line. | `20` |
| `max-indent-retain` | Maximum indentation to carry over when soft wrapping a line. | `40` |
| `wrap-indicator` | Text inserted before soft wrapped lines, highlighted with `ui.virtual.wrap` | `↪ ` |
| `wrap-at-text-width` | Soft wrap at `text-width` instead of using the full viewport size. | `false` |
Example:
```toml
[editor.soft-wrap]
enable = true
max-wrap = 25 # increase value to reduce forced mid-word wrapping
max-indent-retain = 0
wrap-indicator = "" # set wrap-indicator to "" to hide it
```
### `[editor.smart-tab]` Section
Options for navigating and editing using tab key.
| Key | Description | Default |
|------------|-------------|---------|
| `enable` | If set to true, then when the cursor is in a position with non-whitespace to its left, instead of inserting a tab, it will run `move_parent_node_end`. If there is only whitespace to the left, then it inserts a tab as normal. With the default bindings, to explicitly insert a tab character, press Shift-tab. | `true` |
| `supersede-menu` | Normally, when a menu is on screen, such as when auto complete is triggered, the tab key is bound to cycling through the items. This means when menus are on screen, one cannot use the tab key to trigger the `smart-tab` command. If this option is set to true, the `smart-tab` command always takes precedence, which means one cannot use the tab key to cycle through menu items. One of the other bindings must be used instead, such as arrow keys or `C-n`/`C-p`. | `false` |
Due to lack of support for S-tab in some terminals, the default keybindings don't fully embrace smart-tab editing experience. If you enjoy smart-tab navigation and a terminal that supports the [Enhanced Keyboard protocol](https://github.com/helix-editor/helix/wiki/Terminal-Support#enhanced-keyboard-protocol), consider setting extra keybindings:
```
[keys.normal]
tab = "move_parent_node_end"
S-tab = "move_parent_node_start"
[keys.insert]
S-tab = "move_parent_node_start"
[keys.select]
tab = "extend_parent_node_end"
S-tab = "extend_parent_node_start"
```

314
book/src/install.md
View file

@ -1,38 +1,10 @@
# Installing Helix
<!--toc:start-->
- [Pre-built binaries](#pre-built-binaries)
- [Linux, macOS, Windows and OpenBSD packaging status](#linux-macos-windows-and-openbsd-packaging-status)
- [Linux](#linux)
- [Ubuntu](#ubuntu)
- [Fedora/RHEL](#fedorarhel)
- [Arch Linux extra](#arch-linux-extra)
- [NixOS](#nixos)
- [Flatpak](#flatpak)
- [Snap](#snap)
- [AppImage](#appimage)
- [macOS](#macos)
- [Homebrew Core](#homebrew-core)
- [MacPorts](#macports)
- [Windows](#windows)
- [Winget](#winget)
- [Scoop](#scoop)
- [Chocolatey](#chocolatey)
- [MSYS2](#msys2)
- [Building from source](#building-from-source)
- [Configuring Helix's runtime files](#configuring-helixs-runtime-files)
- [Linux and macOS](#linux-and-macos)
- [Windows](#windows)
- [Multiple runtime directories](#multiple-runtime-directories)
- [Validating the installation](#validating-the-installation)
- [Configure the desktop shortcut](#configure-the-desktop-shortcut)
<!--toc:end-->
To install Helix, follow the instructions specific to your operating system.
Note that:
- To get the latest nightly version of Helix, you need to
[build from source](#building-from-source).
[build from source](./building-from-source.md).
- To take full advantage of Helix, install the language servers for your
preferred programming languages. See the
@ -45,287 +17,3 @@ Download pre-built binaries from the [GitHub Releases page](https://github.com/h
Add the `hx` binary to your system's `$PATH` to use it from the command line, and copy the `runtime` directory into the config directory (for example `~/.config/helix/runtime` on Linux/macOS).
The runtime location can be overriden via the HELIX_RUNTIME environment variable.
## Linux, macOS, Windows and OpenBSD packaging status
[![Packaging status](https://repology.org/badge/vertical-allrepos/helix.svg)](https://repology.org/project/helix/versions)
## Linux
The following third party repositories are available:
### Ubuntu
Add the `PPA` for Helix:
```sh
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:maveonair/helix-editor
sudo apt update
sudo apt install helix
```
### Fedora/RHEL
```sh
sudo dnf install helix
```
### Arch Linux extra
Releases are available in the `extra` repository:
```sh
sudo pacman -S helix
```
> 💡 When installed from the `extra` repository, run Helix with `helix` instead of `hx`.
>
> For example:
> ```sh
> helix --health
> ```
> to check health
Additionally, a [helix-git](https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/helix-git/) package is available
in the AUR, which builds the master branch.
### NixOS
Helix is available in [nixpkgs](https://github.com/nixos/nixpkgs) through the `helix` attribute,
the unstable channel usually carries the latest release.
Helix is also available as a [flake](https://nixos.wiki/wiki/Flakes) in the project
root. Use `nix develop` to spin up a reproducible development shell. Outputs are
cached for each push to master using [Cachix](https://www.cachix.org/). The
flake is configured to automatically make use of this cache assuming the user
accepts the new settings on first use.
If you are using a version of Nix without flakes enabled,
[install Cachix CLI](https://docs.cachix.org/installation) and use
`cachix use helix` to configure Nix to use cached outputs when possible.
### Flatpak
Helix is available on [Flathub](https://flathub.org/en-GB/apps/com.helix_editor.Helix):
```sh
flatpak install flathub com.helix_editor.Helix
flatpak run com.helix_editor.Helix
```
### Snap
Helix is available on [Snapcraft](https://snapcraft.io/helix) and can be installed with:
```sh
snap install --classic helix
```
This will install Helix as both `/snap/bin/helix` and `/snap/bin/hx`, so make sure `/snap/bin` is in your `PATH`.
### AppImage
Install Helix using the Linux [AppImage](https://appimage.org/) format.
Download the official Helix AppImage from the [latest releases](https://github.com/helix-editor/helix/releases/latest) page.
```sh
chmod +x helix-*.AppImage # change permission for executable mode
./helix-*.AppImage # run helix
```
## macOS
### Homebrew Core
```sh
brew install helix
```
### MacPorts
```sh
port install helix
```
## Windows
Install on Windows using [Winget](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/package-manager/winget/), [Scoop](https://scoop.sh/), [Chocolatey](https://chocolatey.org/)
or [MSYS2](https://msys2.org/).
### Winget
Windows Package Manager winget command-line tool is by default available on Windows 11 and modern versions of Windows 10 as a part of the App Installer.
You can get [App Installer from the Microsoft Store](https://www.microsoft.com/p/app-installer/9nblggh4nns1#activetab=pivot:overviewtab). If it's already installed, make sure it is updated with the latest version.
```sh
winget install Helix.Helix
```
### Scoop
```sh
scoop install helix
```
### Chocolatey
```sh
choco install helix
```
### MSYS2
For 64-bit Windows 8.1 or above:
```sh
pacman -S mingw-w64-ucrt-x86_64-helix
```
## Building from source
Requirements:
Clone the Helix GitHub repository into a directory of your choice. The
examples in this documentation assume installation into either `~/src/` on
Linux and macOS, or `%userprofile%\src\` on Windows.
- The [Rust toolchain](https://www.rust-lang.org/tools/install)
- The [Git version control system](https://git-scm.com/)
- A C++14 compatible compiler to build the tree-sitter grammars, for example GCC or Clang
If you are using the `musl-libc` standard library instead of `glibc` the following environment variable must be set during the build to ensure tree-sitter grammars can be loaded correctly:
```sh
RUSTFLAGS="-C target-feature=-crt-static"
```
1. Clone the repository:
```sh
git clone https://github.com/helix-editor/helix
cd helix
```
2. Compile from source:
```sh
cargo install --path helix-term --locked
```
This command will create the `hx` executable and construct the tree-sitter
grammars in the local `runtime` folder.
> 💡 If you do not want to fetch or build grammars, set an environment variable `HELIX_DISABLE_AUTO_GRAMMAR_BUILD`
> 💡 Tree-sitter grammars can be fetched and compiled if not pre-packaged. Fetch
> grammars with `hx --grammar fetch` and compile them with
> `hx --grammar build`. This will install them in
> the `runtime` directory within the user's helix config directory (more
> [details below](#multiple-runtime-directories)).
### Configuring Helix's runtime files
#### Linux and macOS
The **runtime** directory is one below the Helix source, so either export a
`HELIX_RUNTIME` environment variable to point to that directory and add it to
your `~/.bashrc` or equivalent:
```sh
export HELIX_RUNTIME=~/src/helix/runtime
```
Or, create a symbolic link:
```sh
ln -Ts $PWD/runtime ~/.config/helix/runtime
```
If the above command fails to create a symbolic link because the file exists either move `~/.config/helix/runtime` to a new location or delete it, then run the symlink command above again.
#### Windows
Either set the `HELIX_RUNTIME` environment variable to point to the runtime files using the Windows setting (search for
`Edit environment variables for your account`) or use the `setx` command in
Cmd:
```sh
setx HELIX_RUNTIME "%userprofile%\source\repos\helix\runtime"
```
> 💡 `%userprofile%` resolves to your user directory like
> `C:\Users\Your-Name\` for example.
Or, create a symlink in `%appdata%\helix\` that links to the source code directory:
| Method | Command |
| ---------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| PowerShell | `New-Item -ItemType Junction -Target "runtime" -Path "$Env:AppData\helix\runtime"` |
| Cmd | `cd %appdata%\helix` <br/> `mklink /D runtime "%userprofile%\src\helix\runtime"` |
> 💡 On Windows, creating a symbolic link may require running PowerShell or
> Cmd as an administrator.
#### Multiple runtime directories
When Helix finds multiple runtime directories it will search through them for files in the
following order:
1. `runtime/` sibling directory to `$CARGO_MANIFEST_DIR` directory (this is intended for
developing and testing helix only).
2. `runtime/` subdirectory of OS-dependent helix user config directory.
3. `$HELIX_RUNTIME`
4. Distribution-specific fallback directory (set at compile time—not run time—
with the `HELIX_DEFAULT_RUNTIME` environment variable)
5. `runtime/` subdirectory of path to Helix executable.
This order also sets the priority for selecting which file will be used if multiple runtime
directories have files with the same name.
#### Note to packagers
If you are making a package of Helix for end users, to provide a good out of
the box experience, you should set the `HELIX_DEFAULT_RUNTIME` environment
variable at build time (before invoking `cargo build`) to a directory which
will store the final runtime files after installation. For example, say you want
to package the runtime into `/usr/lib/helix/runtime`. The rough steps a build
script could follow are:
1. `export HELIX_DEFAULT_RUNTIME=/usr/lib/helix/runtime`
1. `cargo build --profile opt --locked --path helix-term`
1. `cp -r runtime $BUILD_DIR/usr/lib/helix/`
1. `cp target/opt/hx $BUILD_DIR/usr/bin/hx`
This way the resulting `hx` binary will always look for its runtime directory in
`/usr/lib/helix/runtime` if the user has no custom runtime in `~/.config/helix`
or `HELIX_RUNTIME`.
### Validating the installation
To make sure everything is set up as expected you should run the Helix health
check:
```sh
hx --health
```
For more information on the health check results refer to
[Health check](https://github.com/helix-editor/helix/wiki/Healthcheck).
### Configure the desktop shortcut
If your desktop environment supports the
[XDG desktop menu](https://specifications.freedesktop.org/menu-spec/menu-spec-latest.html)
you can configure Helix to show up in the application menu by copying the
provided `.desktop` and icon files to their correct folders:
```sh
cp contrib/Helix.desktop ~/.local/share/applications
cp contrib/helix.png ~/.icons # or ~/.local/share/icons
```
To use another terminal than the system default, you can modify the `.desktop`
file. For example, to use `kitty`:
```sh
sed -i "s|Exec=hx %F|Exec=kitty hx %F|g" ~/.local/share/applications/Helix.desktop
sed -i "s|Terminal=true|Terminal=false|g" ~/.local/share/applications/Helix.desktop
```

2
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@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
# Keymap
## Keymap
- [Normal mode](#normal-mode)
- [Movement](#movement)

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@ -0,0 +1,150 @@
## Package managers
- [Linux](#linux)
- [Ubuntu](#ubuntu)
- [Fedora/RHEL](#fedorarhel)
- [Arch Linux extra](#arch-linux-extra)
- [NixOS](#nixos)
- [Flatpak](#flatpak)
- [Snap](#snap)
- [AppImage](#appimage)
- [macOS](#macos)
- [Homebrew Core](#homebrew-core)
- [MacPorts](#macports)
- [Windows](#windows)
- [Winget](#winget)
- [Scoop](#scoop)
- [Chocolatey](#chocolatey)
- [MSYS2](#msys2)
[![Packaging status](https://repology.org/badge/vertical-allrepos/helix.svg)](https://repology.org/project/helix/versions)
## Linux
The following third party repositories are available:
### Ubuntu
Add the `PPA` for Helix:
```sh
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:maveonair/helix-editor
sudo apt update
sudo apt install helix
```
### Fedora/RHEL
```sh
sudo dnf install helix
```
### Arch Linux extra
Releases are available in the `extra` repository:
```sh
sudo pacman -S helix
```
> 💡 When installed from the `extra` repository, run Helix with `helix` instead of `hx`.
>
> For example:
> ```sh
> helix --health
> ```
> to check health
Additionally, a [helix-git](https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/helix-git/) package is available
in the AUR, which builds the master branch.
### NixOS
Helix is available in [nixpkgs](https://github.com/nixos/nixpkgs) through the `helix` attribute,
the unstable channel usually carries the latest release.
Helix is also available as a [flake](https://nixos.wiki/wiki/Flakes) in the project
root. Use `nix develop` to spin up a reproducible development shell. Outputs are
cached for each push to master using [Cachix](https://www.cachix.org/). The
flake is configured to automatically make use of this cache assuming the user
accepts the new settings on first use.
If you are using a version of Nix without flakes enabled,
[install Cachix CLI](https://docs.cachix.org/installation) and use
`cachix use helix` to configure Nix to use cached outputs when possible.
### Flatpak
Helix is available on [Flathub](https://flathub.org/en-GB/apps/com.helix_editor.Helix):
```sh
flatpak install flathub com.helix_editor.Helix
flatpak run com.helix_editor.Helix
```
### Snap
Helix is available on [Snapcraft](https://snapcraft.io/helix) and can be installed with:
```sh
snap install --classic helix
```
This will install Helix as both `/snap/bin/helix` and `/snap/bin/hx`, so make sure `/snap/bin` is in your `PATH`.
### AppImage
Install Helix using the Linux [AppImage](https://appimage.org/) format.
Download the official Helix AppImage from the [latest releases](https://github.com/helix-editor/helix/releases/latest) page.
```sh
chmod +x helix-*.AppImage # change permission for executable mode
./helix-*.AppImage # run helix
```
## macOS
### Homebrew Core
```sh
brew install helix
```
### MacPorts
```sh
port install helix
```
## Windows
Install on Windows using [Winget](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/package-manager/winget/), [Scoop](https://scoop.sh/), [Chocolatey](https://chocolatey.org/)
or [MSYS2](https://msys2.org/).
### Winget
Windows Package Manager winget command-line tool is by default available on Windows 11 and modern versions of Windows 10 as a part of the App Installer.
You can get [App Installer from the Microsoft Store](https://www.microsoft.com/p/app-installer/9nblggh4nns1#activetab=pivot:overviewtab). If it's already installed, make sure it is updated with the latest version.
```sh
winget install Helix.Helix
```
### Scoop
```sh
scoop install helix
```
### Chocolatey
```sh
choco install helix
```
### MSYS2
For 64-bit Windows 8.1 or above:
```sh
pacman -S mingw-w64-ucrt-x86_64-helix
```

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## Registers
- [User-defined registers](#user-defined-registers)
- [Default registers](#default-registers)
- [Special registers](#special-registers)
In Helix, registers are storage locations for text and other data, such as the
result of a search. Registers can be used to cut, copy, and paste text, similar
to the clipboard in other text editors. Usage is similar to Vim, with `"` being
used to select a register.
### User-defined registers
Helix allows you to create your own named registers for storing text, for
example:
- `"ay` - Yank the current selection to register `a`.
- `"op` - Paste the text in register `o` after the selection.
If a register is selected before invoking a change or delete command, the selection will be stored in the register and the action will be carried out:
- `"hc` - Store the selection in register `h` and then change it (delete and enter insert mode).
- `"md` - Store the selection in register `m` and delete it.
### Default registers
Commands that use registers, like yank (`y`), use a default register if none is specified.
These registers are used as defaults:
| Register character | Contains |
| --- | --- |
| `/` | Last search |
| `:` | Last executed command |
| `"` | Last yanked text |
| `@` | Last recorded macro |
### Special registers
Some registers have special behavior when read from and written to.
| Register character | When read | When written |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `_` | No values are returned | All values are discarded |
| `#` | Selection indices (first selection is `1`, second is `2`, etc.) | This register is not writable |
| `.` | Contents of the current selections | This register is not writable |
| `%` | Name of the current file | This register is not writable |
| `+` | Reads from the system clipboard | Joins and yanks to the system clipboard |
| `*` | Reads from the primary clipboard | Joins and yanks to the primary clipboard |
When yanking multiple selections to the clipboard registers, the selections
are joined with newlines. Pasting from these registers will paste multiple
selections if the clipboard was last yanked to by the Helix session. Otherwise
the clipboard contents are pasted as one selection.

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## Surround
Helix includes built-in functionality similar to [vim-surround](https://github.com/tpope/vim-surround).
The keymappings have been inspired from [vim-sandwich](https://github.com/machakann/vim-sandwich):
![Surround demo](https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/23398472/122865801-97073180-d344-11eb-8142-8f43809982c6.gif)
| Key Sequence | Action |
| --------------------------------- | --------------------------------------- |
| `ms<char>` (after selecting text) | Add surround characters to selection |
| `mr<char_to_replace><new_char>` | Replace the closest surround characters |
| `md<char_to_delete>` | Delete the closest surround characters |
You can use counts to act on outer pairs.
Surround can also act on multiple selections. For example, to change every occurrence of `(use)` to `[use]`:
1. `%` to select the whole file
2. `s` to split the selections on a search term
3. Input `use` and hit Enter
4. `mr([` to replace the parentheses with square brackets
Multiple characters are currently not supported, but planned for future release.

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## Moving the selection with syntax-aware motions
`Alt-p`, `Alt-o`, `Alt-i`, and `Alt-n` (or `Alt` and arrow keys) allow you to move the
selection according to its location in the syntax tree. For example, many languages have the
following syntax for function calls:
```js
func(arg1, arg2, arg3);
```
A function call might be parsed by tree-sitter into a tree like the following.
```tsq
(call
function: (identifier) ; func
arguments:
(arguments ; (arg1, arg2, arg3)
(identifier) ; arg1
(identifier) ; arg2
(identifier))) ; arg3
```
Use `:tree-sitter-subtree` to view the syntax tree of the primary selection. In
a more intuitive tree format:
```
┌────┐
│call│
┌─────┴────┴─────┐
│ │
┌─────▼────┐ ┌────▼────┐
│identifier│ │arguments│
│ "func" │ ┌────┴───┬─────┴───┐
└──────────┘ │ │ │
│ │ │
┌─────────▼┐ ┌────▼─────┐ ┌▼─────────┐
│identifier│ │identifier│ │identifier│
│ "arg1" │ │ "arg2" │ │ "arg3" │
└──────────┘ └──────────┘ └──────────┘
```
If you have a selection that wraps `arg1` (see the tree above), and you use
`Alt-n`, it will select the next sibling in the syntax tree: `arg2`.
```js
// before
func([arg1], arg2, arg3)
// after
func(arg1, [arg2], arg3);
```
Similarly, `Alt-o` will expand the selection to the parent node, in this case, the
arguments node.
```js
func[(arg1, arg2, arg3)];
```
There is also some nuanced behavior that prevents you from getting stuck on a
node with no sibling. When using `Alt-p` with a selection on `arg1`, the previous
child node will be selected. In the event that `arg1` does not have a previous
sibling, the selection will move up the syntax tree and select the previous
element. As a result, using `Alt-p` with a selection on `arg1` will move the
selection to the "func" `identifier`.
[lang-support]: ./lang-support.md
[unimpaired-keybinds]: ./keymap.md#unimpaired
[tree-sitter-nav-demo]: https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/23398472/152332550-7dfff043-36a2-4aec-b8f2-77c13eb56d6f.gif

47
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## Selecting and manipulating text with textobjects
In Helix, textobjects are a way to select, manipulate and operate on a piece of
text in a structured way. They allow you to refer to blocks of text based on
their structure or purpose, such as a word, sentence, paragraph, or even a
function or block of code.
![Textobject demo](https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/23398472/124231131-81a4bb00-db2d-11eb-9d10-8e577ca7b177.gif)
![Textobject tree-sitter demo](https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/23398472/132537398-2a2e0a54-582b-44ab-a77f-eb818942203d.gif)
- `ma` - Select around the object (`va` in Vim, `<alt-a>` in Kakoune)
- `mi` - Select inside the object (`vi` in Vim, `<alt-i>` in Kakoune)
| Key after `mi` or `ma` | Textobject selected |
| --- | --- |
| `w` | Word |
| `W` | WORD |
| `p` | Paragraph |
| `(`, `[`, `'`, etc. | Specified surround pairs |
| `m` | The closest surround pair |
| `f` | Function |
| `t` | Type (or Class) |
| `a` | Argument/parameter |
| `c` | Comment |
| `T` | Test |
| `g` | Change |
> 💡 `f`, `t`, etc. need a tree-sitter grammar active for the current
document and a special tree-sitter query file to work properly. [Only
some grammars][lang-support] currently have the query file implemented.
Contributions are welcome!
## Navigating using tree-sitter textobjects
Navigating between functions, classes, parameters, and other elements is
possible using tree-sitter and textobject queries. For
example to move to the next function use `]f`, to move to previous
type use `[t`, and so on.
![Tree-sitter-nav-demo][tree-sitter-nav-demo]
For the full reference see the [unimpaired][unimpaired-keybinds] section of the key bind
documentation.
> 💡 This feature relies on tree-sitter textobjects
> and requires the corresponding query file to work properly.

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@ -1,15 +1,5 @@
# Using Helix
<!--toc:start-->
- [Registers](#registers)
- [User-defined registers](#user-defined-registers)
- [Special registers](#special-registers)
- [Surround](#surround)
- [Selecting and manipulating text with textobjects](#selecting-and-manipulating-text-with-textobjects)
- [Navigating using tree-sitter textobjects](#navigating-using-tree-sitter-textobjects)
- [Moving the selection with syntax-aware motions](#moving-the-selection-with-syntax-aware-motions)
<!--toc:end-->
For a full interactive introduction to Helix, refer to the
[tutor](https://github.com/helix-editor/helix/blob/master/runtime/tutor) which
can be accessed via the command `hx --tutor` or `:tutor`.
@ -17,192 +7,3 @@ can be accessed via the command `hx --tutor` or `:tutor`.
> 💡 Currently, not all functionality is fully documented, please refer to the
> [key mappings](./keymap.md) list.
## Registers
In Helix, registers are storage locations for text and other data, such as the
result of a search. Registers can be used to cut, copy, and paste text, similar
to the clipboard in other text editors. Usage is similar to Vim, with `"` being
used to select a register.
### User-defined registers
Helix allows you to create your own named registers for storing text, for
example:
- `"ay` - Yank the current selection to register `a`.
- `"op` - Paste the text in register `o` after the selection.
If a register is selected before invoking a change or delete command, the selection will be stored in the register and the action will be carried out:
- `"hc` - Store the selection in register `h` and then change it (delete and enter insert mode).
- `"md` - Store the selection in register `m` and delete it.
### Default registers
Commands that use registers, like yank (`y`), use a default register if none is specified.
These registers are used as defaults:
| Register character | Contains |
| --- | --- |
| `/` | Last search |
| `:` | Last executed command |
| `"` | Last yanked text |
| `@` | Last recorded macro |
### Special registers
Some registers have special behavior when read from and written to.
| Register character | When read | When written |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `_` | No values are returned | All values are discarded |
| `#` | Selection indices (first selection is `1`, second is `2`, etc.) | This register is not writable |
| `.` | Contents of the current selections | This register is not writable |
| `%` | Name of the current file | This register is not writable |
| `+` | Reads from the system clipboard | Joins and yanks to the system clipboard |
| `*` | Reads from the primary clipboard | Joins and yanks to the primary clipboard |
When yanking multiple selections to the clipboard registers, the selections
are joined with newlines. Pasting from these registers will paste multiple
selections if the clipboard was last yanked to by the Helix session. Otherwise
the clipboard contents are pasted as one selection.
## Surround
Helix includes built-in functionality similar to [vim-surround](https://github.com/tpope/vim-surround).
The keymappings have been inspired from [vim-sandwich](https://github.com/machakann/vim-sandwich):
![Surround demo](https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/23398472/122865801-97073180-d344-11eb-8142-8f43809982c6.gif)
| Key Sequence | Action |
| --------------------------------- | --------------------------------------- |
| `ms<char>` (after selecting text) | Add surround characters to selection |
| `mr<char_to_replace><new_char>` | Replace the closest surround characters |
| `md<char_to_delete>` | Delete the closest surround characters |
You can use counts to act on outer pairs.
Surround can also act on multiple selections. For example, to change every occurrence of `(use)` to `[use]`:
1. `%` to select the whole file
2. `s` to split the selections on a search term
3. Input `use` and hit Enter
4. `mr([` to replace the parentheses with square brackets
Multiple characters are currently not supported, but planned for future release.
## Selecting and manipulating text with textobjects
In Helix, textobjects are a way to select, manipulate and operate on a piece of
text in a structured way. They allow you to refer to blocks of text based on
their structure or purpose, such as a word, sentence, paragraph, or even a
function or block of code.
![Textobject demo](https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/23398472/124231131-81a4bb00-db2d-11eb-9d10-8e577ca7b177.gif)
![Textobject tree-sitter demo](https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/23398472/132537398-2a2e0a54-582b-44ab-a77f-eb818942203d.gif)
- `ma` - Select around the object (`va` in Vim, `<alt-a>` in Kakoune)
- `mi` - Select inside the object (`vi` in Vim, `<alt-i>` in Kakoune)
| Key after `mi` or `ma` | Textobject selected |
| --- | --- |
| `w` | Word |
| `W` | WORD |
| `p` | Paragraph |
| `(`, `[`, `'`, etc. | Specified surround pairs |
| `m` | The closest surround pair |
| `f` | Function |
| `t` | Type (or Class) |
| `a` | Argument/parameter |
| `c` | Comment |
| `T` | Test |
| `g` | Change |
> 💡 `f`, `t`, etc. need a tree-sitter grammar active for the current
document and a special tree-sitter query file to work properly. [Only
some grammars][lang-support] currently have the query file implemented.
Contributions are welcome!
## Navigating using tree-sitter textobjects
Navigating between functions, classes, parameters, and other elements is
possible using tree-sitter and textobject queries. For
example to move to the next function use `]f`, to move to previous
type use `[t`, and so on.
![Tree-sitter-nav-demo][tree-sitter-nav-demo]
For the full reference see the [unimpaired][unimpaired-keybinds] section of the key bind
documentation.
> 💡 This feature relies on tree-sitter textobjects
> and requires the corresponding query file to work properly.
## Moving the selection with syntax-aware motions
`Alt-p`, `Alt-o`, `Alt-i`, and `Alt-n` (or `Alt` and arrow keys) allow you to move the
selection according to its location in the syntax tree. For example, many languages have the
following syntax for function calls:
```js
func(arg1, arg2, arg3);
```
A function call might be parsed by tree-sitter into a tree like the following.
```tsq
(call
function: (identifier) ; func
arguments:
(arguments ; (arg1, arg2, arg3)
(identifier) ; arg1
(identifier) ; arg2
(identifier))) ; arg3
```
Use `:tree-sitter-subtree` to view the syntax tree of the primary selection. In
a more intuitive tree format:
```
┌────┐
│call│
┌─────┴────┴─────┐
│ │
┌─────▼────┐ ┌────▼────┐
│identifier│ │arguments│
│ "func" │ ┌────┴───┬─────┴───┐
└──────────┘ │ │ │
│ │ │
┌─────────▼┐ ┌────▼─────┐ ┌▼─────────┐
│identifier│ │identifier│ │identifier│
│ "arg1" │ │ "arg2" │ │ "arg3" │
└──────────┘ └──────────┘ └──────────┘
```
If you have a selection that wraps `arg1` (see the tree above), and you use
`Alt-n`, it will select the next sibling in the syntax tree: `arg2`.
```js
// before
func([arg1], arg2, arg3)
// after
func(arg1, [arg2], arg3);
```
Similarly, `Alt-o` will expand the selection to the parent node, in this case, the
arguments node.
```js
func[(arg1, arg2, arg3)];
```
There is also some nuanced behavior that prevents you from getting stuck on a
node with no sibling. When using `Alt-p` with a selection on `arg1`, the previous
child node will be selected. In the event that `arg1` does not have a previous
sibling, the selection will move up the syntax tree and select the previous
element. As a result, using `Alt-p` with a selection on `arg1` will move the
selection to the "func" `identifier`.
[lang-support]: ./lang-support.md
[unimpaired-keybinds]: ./keymap.md#unimpaired
[tree-sitter-nav-demo]: https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/23398472/152332550-7dfff043-36a2-4aec-b8f2-77c13eb56d6f.gif