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< ol class = "chapter" > < li class = "chapter-item expanded affix " > < a href = "title-page.html" > Helix< / a > < / li > < li class = "chapter-item expanded " > < a href = "install.html" > < strong aria-hidden = "true" > 1.< / strong > Installation< / a > < / li > < li class = "chapter-item expanded " > < a href = "usage.html" class = "active" > < strong aria-hidden = "true" > 2.< / strong > Usage< / a > < / li > < li > < ol class = "section" > < li class = "chapter-item expanded " > < a href = "keymap.html" > < strong aria-hidden = "true" > 2.1.< / strong > Keymap< / a > < / li > < li class = "chapter-item expanded " > < a href = "commands.html" > < strong aria-hidden = "true" > 2.2.< / strong > Commands< / a > < / li > < li class = "chapter-item expanded " > < a href = "lang-support.html" > < strong aria-hidden = "true" > 2.3.< / strong > Language support< / a > < / li > < / ol > < / li > < li class = "chapter-item expanded " > < a href = "from-vim.html" > < strong aria-hidden = "true" > 3.< / strong > Migrating from Vim< / a > < / li > < li class = "chapter-item expanded " > < a href = "configuration.html" > < strong aria-hidden = "true" > 4.< / strong > Configuration< / a > < / li > < li > < ol class = "section" > < li class = "chapter-item expanded " > < a href = "themes.html" > < strong aria-hidden = "true" > 4.1.< / strong > Themes< / a > < / li > < li class = "chapter-item expanded " > < a href = "remapping.html" > < strong aria-hidden = "true" > 4.2.< / strong > Key remapping< / a > < / li > < li class = "chapter-item expanded " > < a href = "languages.html" > < strong aria-hidden = "true" > 4.3.< / strong > Languages< / a > < / li > < / ol > < / li > < li class = "chapter-item expanded " > < a href = "guides/index.html" > < strong aria-hidden = "true" > 5.< / strong > Guides< / a > < / li > < li > < ol class = "section" > < li class = "chapter-item expanded " > < a href = "guides/adding_languages.html" > < strong aria-hidden = "true" > 5.1.< / strong > Adding languages< / a > < / li > < li class = "chapter-item expanded " > < a href = "guides/textobject.html" > < strong aria-hidden = "true" > 5.2.< / strong > Adding textobject queries< / a > < / li > < li class = "chapter-item expanded " > < a href = "guides/indent.html" > < strong aria-hidden = "true" > 5.3.< / strong > Adding indent queries< / a > < / li > < / ol > < / li > < / ol >
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< h1 id = "using-helix" > < a class = "header" href = "#using-helix" > Using Helix< / a > < / h1 >
<!-- toc:start -->
< ul >
< li > < a href = "#registers" > Registers< / a >
< ul >
< li > < a href = "#user-defined-registers" > User-defined registers< / a > < / li >
< li > < a href = "#special-registers" > Special registers< / a > < / li >
< / ul >
< / li >
< li > < a href = "#surround" > Surround< / a > < / li >
< li > < a href = "#selecting-and-manipulating-text-with-textobjects" > Selecting and manipulating text with textobjects< / a > < / li >
< li > < a href = "#navigating-using-tree-sitter-textobjects" > Navigating using tree-sitter textobjects< / a > < / li >
< li > < a href = "#moving-the-selection-with-syntax-aware-motions" > Moving the selection with syntax-aware motions< / a > < / li >
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< p > For a full interactive introduction to Helix, refer to the
< a href = "https://github.com/helix-editor/helix/blob/master/runtime/tutor" > tutor< / a > which
can be accessed via the command < code > hx --tutor< / code > or < code > :tutor< / code > .< / p >
< blockquote >
< p > 💡 Currently, not all functionality is fully documented, please refer to the
< a href = "./keymap.html" > key mappings< / a > list.< / p >
< / blockquote >
< h2 id = "registers" > < a class = "header" href = "#registers" > Registers< / a > < / h2 >
< p > 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 < code > " < / code > being
used to select a register.< / p >
< h3 id = "user-defined-registers" > < a class = "header" href = "#user-defined-registers" > User-defined registers< / a > < / h3 >
< p > Helix allows you to create your own named registers for storing text, for
example:< / p >
< ul >
< li > < code > " ay< / code > - Yank the current selection to register < code > a< / code > .< / li >
< li > < code > " op< / code > - Paste the text in register < code > o< / code > after the selection.< / li >
< / ul >
< p > 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:< / p >
< ul >
< li > < code > " hc< / code > - Store the selection in register < code > h< / code > and then change it (delete and enter insert mode).< / li >
< li > < code > " md< / code > - Store the selection in register < code > m< / code > and delete it.< / li >
< / ul >
< h3 id = "special-registers" > < a class = "header" href = "#special-registers" > Special registers< / a > < / h3 >
< div class = "table-wrapper" > < table > < thead > < tr > < th > Register character< / th > < th > Contains< / th > < / tr > < / thead > < tbody >
< tr > < td > < code > /< / code > < / td > < td > Last search< / td > < / tr >
< tr > < td > < code > :< / code > < / td > < td > Last executed command< / td > < / tr >
< tr > < td > < code > " < / code > < / td > < td > Last yanked text< / td > < / tr >
< tr > < td > < code > _< / code > < / td > < td > Black hole< / td > < / tr >
< / tbody > < / table >
< / div >
< p > The system clipboard is not directly supported by a special register. Instead, special commands and keybindings are provided. Refer to the
< a href = "keymap.html#space-mode" > key map< / a > for more details.< / p >
< p > The black hole register is a no-op register, meaning that no data will be read or written to it.< / p >
< h2 id = "surround" > < a class = "header" href = "#surround" > Surround< / a > < / h2 >
< p > Helix includes built-in functionality similar to < a href = "https://github.com/tpope/vim-surround" > vim-surround< / a > .
The keymappings have been inspired from < a href = "https://github.com/machakann/vim-sandwich" > vim-sandwich< / a > :< / p >
< p > < img src = "https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/23398472/122865801-97073180-d344-11eb-8142-8f43809982c6.gif" alt = "Surround demo" / > < / p >
< div class = "table-wrapper" > < table > < thead > < tr > < th > Key Sequence< / th > < th > Action< / th > < / tr > < / thead > < tbody >
< tr > < td > < code > ms< char> < / code > (after selecting text)< / td > < td > Add surround characters to selection< / td > < / tr >
< tr > < td > < code > mr< char_to_replace> < new_char> < / code > < / td > < td > Replace the closest surround characters< / td > < / tr >
< tr > < td > < code > md< char_to_delete> < / code > < / td > < td > Delete the closest surround characters< / td > < / tr >
< / tbody > < / table >
< / div >
< p > You can use counts to act on outer pairs.< / p >
< p > Surround can also act on multiple selections. For example, to change every occurrence of < code > (use)< / code > to < code > [use]< / code > :< / p >
< ol >
< li > < code > %< / code > to select the whole file< / li >
< li > < code > s< / code > to split the selections on a search term< / li >
< li > Input < code > use< / code > and hit Enter< / li >
< li > < code > mr([< / code > to replace the parentheses with square brackets< / li >
< / ol >
< p > Multiple characters are currently not supported, but planned for future release.< / p >
< h2 id = "selecting-and-manipulating-text-with-textobjects" > < a class = "header" href = "#selecting-and-manipulating-text-with-textobjects" > Selecting and manipulating text with textobjects< / a > < / h2 >
< p > 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.< / p >
< p > < img src = "https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/23398472/124231131-81a4bb00-db2d-11eb-9d10-8e577ca7b177.gif" alt = "Textobject demo" / >
< img src = "https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/23398472/132537398-2a2e0a54-582b-44ab-a77f-eb818942203d.gif" alt = "Textobject tree-sitter demo" / > < / p >
< ul >
< li > < code > ma< / code > - Select around the object (< code > va< / code > in Vim, < code > < alt-a> < / code > in Kakoune)< / li >
< li > < code > mi< / code > - Select inside the object (< code > vi< / code > in Vim, < code > < alt-i> < / code > in Kakoune)< / li >
< / ul >
< div class = "table-wrapper" > < table > < thead > < tr > < th > Key after < code > mi< / code > or < code > ma< / code > < / th > < th > Textobject selected< / th > < / tr > < / thead > < tbody >
< tr > < td > < code > w< / code > < / td > < td > Word< / td > < / tr >
< tr > < td > < code > W< / code > < / td > < td > WORD< / td > < / tr >
< tr > < td > < code > p< / code > < / td > < td > Paragraph< / td > < / tr >
< tr > < td > < code > (< / code > , < code > [< / code > , < code > '< / code > , etc.< / td > < td > Specified surround pairs< / td > < / tr >
< tr > < td > < code > m< / code > < / td > < td > The closest surround pair< / td > < / tr >
< tr > < td > < code > f< / code > < / td > < td > Function< / td > < / tr >
< tr > < td > < code > c< / code > < / td > < td > Class< / td > < / tr >
< tr > < td > < code > a< / code > < / td > < td > Argument/parameter< / td > < / tr >
< tr > < td > < code > o< / code > < / td > < td > Comment< / td > < / tr >
< tr > < td > < code > t< / code > < / td > < td > Test< / td > < / tr >
< tr > < td > < code > g< / code > < / td > < td > Change< / td > < / tr >
< / tbody > < / table >
< / div >
< blockquote >
< p > 💡 < code > f< / code > , < code > c< / code > , etc. need a tree-sitter grammar active for the current
document and a special tree-sitter query file to work properly. < a href = "./lang-support.html" > Only
some grammars< / a > currently have the query file implemented.
Contributions are welcome!< / p >
< / blockquote >
< h2 id = "navigating-using-tree-sitter-textobjects" > < a class = "header" href = "#navigating-using-tree-sitter-textobjects" > Navigating using tree-sitter textobjects< / a > < / h2 >
< p > 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 < code > ]f< / code > , to move to previous
class use < code > [c< / code > , and so on.< / p >
< p > < img src = "https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/23398472/152332550-7dfff043-36a2-4aec-b8f2-77c13eb56d6f.gif" alt = "Tree-sitter-nav-demo" / > < / p >
< p > For the full reference see the < a href = "./keymap.html#unimpaired" > unimpaired< / a > section of the key bind
documentation.< / p >
< blockquote >
< p > 💡 This feature relies on tree-sitter textobjects
and requires the corresponding query file to work properly.< / p >
< / blockquote >
< h2 id = "moving-the-selection-with-syntax-aware-motions" > < a class = "header" href = "#moving-the-selection-with-syntax-aware-motions" > Moving the selection with syntax-aware motions< / a > < / h2 >
< p > < code > Alt-p< / code > , < code > Alt-o< / code > , < code > Alt-i< / code > , and < code > Alt-n< / code > (or < code > Alt< / code > 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:< / p >
< pre > < code class = "language-js" > func(arg1, arg2, arg3);
< / code > < / pre >
< p > A function call might be parsed by tree-sitter into a tree like the following.< / p >
< pre > < code class = "language-tsq" > (call
function: (identifier) ; func
arguments:
(arguments ; (arg1, arg2, arg3)
(identifier) ; arg1
(identifier) ; arg2
(identifier))) ; arg3
< / code > < / pre >
< p > Use < code > :tree-sitter-subtree< / code > to view the syntax tree of the primary selection. In
a more intuitive tree format:< / p >
< pre > < code > ┌────┐
│call│
┌─────┴────┴─────┐
│ │
┌─────▼────┐ ┌────▼────┐
│identifier│ │arguments│
│ " func" │ ┌────┴───┬─────┴───┐
└──────────┘ │ │ │
│ │ │
┌─────────▼┐ ┌────▼─────┐ ┌▼─────────┐
│identifier│ │identifier│ │identifier│
│ " arg1" │ │ " arg2" │ │ " arg3" │
└──────────┘ └──────────┘ └──────────┘
< / code > < / pre >
< p > If you have a selection that wraps < code > arg1< / code > (see the tree above), and you use
< code > Alt-n< / code > , it will select the next sibling in the syntax tree: < code > arg2< / code > .< / p >
< pre > < code class = "language-js" > // before
func([arg1], arg2, arg3)
// after
func(arg1, [arg2], arg3);
< / code > < / pre >
< p > Similarly, < code > Alt-o< / code > will expand the selection to the parent node, in this case, the
arguments node.< / p >
< pre > < code class = "language-js" > func[(arg1, arg2, arg3)];
< / code > < / pre >
< p > There is also some nuanced behavior that prevents you from getting stuck on a
node with no sibling. When using < code > Alt-p< / code > with a selection on < code > arg1< / code > , the previous
child node will be selected. In the event that < code > arg1< / code > does not have a previous
sibling, the selection will move up the syntax tree and select the previous
element. As a result, using < code > Alt-p< / code > with a selection on < code > arg1< / code > will move the
selection to the " func" < code > identifier< / code > .< / p >
< / main >
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