diff --git a/book/src/keymap.md b/book/src/keymap.md
index 003d08455..844938ec1 100644
--- a/book/src/keymap.md
+++ b/book/src/keymap.md
@@ -24,13 +24,13 @@
 | PageDown | Move page down |
 | ctrl-u | Move half page up |
 | ctrl-d | Move half page down |
-| Tab | Switch to next view |
 | ctrl-i | Jump forward on the jumplist TODO: conflicts tab |
 | ctrl-o | Jump backward on the jumplist |
 | v   | Enter select (extend) mode |
 | g   | Enter goto mode |
 | :   | Enter command mode |
 | z   | Enter view mode |
+| ctrl-w | Enter window mode |
 | space   | Enter space mode |
 | K | Show documentation for the item under the cursor |
 
@@ -132,6 +132,17 @@ Jumps to various locations.
 
 TODO: Mappings for selecting syntax nodes (a superset of `[`).
 
+## Window mode
+
+This layer is similar to vim keybindings as kakoune does not support window.
+
+| Key | Description |
+|-----|-------------|
+| w, ctrl-w | Switch to next window |
+| v, ctrl-v | Vertical right split |
+| h, ctrl-h | Horizontal bottom split |
+| q, ctrl-q | Close current window |
+
 ## Space mode
 
 This layer is a kludge of mappings I had under leader key in neovim.
@@ -140,7 +151,5 @@ This layer is a kludge of mappings I had under leader key in neovim.
 |-----|-----------|
 | f   | Open file picker |
 | b   | Open buffer picker |
-| v   | Open a new vertical split into the current file |
 | w   | Save changes to file |
-| c   | Close the current split |
 | space   | Keep primary selection TODO: it's here because space mode replaced it |
diff --git a/helix-term/src/commands.rs b/helix-term/src/commands.rs
index bff102dce..c88a5eee5 100644
--- a/helix-term/src/commands.rs
+++ b/helix-term/src/commands.rs
@@ -2240,11 +2240,6 @@ pub fn hover(cx: &mut Context) {
     );
 }
 
-// view movements
-pub fn next_view(cx: &mut Context) {
-    cx.editor.focus_next()
-}
-
 // comments
 pub fn toggle_comments(cx: &mut Context) {
     let (view, doc) = cx.current();
@@ -2308,16 +2303,38 @@ pub fn jump_backward(cx: &mut Context) {
     };
 }
 
-//
+pub fn window_mode(cx: &mut Context) {
+    cx.on_next_key(move |cx, event| {
+        if let KeyEvent {
+            code: KeyCode::Char(ch),
+            ..
+        } = event
+        {
+            match ch {
+                'w' => rotate_view(cx),
+                'h' => hsplit(cx),
+                'v' => vsplit(cx),
+                'q' => wclose(cx),
+                _ => {}
+            }
+        }
+    })
+}
 
-pub fn vsplit(cx: &mut Context) {
+pub fn rotate_view(cx: &mut Context) {
+    cx.editor.focus_next()
+}
+
+// split helper, clear it later
+use helix_view::editor::Action;
+fn split(cx: &mut Context, action: Action) {
     use helix_view::editor::Action;
     let (view, doc) = cx.current();
     let id = doc.id();
     let selection = doc.selection(view.id).clone();
     let first_line = view.first_line;
 
-    cx.editor.switch(id, Action::VerticalSplit);
+    cx.editor.switch(id, action);
 
     // match the selection in the previous view
     let (view, doc) = cx.current();
@@ -2325,6 +2342,20 @@ pub fn vsplit(cx: &mut Context) {
     doc.set_selection(view.id, selection);
 }
 
+pub fn hsplit(cx: &mut Context) {
+    split(cx, Action::HorizontalSplit);
+}
+
+pub fn vsplit(cx: &mut Context) {
+    split(cx, Action::VerticalSplit);
+}
+
+pub fn wclose(cx: &mut Context) {
+    let view_id = cx.view().id;
+    // close current split
+    cx.editor.close(view_id, /* close_buffer */ false);
+}
+
 pub fn space_mode(cx: &mut Context) {
     cx.on_next_key(move |cx, event| {
         if let KeyEvent {
@@ -2336,18 +2367,12 @@ pub fn space_mode(cx: &mut Context) {
             match ch {
                 'f' => file_picker(cx),
                 'b' => buffer_picker(cx),
-                'v' => vsplit(cx),
                 'w' => {
                     // save current buffer
                     let (view, doc) = cx.current();
                     doc.format(view.id); // TODO: merge into save
                     tokio::spawn(doc.save());
                 }
-                'c' => {
-                    let view_id = cx.view().id;
-                    // close current split
-                    cx.editor.close(view_id, /* close_buffer */ false);
-                }
                 // ' ' => toggle_alternate_buffer(cx),
                 // TODO: temporary since space mode took it's old key
                 ' ' => keep_primary_selection(cx),
diff --git a/helix-term/src/keymap.rs b/helix-term/src/keymap.rs
index 7376cd037..e51dfbc5c 100644
--- a/helix-term/src/keymap.rs
+++ b/helix-term/src/keymap.rs
@@ -264,10 +264,7 @@ pub fn default() -> Keymaps {
         ctrl!('u') => commands::half_page_up,
         ctrl!('d') => commands::half_page_down,
 
-        KeyEvent {
-            code: KeyCode::Tab,
-            modifiers: KeyModifiers::NONE
-        } => commands::next_view,
+        ctrl!('w') => commands::window_mode,
 
         // move under <space>c
         ctrl!('c') => commands::toggle_comments,