Vim

<h2 align="center"><img src="https://raw.githubusercontent.com/VSCodeVim/Vim/master/images/icon.png" height="128"><br>VSCodeVim</h2> <p align="center"><strong>Vim emulation for Visual Studio Code</strong></p>

VSCodeVim is a Vim emulator for Visual Studio Code.

🚚 For a full list of supported Vim features, please refer to our roadmap.
📃 Our change log outlines the breaking/major/minor updates between releases.
Report missing features/bugs on GitHub.

<details> <summary><strong>Table of Contents</strong> (click to expand)</summary>

💾 Installation
- Mac
- Windows
⚙️ Settings
.vimrc support
🖱️ Multi-Cursor Mode
🔌 Emulated Plugins
🎩 VSCodeVim tricks!
📚 F.A.Q.
❤️ Contributing
- Special shoutouts to:

</details>

💾 Installation

VSCodeVim can be installed via the VS Code Marketplace.

Mac

To enable key-repeating, execute the following in your Terminal, log out and back in, and then restart VS Code:

defaults write com.microsoft.VSCode ApplePressAndHoldEnabled -bool false              # For VS Code
defaults write com.microsoft.VSCodeInsiders ApplePressAndHoldEnabled -bool false      # For VS Code Insider
defaults write com.vscodium ApplePressAndHoldEnabled -bool false                      # For VS Codium
defaults write com.microsoft.VSCodeExploration ApplePressAndHoldEnabled -bool false   # For VS Codium Exploration users
defaults delete -g ApplePressAndHoldEnabled                                           # If necessary, reset global default

We also recommend increasing Key Repeat and Delay Until Repeat settings in System Preferences -> Keyboard.

Windows

Like real vim, VSCodeVim will take over your control keys. This behavior can be adjusted with the useCtrlKeys and handleKeys settings.

⚙️ Settings

The settings documented here are a subset of the supported settings; the full list is described in the Contributions tab of VSCodeVim's extension details page, which can be found in the extensions view of VS Code.

Quick Example

Below is an example of a settings.json file with settings relevant to VSCodeVim:

{
  "vim.easymotion": true,
  "vim.incsearch": true,
  "vim.useSystemClipboard": true,
  "vim.useCtrlKeys": true,
  "vim.hlsearch": true,
  "vim.insertModeKeyBindings": [
    {
      "before": ["j", "j"],
      "after": ["<Esc>"]
    }
  ],
  "vim.normalModeKeyBindingsNonRecursive": [
    {
      "before": ["<leader>", "d"],
      "after": ["d", "d"]
    },
    {
      "before": ["<C-n>"],
      "commands": [":nohl"]
    },
    {
      "before": ["K"],
      "commands": ["lineBreakInsert"],
      "silent": true
    }
  ],
  "vim.leader": "<space>",
  "vim.handleKeys": {
    "<C-a>": false,
    "<C-f>": false
  },

  "// To improve performance",
  "extensions.experimental.affinity": {
    "vscodevim.vim": 1
  }
}

VSCodeVim settings

These settings are specific to VSCodeVim.

Setting	Description	Type	Default Value
vim.changeWordIncludesWhitespace	Include trailing whitespace when changing word. This configures the <kbd>cw</kbd> action to act consistently as its siblings (<kbd>yw</kbd> and <kbd>dw</kbd>) instead of acting as <kbd>ce</kbd>.	Boolean	false
vim.cursorStylePerMode.{Mode}	Configure a specific cursor style for {Mode}. Omitted modes will use default cursor type Supported cursors: line, block, underline, line-thin, block-outline, and underline-thin.	String	None
vim.digraphs.{shorthand}	Set custom digraph shorthands that can override the default ones. Entries should map a two-character shorthand to a descriptive string and one or more UTF16 code points. Example: `"R!": ["🚀", [55357, 56960]]`	Object	`{"R!": ["🚀", [0xD83D, 0xDE80]]`
vim.disableExtension	Disable VSCodeVim extension. This setting can also be toggled using `toggleVim` command in the Command Palette	Boolean	false
vim.handleKeys	Delegate configured keys to be handled by VS Code instead of by the VSCodeVim extension. Any key in `keybindings` section of the package.json that has a `vim.use<C-...>` in the `when` argument can be delegated back to VS Code by setting `"<C-...>": false`. Example: to use `ctrl+f` for find (native VS Code behavior): `"vim.handleKeys": { "<C-f>": false }`.	String	`"<C-d>": true`<br /> `"<C-s>": false`<br /> `"<C-z>": false`
vim.overrideCopy	Override VS Code's copy command with our own, which works correctly with VSCodeVim. If cmd-c/ctrl-c is giving you issues, set this to false and complain here.	Boolean	false
vim.useSystemClipboard	Use the system clipboard register (`*`) as the default register	Boolean	false
vim.searchHighlightColor	Background color of non-current search matches	String	`findMatchHighlightBackground` ThemeColor
vim.searchHighlightTextColor	Foreground color of non-current search matches	String	None
vim.searchMatchColor	Background color of current search match	String	`findMatchBackground` ThemeColor
vim.searchMatchTextColor	Foreground color of current search match	String	None
vim.substitutionColor	Background color of substitution text when `vim.inccommand` is enabled	String	"#50f01080"
vim.substitutionTextColor	Foreground color of substitution text when `vim.inccommand` is enabled	String	None
vim.startInInsertMode	Start in Insert mode instead of Normal Mode	Boolean	false
vim.useCtrlKeys	Enable Vim ctrl keys overriding common VS Code operations such as copy, paste, find, etc.	Boolean	true
vim.visualstar	In visual mode, start a search with `*` or `#` using the current selection	Boolean	false
vim.highlightedyank.enable	Enable highlighting when yanking	Boolean	false
vim.highlightedyank.color	Set the color of yank highlights	String	rgba(250, 240, 170, 0.5)
vim.highlightedyank.duration	Set the duration of yank highlights	Number	200

Neovim Integration

:warning: Experimental feature. Please leave feedback on neovim integration here.

To leverage neovim for Ex-commands,

Install neovim
Modify the following configurations:

Setting	Description	Type	Default Value
vim.enableNeovim	Enable Neovim	Boolean	false
vim.neovimPath	Full path to neovim executable. If left empty, PATH environment variable will be automatically checked for neovim path.	String
vim.neovimUseConfigFile	If `true`, Neovim will load a config file specified by `vim.neovimConfigPath`. This is necessary if you want Neovim to be able to use its own plugins.	Boolean	false
vim.neovimConfigPath	Path that Neovim will load as config file. If left blank, Neovim will search in its default location.	String

Here's some ideas on what you can do with neovim integration:

The power of g
The :normal command
Faster search and replace!

Key Remapping

Custom remappings are defined on a per-mode basis.

`"vim.insertModeKeyBindings"`/`"vim.normalModeKeyBindings"`/`"vim.visualModeKeyBindings"`/`"vim.operatorPendingModeKeyBindings"`

Keybinding overrides to use for insert, normal, operatorPending and visual modes.
Keybinding overrides can include "before", "after", "commands", and "silent".
Bind jj to <Esc> in insert mode:

    "vim.insertModeKeyBindings": [
        {
            "before": ["j", "j"],
            "after": ["<Esc>"]
        }
    ]

Bind £ to goto previous whole word under cursor:

    "vim.normalModeKeyBindings": [
        {
            "before": ["£"],
            "after": ["#"]
        }
    ]

Bind : to show the command palette, and don't show the message on the status bar:

    "vim.normalModeKeyBindings": [
        {
            "before": [":"],
            "commands": [
                "workbench.action.showCommands",
            ],
            "silent": true
        }
    ]

Bind <leader>m to add a bookmark and <leader>b to open the list of all bookmarks (using the Bookmarks extension):

    "vim.normalModeKeyBindings": [
        {
            "before": ["<leader>", "m"],
            "commands": [
                "bookmarks.toggle"
            ]
        },
        {
            "before": ["<leader>", "b"],
            "commands": [
                "bookmarks.list"
            ]
        }
    ]

Bind ctrl+n to turn off search highlighting and <leader>w to save the current file:

    "vim.normalModeKeyBindings": [
        {
            "before":["<C-n>"],
            "commands": [
                ":nohl",
            ]
        },
        {
            "before": ["leader", "w"],
            "commands": [
                "workbench.action.files.save",
            ]
        }
    ]

Bind { to w in operator pending mode makes y{ and d{ work like yw and dw respectively:

    "vim.operatorPendingModeKeyBindings": [
        {
            "before": ["{"],
            "after": ["w"]
        }
    ]

Bind L to $ and H to ^ in operator pending mode makes yL and dH work like y$ and d^ respectively:

    "vim.operatorPendingModeKeyBindings": [
        {
            "before": ["L"],
            "after": ["$"]
        },
        {
            "before": ["H"],
            "after": ["^"]
        }
    ]

Bind > and < in visual mode to indent/outdent lines (repeatable):

    "vim.visualModeKeyBindings": [
        {
            "before": [
                ">"
            ],
            "commands": [
                "editor.action.indentLines"
            ]
        },
        {
            "before": [
                "<"
            ],
            "commands": [
                "editor.action.outdentLines"
            ]
        },
    ]

Bind <leader>vim to clone this repository to the selected location:

    "vim.visualModeKeyBindings": [
        {
            "before": [
                "<leader>", "v", "i", "m"
            ],
            "commands": [
                {
                    "command": "git.clone",
                    "args": [ "https://github.com/VSCodeVim/Vim.git" ]
                }
            ]
        }
    ]

`"vim.insertModeKeyBindingsNonRecursive"`/`"normalModeKeyBindingsNonRecursive"`/`"visualModeKeyBindingsNonRecursive"`/`"operatorPendingModeKeyBindingsNonRecursive"`

Non-recursive keybinding overrides to use for insert, normal, and visual modes
Example: Exchange the meaning of two keys like j to k and k to j to exchange the cursor up and down commands. Notice that if you attempted this binding normally, the j would be replaced with k and the k would be replaced with j, on and on forever. When this happens 'maxmapdepth' times (default 1000) the error message 'E223 Recursive Mapping' will be thrown. Stop this recursive expansion using the NonRecursive variation of the keybindings:

    "vim.normalModeKeyBindingsNonRecursive": [
        {
            "before": ["j"],
            "after": ["k"]
        },
        {
            "before": ["k"],
            "after": ["j"]
        }
    ]

Bind ( to 'i(' in operator pending mode makes 'y(' and 'c(' work like 'yi(' and 'ci(' respectively:

    "vim.operatorPendingModeKeyBindingsNonRecursive": [
        {
            "before": ["("],
            "after": ["i("]
        }
    ]

Bind p in visual mode to paste without overriding the current register:

    "vim.visualModeKeyBindingsNonRecursive": [
        {
            "before": [
                "p",
            ],
            "after": [
                "p",
                "g",
                "v",
                "y"
            ]
        }
    ],