Vim

VSCodeVim

Vim emulation for Visual Studio Code

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.

💾 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.

Neovim Integration

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

To leverage neovim for Ex-commands,

1. Install neovim
2. Modify the following configurations:

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"
            ]
        }
    ],

Debugging Remappings

1. Adjust the extension's logging level to 'debug' and open