Documentation - Helix Editor

Helix is a modern, modal text editor inspired by Vim and Kakoune, designed for efficiency and minimalism. It provides a powerful editing experience with features like multiple cursors, tree-sitter syntax highlighting, and a modal interface.

Features

Modal Editing: Uses a modal workflow similar to Vim.
Multiple Cursors: Intuitive multiple cursor support for efficient text manipulation.
Tree-Sitter Syntax Highlighting: Advanced syntax highlighting for better code readability.
LSP Support: Integrated Language Server Protocol (LSP) support for intelligent code completion and diagnostics.
Minimal Configuration: Works efficiently out of the box with minimal setup.
TUI Interface: Runs in the terminal with a clean and responsive UI.

Installation

Linux & macOS

curl -LO https://github.com/helix-editor/helix/releases/latest/download/helix.tar.xz
mkdir -p ~/.local/bin && tar -xJf helix.tar.xz -C ~/.local/bin
export PATH="$HOME/.local/bin:$PATH"

Windows

Download the latest release from the official repository and extract it to your preferred location.

Basic Usage

Opening a File

hx filename

Navigation

h – Move left
l – Move right
j – Move down
k – Move up

Editing Modes

Normal Mode: Default mode for navigation and operations.
Insert Mode: Entered by pressing i, allows text input.
Select Mode: Entered by pressing v, enables text selection.

Saving & Quitting

:w – Save file
:q – Quit editor
:wq – Save and quit
:q! – Quit without saving

Configuration

Helix uses a configuration file located at ~/.config/helix/config.toml. Example:

[editor]
line-number = true

Extending Helix

Helix supports LSP, themes, and key remapping. You can extend it by modifying the config.toml file or installing additional LSP servers.

Resources

Conclusion

Helix is a lightweight yet powerful text editor designed for speed and efficiency. With a minimal learning curve and rich features, it is an excellent choice for developers looking for a modern alternative to Vim.