~/.config/helix on Linux systems) with a structu
this:
# At most one section each of 'keys.normal', 'keys.insert' and 'keys.select'
[keys.normal]
-C-s = ":w" # Maps Ctrl-s to the typable command :w which is an alias for :write (save file)
-C-o = ":open ~/.config/helix/config.toml" # Maps Ctrl-o to opening of the helix config file
-a = "move_char_left" # Maps the 'a' key to the move_char_left command
-w = "move_line_up" # Maps the 'w' key move_line_up
-"C-S-esc" = "extend_line" # Maps Ctrl-Shift-Escape to extend_line
-g = { a = "code_action" } # Maps `ga` to show possible code actions
-"ret" = ["open_below", "normal_mode"] # Maps the enter key to open_below then re-enter normal mode
+C-s = ":w" # Maps Ctrl-s to the typable command :w which is an alias for :write (save file)
+C-o = ":open ~/.config/helix/config.toml" # Maps Ctrl-o to opening of the helix config file
+a = "move_char_left" # Maps the 'a' key to the move_char_left command
+w = "move_line_up" # Maps the 'w' key move_line_up
+"C-S-esc" = "extend_line" # Maps Ctrl-Shift-Escape to extend_line
+g = { a = "code_action" } # Maps `ga` to show possible code actions
+"ret" = ["open_below", "normal_mode"] # Maps the enter key to open_below then re-enter normal mode
[keys.insert]
-"A-x" = "normal_mode" # Maps Alt-X to enter normal mode
-j = { k = "normal_mode" } # Maps `jk` to exit insert mode
+"A-x" = "normal_mode" # Maps Alt-X to enter normal mode
+j = { k = "normal_mode" } # Maps `jk` to exit insert mode
Minor modes are accessed by pressing a key (usually from normal mode), giving access to dedicated bindings. Bindings can be modified or added by nesting definitions.
[keys.insert.j]
-k = "normal_mode" # Maps `jk` to exit insert mode
+k = "normal_mode" # Maps `jk` to exit insert mode
[keys.normal.g]
-a = "code_action" # Maps `ga` to show possible code actions
+a = "code_action" # Maps `ga` to show possible code actions
# invert `j` and `k` in view mode
[keys.normal.z]
-j = "scroll_up"
-k = "scroll_down"
+j = "scroll_up"
+k = "scroll_down"
# create a new minor mode bound to `+`
-[keys.normal."+"]
-m = ":run-shell-command make"
-c = ":run-shell-command cargo build"
-t = ":run-shell-command cargo test"
+[keys.normal."+"]
+m = ":run-shell-command make"
+c = ":run-shell-command cargo build"
+t = ":run-shell-command cargo test"
Ctrl, Shift and Alt modifiers are encoded respectively with the prefixes
C-, S- and A-. Special keys are encoded as follows:
| Key name | Representation |
|---|---|
| Backspace | "backspace" |
| Space | "space" |
| Return/Enter | "ret" |
| - | "minus" |
| Left | "left" |
| Right | "right" |
| Up | "up" |
| Down | "down" |
| Home | "home" |
| End | "end" |
| Page Up | "pageup" |
| Page Down | "pagedown" |
| Tab | "tab" |
| Delete | "del" |
| Insert | "ins" |
| Null | "null" |
| Escape | "esc" |
| Backspace | "backspace" |
| Space | "space" |
| Return/Enter | "ret" |
| - | "minus" |
| Left | "left" |
| Right | "right" |
| Up | "up" |
| Down | "down" |
| Home | "home" |
| End | "end" |
| Page Up | "pageup" |
| Page Down | "pagedown" |
| Tab | "tab" |
| Delete | "del" |
| Insert | "ins" |
| Null | "null" |
| Escape | "esc" |
Keys can be disabled by binding them to the no_op command.
A list of commands is available in the Keymap documentation
and in the source code at helix-term/src/commands.rs at the invocation of static_commands! macro and the TypableCommandList.