Helix: A Modern Modal Editor
Helix is a modern, terminal-based text editor written in Rust. It takes inspiration from Kakoune and Vim, featuring multiple selections, built-in LSP support, and a focus on simplicity and performance.
What is Helix?
Helix is designed with modern editing principles: - Selection-first editing: Select text first, then act on it - Multiple selections: Edit multiple locations simultaneously - Built-in LSP: Language Server Protocol support out of the box - Tree-sitter: Advanced syntax highlighting and text objects - No configuration required: Works great with zero configuration - Fast and lightweight: Written in Rust for performance
Why Choose Helix?
- Modern design: Built from the ground up with modern editing concepts
- Zero configuration: Sensible defaults that work immediately
- Multiple selections: Powerful multi-cursor editing
- Built-in features: LSP, tree-sitter, and fuzzy finder included
- Consistent keybindings: Logical and memorable key combinations
- Linux-optimized: Designed with Linux development workflows in mind
- Active development: Regular updates and improvements
- Rust performance: Fast and memory-efficient on Linux systems
Installation
Package Managers
# Ubuntu/Debian (from source)
sudo apt update
sudo apt install git rustc cargo
git clone https://github.com/helix-editor/helix
cd helix
cargo install --path helix-term --locked
# Arch Linux
sudo pacman -S helix
# Fedora
sudo dnf install helix
# SUSE/openSUSE
sudo zypper install helix
# Gentoo
sudo emerge app-editors/helix
# Void Linux
sudo xbps-install helix
# Nix
nix-env -iA nixpkgs.helix
# Cargo (from source)
cargo install helix-term --lockedBuilding from Source
# Clone repository
git clone https://github.com/helix-editor/helix
cd helix
# Build and install
cargo install --path helix-term --locked
# Install runtime files
mkdir -p ~/.config/helix
cp -r runtime ~/.config/helix/
# Or use system-wide installation
sudo mkdir -p /usr/local/lib/helix
sudo cp -r runtime /usr/local/lib/helix/Post-Installation Setup
# Install language servers (optional but recommended)
# JavaScript/TypeScript
npm install -g typescript-language-server typescript
# Python
pip install python-lsp-server
# Rust (if not already installed)
rustup component add rust-analyzer
# Go
go install golang.org/x/tools/gopls@latest
# Check health and see what's available
hx --healthBasic Concepts
Selection-First Editing
Unlike Vim’s action-first approach, Helix uses selection-first:
# Vim way: action + motion
dw # Delete word (action first)
# Helix way: selection + action
w # Select word
d # Delete selectionMultiple Selections
Helix excels at multiple selections:
# Select all occurrences of current selection
% # Select all matches
# Add selection
C # Duplicate cursor/selection
Alt-C # Remove primary selection
# Split selections
S # Split selection on regex
Alt-s # Split selection on linesModes
Helix has several modes: - Normal mode: Default mode for navigation and commands - Insert mode: For typing text - Select mode: For making selections - Command mode: For ex-style commands
Essential Commands
Starting Helix
# Open file
hx filename.txt
# Open multiple files
hx file1.txt file2.txt
# Open directory (file picker)
hx .
# Open with specific line/column
hx filename.txt:25:10
# Health check
hx --healthText Selection
# Basic selection
v # Enter select mode
V # Select line
Ctrl+v # Select block (not implemented yet)
# Word/object selection
w # Select word
W # Select WORD (whitespace-separated)
p # Select paragraph
f<char> # Select to character
t<char> # Select until character
# Extend selection
; # Flip selection direction
Alt+; # Ensure forward selection direction
% # Select matching bracket
m # Select matching pair (quotes, brackets, etc.)
# Multiple selections
C # Duplicate cursor
Alt+C # Remove primary cursor
s # Select regex matches within selection
S # Split selection on regex
Alt-s # Split selection on newlines
& # Align selections
_ # Trim whitespace from selectionsEditing Commands
# Insert modes
i # Insert before selection
a # Insert after selection
I # Insert at line start
A # Insert at line end
o # Insert new line below
O # Insert new line above
# Delete/Change
d # Delete selection
c # Change selection (delete and enter insert mode)
Alt+d # Delete line
Alt+c # Change line
# Copy/Paste
y # Yank (copy) selection
p # Paste after selection
P # Paste before selection
Alt+p # Paste every yanked selection
R # Replace selection with yanked text
# Undo/Redo
u # Undo
U # Redo
Alt+u # Earlier in time
Alt+U # Later in timeSearch and Replace
# Search
/ # Search forward
? # Search backward
n # Next search result
N # Previous search result
* # Search word under cursor
# Replace
r<char> # Replace character
~ # Switch case
` # Set case to lowercase
Alt+` # Set case to uppercase
# Global replace (in command mode)
:s/old/new/g # Replace in current selection
:%s/old/new/g # Replace in entire file
:s/old/new/gc # Replace with confirmationFile and Buffer Management
File Operations
# File commands (in command mode)
:o filename # Open file
:w # Write file
:w filename # Write as filename
:q # Quit
:q! # Quit without saving
:wq # Write and quit
# Buffer navigation
Space b # Buffer picker
gn # Next buffer
gp # Previous buffer
Space x # Close bufferFile Picker and Fuzzy Finding
# File operations
Space f # File picker
Space F # File picker (from cwd)
Space b # Buffer picker
Space s # Symbol picker (LSP)
Space S # Workspace symbol picker
Space g # Global search (grep)
Space / # Global search in current file
Space k # Show documentation
Space r # Rename symbol (LSP)
Space a # Code action (LSP)Configuration
Configuration File
Helix uses TOML for configuration:
# ~/.config/helix/config.toml
theme = "onedark"
[editor]
line-number = "relative"
mouse = true
middle-click-paste = true
scroll-lines = 3
shell = ["sh", "-c"]
text-width = 80
completion-trigger-len = 2
auto-completion = true
auto-format = true
auto-save = false
idle-timeout = 400
preview-completion-insert = true
completion-replace = false
auto-info = true
true-color = false
rulers = [80, 120]
bufferline = "always"
color-modes = false
[editor.statusline]
left = ["mode", "spinner"]
center = ["file-name"]
right = ["diagnostics", "selections", "position", "file-encoding", "file-line-ending", "file-type"]
separator = "│"
mode.normal = "NORMAL"
mode.insert = "INSERT"
mode.select = "SELECT"
[editor.lsp]
display-messages = true
auto-signature-help = true
display-inlay-hints = true
display-signature-help-docs = true
snippets = true
goto-reference-include-declaration = true
[editor.cursor-shape]
insert = "bar"
normal = "block"
select = "underline"
[editor.file-picker]
hidden = true
follow-symlinks = true
deduplicate-links = true
parents = true
ignore = true
git-ignore = true
git-global = true
git-exclude = true
max-depth = 25
[editor.auto-pairs]
'(' = ')'
'{' = '}'
'[' = ']'
'"' = '"'
"'" = "'"
"`" = "`"
'<' = '>'
[editor.search]
smart-case = true
wrap-around = true
[editor.whitespace]
render = "all"
characters = { space = "·", nbsp = "⍽", tab = "→", newline = "⏎", tabpad = "·" }
[editor.indent-guides]
render = true
character = "┊"
skip-levels = 1
[editor.gutters]
layout = ["diff", "diagnostics", "line-numbers", "spacer"]
[editor.soft-wrap]
enable = false
max-wrap = 25
max-indent-retain = 0
wrap-indicator = ""
[keys.normal]
# Custom keybindings
C-s = ":w"
C-o = "file_picker"
C-p = "file_picker"
esc = ["collapse_selection", "keep_primary_selection"]
[keys.insert]
# Insert mode keybindings
C-s = ["normal_mode", ":w", "insert_mode"]
j = { k = "normal_mode" } # jk to exit insert mode
[keys.select]
# Select mode keybindings
esc = ["collapse_selection", "keep_primary_selection", "normal_mode"]Language Configuration
# ~/.config/helix/languages.toml
# Override language server configurations
[[language]]
name = "python"
language-server = { command = "pylsp" }
auto-format = true
[language.config.pylsp.plugins]
autopep8 = { enabled = false }
flake8 = { enabled = true }
mccabe = { enabled = false }
pycodestyle = { enabled = false }
pyflakes = { enabled = false }
pylint = { enabled = true }
yapf = { enabled = true }
[[language]]
name = "javascript"
language-server = { command = "typescript-language-server", args = ["--stdio"] }
auto-format = true
[[language]]
name = "typescript"
language-server = { command = "typescript-language-server", args = ["--stdio"] }
auto-format = true
[[language]]
name = "rust"
language-server = { command = "rust-analyzer" }
auto-format = true
[[language]]
name = "go"
language-server = { command = "gopls" }
auto-format = true
[[language]]
name = "html"
language-server = { command = "vscode-html-language-server", args = ["--stdio"] }
auto-format = true
[[language]]
name = "css"
language-server = { command = "vscode-css-language-server", args = ["--stdio"] }
auto-format = true
[[language]]
name = "json"
language-server = { command = "vscode-json-language-server", args = ["--stdio"] }
auto-format = true
# Custom language definitions
[[language]]
name = "log"
scope = "text.log"
file-types = ["log"]
comment-token = "#"
indent = { tab-width = 2, unit = " " }
[[grammar]]
name = "log"
source = { git = "https://github.com/Tudyx/tree-sitter-log", rev = "main" }Themes
Helix comes with many built-in themes:
# List available themes
:theme
# Change theme temporarily
:theme dracula
# Popular themes
:theme onedark
:theme gruvbox
:theme catppuccin_mocha
:theme tokyo-night
:theme solarized_dark
:theme nordCustom Theme
# ~/.config/helix/themes/mytheme.toml
"ui.background" = { bg = "#1e1e1e" }
"ui.text" = "#d4d4d4"
"ui.text.focus" = "#ffffff"
"ui.selection" = { bg = "#264f78" }
"ui.cursor" = { fg = "#1e1e1e", bg = "#d4d4d4" }
"ui.cursor.match" = { bg = "#3a3d41" }
"ui.linenr" = "#858585"
"ui.linenr.selected" = "#c6c6c6"
"ui.statusline" = { fg = "#d4d4d4", bg = "#007acc" }
"ui.statusline.inactive" = { fg = "#d4d4d4", bg = "#3c3c3c" }
"ui.popup" = { bg = "#252526" }
"ui.window" = "#3c3c3c"
"ui.help" = { bg = "#252526" }
"error" = "#f44747"
"warning" = "#ff8c00"
"info" = "#0080ff"
"hint" = "#969696"
"diagnostic.error" = { underline = { color = "#f44747", style = "curl" } }
"diagnostic.warning" = { underline = { color = "#ff8c00", style = "curl" } }
"diagnostic.info" = { underline = { color = "#0080ff", style = "curl" } }
"diagnostic.hint" = { underline = { color = "#969696", style = "curl" } }
"syntax.comment" = "#6a9955"
"syntax.keyword" = "#569cd6"
"syntax.string" = "#ce9178"
"syntax.number" = "#b5cea8"
"syntax.boolean" = "#569cd6"
"syntax.type" = "#4ec9b0"
"syntax.function" = "#dcdcaa"
"syntax.variable" = "#9cdcfe"
"syntax.constant" = "#4fc1ff"
"syntax.operator" = "#d4d4d4"
"syntax.punctuation" = "#d4d4d4"Real-World Usage Scenarios
Scenario 1: Python Development
# Open Python project
hx main.py
# Navigate to function definition
gd # Go to definition (LSP)
gr # Go to references (LSP)
# Multiple cursor editing
# Select function name
w # Select word
% # Select all occurrences
c # Change all occurrences
new_function_name<Esc>
# Code formatting
:format # Format current file
# Or enable auto-format in config
# Symbol search
Space s # Search symbols in file
Space S # Search symbols in workspace
# Diagnostics
]d # Next diagnostic
[d # Previous diagnostic
Space k # Show hover information
Space a # Code actionsScenario 2: Web Development
# Open HTML file
hx index.html
# Select HTML tag
mt # Select matching tag pair
c # Change tag
div<Esc>
# Multiple selections for attributes
# Select class attribute value
f" # Find quote
mi # Select inside quotes
% # Select all similar
c # Change all
new-class<Esc>
# Navigate between files
Space f # File picker
# Type filename and Enter
# Global search and replace
Space g # Global search
# Type search term
# Navigate results with j/k
# Press Enter to go to locationScenario 3: Configuration File Editing
# Open config file
hx ~/.config/helix/config.toml
# Navigate to specific section
/editor # Search for "editor"
n # Next occurrence
# Select and modify values
f= # Find equals sign
l # Move right
w # Select value
c # Change value
new_value<Esc>
# Comment/uncomment lines
Alt+; # Toggle line comment
# Or select multiple lines and comment
V # Select line
jjj # Extend selection
Alt+; # Comment selected linesScenario 4: Log File Analysis
# Open log file
hx /var/log/application.log
# Search for errors
/ERROR # Search for ERROR
n # Next occurrence
N # Previous occurrence
# Select all error lines
* # Search word under cursor (ERROR)
% # Select all matches
y # Yank all error lines
# Open new buffer for analysis
:new
p # Paste error lines
# Split selections by timestamp
s^\d{4}-\d{2}-\d{2} # Split on date patternAdvanced Features
Multiple Selections Mastery
# Complex selection scenarios
# Select all function calls
/\w+\( # Search for function calls
% # Select all matches
# Select inside parentheses for all matches
mi # Select inside matching pairs
# Add numbers to each selection
C # Duplicate cursor to each selection
I # Insert at beginning
1. <Esc> # Add numbering (manual)
# Or use regex replacement
:s/^/1. / # Add numbering with regexText Objects
# Built-in text objects
mw # Select word
mp # Select paragraph
m( # Select inside parentheses
m) # Select around parentheses
m[ # Select inside brackets
m] # Select around brackets
m{ # Select inside braces
m} # Select around braces
m" # Select inside quotes
m' # Select inside single quotes
m` # Select inside backticks
mt # Select inside HTML/XML tags
mf # Select function
mc # Select class
ma # Select argumentLSP Features
# Code navigation
gd # Go to definition
gy # Go to type definition
gr # Go to references
gi # Go to implementation
# Code information
Space k # Hover information
Space K # Signature help
# Code modification
Space r # Rename symbol
Space a # Code actions
:format # Format document
# Diagnostics
]d # Next diagnostic
[d # Previous diagnostic
]D # Next error
[D # Previous error
Space d # Show diagnosticsCustomization and Scripting
Custom Commands
# ~/.config/helix/config.toml
[keys.normal]
# Custom command sequences
C-g = [":new", ":insert-output echo 'Hello World'"]
C-t = [":sh date"]
# Macro-like sequences
F1 = ["select_all", "yank", ":new", "paste_after"]
F2 = ["goto_line_start", "insert_mode", "// ", "normal_mode"]Integration with External Tools
# Pipe selection to external command
|sort # Sort selected lines
|uniq # Remove duplicate lines
|wc -l # Count lines
|jq # Format JSON
|xmllint --format - # Format XML
# Insert command output
:insert-output date
:insert-output ls -la
:insert-output git log --oneline -10Shell Integration
# Set Helix as default editor
export EDITOR=hx
export VISUAL=hx
# Git integration
git config --global core.editor hx
# Shell aliases
alias h='hx'
alias hx.='hx .'
alias hxc='hx ~/.config/helix/config.toml'Performance and Optimization
Large File Handling
Helix handles large files efficiently:
# Open large files
hx large_file.log
# Navigate efficiently
gg # Go to start
ge # Go to end
Ctrl+u # Page up
Ctrl+d # Page down
# Search in large files
/pattern # Incremental search
n # Next match
N # Previous matchMemory Usage
# Check memory usage
:debug-info
# Optimize for memory
# Disable unnecessary features in config
[editor]
auto-completion = false
auto-info = falseTroubleshooting
Common Issues
# Check health
hx --health
# Language server issues
:lsp-workspace-command
:lsp-restart
# Theme issues
:theme default
:reload-config
# Key binding conflicts
# Check config.toml for conflicting bindingsDebug Mode
# Start with debug logging
RUST_LOG=debug hx
# Check logs
tail -f ~/.cache/helix/helix.logReset Configuration
# Backup current config
mv ~/.config/helix ~/.config/helix.backup
# Start fresh
hx # Will create default configMigration from Other Editors
From Vim/Neovim
Key differences to remember: - Selection-first editing - Different keybindings for some operations - Built-in LSP and tree-sitter - No plugin system (yet)
From VSCode
Helix provides many VSCode-like features: - Built-in LSP support - Fuzzy file finding - Multiple selections - Integrated terminal (external)
From Kakoune
Helix is inspired by Kakoune: - Similar selection-first philosophy - Multiple selections - Different keybindings and features
Helix offers a modern, efficient editing experience with powerful features built-in. Its selection-first approach and multiple selections make it particularly effective for complex text manipulation tasks, while the zero-configuration philosophy means you can be productive immediately.