Spacemacs Starter Kit

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┃┏━┓┃ Welcome to
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┃┗━┛┃┗━━┛┃┗┛┃┗━━┛┃┏┓┃┗━━┛┃┗━┓┗━━┛┃┃━┫┗━━┛┃┃┃┃┗━━┛┃┏┓┃┗━━┛┃┗━┓┗━━┛┣━━┃ t
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╋╋╋╋╋╋╋╋╋┃┃[The best editor is neither Emacs nor Vim, it's Emacs+Vim]
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Quick Install:

git clone --recursive http://github.com/syl20bnr/spacemacs .emacs.d

Table of Contents

• Spacemacs Starter Kit
  • Goals
  • Screenshots
  • Who can benefit from this ?
  • Prerequisites
  • Install
  • Configuration layers
    • Structure
    • Extensions and Packages initialization
  • Contributions
  • Main principles
  • UI tweaks
  • Commands
    • Return to normal mode
    • Executing Vim and Emacs commands
    • Key bindings help
    • Included Evil plugins
    • About helm
    • Navigation
      • Point/Cursor
      • Vim motions with ace-jump mode
      • Buffers and Files
      • Bookmarks
    • Window manipulation
      • Golden ratio
    • Text manipulation commands
    • Change font size
    • Spell checking
    • Region selection
    • Region narrowing
    • Auto highlight
    • Color theme
    • UI elements
      • Mode-line
      • Toggles
    • Minor Modes
    • Line formatting
    • Errors handling
    • Project management
    • Modes
      • Helm
      • Erlang
      • Ledger
      • Lisp
      • Magit
      • Org
      • Perforce
      • Python
        • Inferior REPL process
        • Testing in Python
        • Other Python commands
      • R (ESS)
        • Inferior REPL process
        • Other R commands
      • rcirc
  • TODO list
  • Thank you

Goals

• The main goal of Spacemacs is to bring the power of Vim modal editing to the powerful Emacs editing platform.

• Slick integration with Evil states (Vim modes), tries as much as possible to keep your fingers on the home row, no matter the mode you are in.

• Community driven configuration based on a configuration layer system (work in progress). Contribute your own personal layer upstream and everybody can use it.

• Minimalistic and nice custom UI, keep your available screen space for what matters: your text files.

• Mnemonic and consistent key bindings which should be easier to learn and remember.

• Fast boot time, some time has been invested to make 'Spacemacs' quick to load.

• Lower the risk of RSI by using the space key as much as possible.

• Hopefully, if it's not already the case: Ɛ> make you love modal editing! <3

Screenshots

Note: Even though screenshots are updated frequently, Spacemacs is evolving quickly and the screenshots may not reflect exactly the current state of the project.

Who can benefit from this ?

Spacemacs is first intended to be used by Vim users who want to go to the next level by using Emacs.

It is also a good fit for people wanting to lower the risk of RSI induced by the default Emacs key bindings.

People wanting to learn a different way to edit files or wanting to learn Vim key bindings.

As a note side, if you are a programmer and you don't know Vim key bindings yet, I deeply recommend you to learn the basics as recommended in Sacha Chua's one-page guide about how to learn Emacs.

Prerequisites

Spacemacs is compatible with Emacs 24.3 and above and should boot on all the major OSes where this version can be installed.

Some packages require external tools to work, a list of all dependencies will be provided in this read me. Stay tuned.

Install

Backup your current .emacs.d, clone the repo with the submodules and you are good to go:

cd ~
mv .emacs.d .emacs.bak
git clone --recursive http://github.com/syl20bnr/spacemacs .emacs.d

Configuration layers

This part of Spacemacs is still in beta, the structure can change over time. Refer to commit messages for more information in case of big changes.

Structure

Configuration is organized in layers. Each layer has the following structure:

[layer_name]
  |__ [extensions]
  | |__ [mode 1]
  | |     ...
  | |__ [mode n]
  |__ config.el
  |__ extensions.el
  |__ funcs.el
  |__ keybindings.el
  |__ packages.el

[] = directory

Where:

  File        |                          Usage

------------------|----------------------------------------------------------- config.el | Emacs built-in configuration or mandatory configuration extensions.el | The list of extensions to load and the functions to initialize them funcs.el | Various functions and macros (often used in keybindings.el) keybindings.el | Emacs built-in key bindings or mandatory key bindings packages.el | The list of packages to install and the functions to initialize them

Packages are ELPA packages which can be installed from an ELPA compliant repository, and Extensions are elisp code from git submodules, they can also be directly stored in this git repository (maybe we call this: site elisp code ??).

Extensions and Packages initialization

Extensions and Packages are listed in variables <layer>-pre-extensions, <layer>-post-extensions and <layer>-packages where <layer> is the layer name. Pre-Extensions are loaded before Packages and Post-Extensions are loaded after Packages.

They are processed in alphabetical order so sometimes you'll have to use some after-eval-load black magic.

To initialize an extension or a package xxx, define a function with this format in extensions.el or packages.el:

(defun <layer>/init-xxx ()
   ...body
)

Contributions

Spacemacs leverages the configuration layers in order to make it possible for you to share your own layer with other Spacemacs users.

To use a contribution layer, add it to the dotspacemacs-configuration-layers variable of your ~/.spacemacs

For instance to add the configuration layer of RMS just do:

(defvar dotspacemacs-configuration-layers '(rms)
  "List of contribution to load."
)

Oh, you don't find this configuration layer ? So sad, well you can try mine: syl20bnr

Of course, all pull requests are welcome for all parts of Spacemacs.

Main principles

Spacemacs uses the evil mode to emulate Vim key bindings. It is a very complete emulation (the most complete I've seen yet).

Spacemacs heavily uses the evil-leader mode which brings the Vim leader key to the Emacs world.

This leader key is commonly set to , by Vim users, in Spacemacs the leader key is set on SPC (space bar, this is why the name spacemacs). This key is the most accessible key on a keyboard and it is pressed with the thumb which is a good choice to lower the risk of RSI.

So with Spacemacs there is no need to remap your keyboard modifiers to attempt to reduce the risk of RSI, every command can be executed very easily while you are in normal mode by pressing the SPC leader key, here are a few examples:

• Save a buffer: <SPC> f s
• Save all opened buffers: <SPC> f S
• Open (switch) to a buffer with helm: <SPC> b s

UI tweaks

Spacemacs has a minimalistic and distraction free UI with a lot of subtle customizations which make it unique compared to other Emacs kits:

• custom powerline mode-line with color feedback according to current Flycheck status
• unicode symbols for minor mode lighters which appear in the mode-line
• custom fringe bitmaps and error feedbacks for Flycheck
• custom fringe bitmaps for git gutter.
• dedicated startup page with a mode aimed at easily managing Spacemacs

Commands

Every sequences must be performed in normal mode.

Return to normal mode

ESC is the default key to return to normal mode. This is one of the main design flaw in Vim key bindings because the ESC key is very far from the home row.

The popular way to avoid this is to replace ESC by jj pressed rapidly. Spacemacs proposes to press fd instead and reserves the zone around j for text reformatting.

fd also works to quit the minibuffer.

Note: For those who know about keychords.el mode. This mode is not used to return to the normal mode, the reason for this is latency and the fact that keychords wants you to press several keys at almost the same time which is something very difficult to master correctly on a keyboard. Spacemacs has a special function called fd-trigger to handle the fd key sequence and fix the above keychords issues.

Executing Vim and Emacs commands

Vim commands are executed as usual with the : key.

To execute an Emacs command press <SPC> (space) before:

<SPC> :

Key bindings help

A list of all the key bindings can be accessed by pressing:

<SPC> ?

To narrow the list to Spacemacs specific key bindings set the pattern to SPC

Included Evil plugins

Spacemacs ships with the following evil plugins:

             Mode                   |                          Description

----------------------------------------|-------------------------------------- evil-leader | vim leader that bring a new layer of keys in normal mode evil-little-word | port of camelcasemotion.vim evil-operator-comment | comment/uncomment with CC evil-visualstar | search for current selection with * evil-exchange | port of vim-exchange surround | port of surround.vim

About helm

Spacemacs tries to use helm as much as possible. helm is coupled to popwin so helm window always appears in a new temporary windows at the bottom.

The following helm modes are installed with Spacemacs:

Key Binding	Mode	Description
<SPC> h s	helm-swoop	search for occurrences within a file and edit the result
<SPC> h c	helm-css-scss	for quick navigation in CSS
<SPC> h y	helm-c-yasnippet	select snippets
<SPC> h t	helm-themes	select a theme
<SPC> p f	helm-projectile	select files within a projectile project
<SPC> ?	helm-descbinds	show key bindings
<SPC> s c	cofi/helm-flyspell-correct	choose a corrected word

Navigation

Point/Cursor

Navigation is performed using the Vi key bindings hjkl.

Key Binding	Description
h	move cursor left
j	move cursor down
k	move cursor up
l	move cursor right
H	move quickly up (10 lines at a time)
L	move quickly down (10 lines at a time)
<SPC> j h	go to the beginning of line (and set a mark at the previous location in the line)
<SPC> j l	go to the end of line (and set a mark at the previous location in the line)
<SPC> z z	lock the cursor at the center of the screen

Vim motions with ace-jump mode

Spacemacs uses the evil integration of ace-jump mode which enables the invocation of ace-jump-mode during motions.

It is useful for deleting visually a set of lines, try the following sequence in a buffer containing some text:

d <SPC> l

Key Binding	Description
<SPC> <SPC>	initiate ace jump char mode
<SPC> l	initiate ace jump line mode
`` ```	go back to the previous location (before the jump)

Buffers and Files

Spacemacs uses ido for opening files since ido way to navigate the file system is better than helm in my opinion (especially because ido can remember the last selected directories and buffers, maybe helm can do this ?). ido is also used to kill buffers.

Buffer manipulation commands (start with b):

Key Binding	Description
<SPC> b d	delete the current buffer (beware the associated file is also deleted)
<SPC> b k	kill the current buffer
<SPC> b K	kill all buffers except the current one
<SPC> b m h	move a buffer to the left
<SPC> b m j	move a buffer to the bottom
<SPC> b m k	move a buffer to the top
<SPC> b m l	move a buffer to the right
<SPC> b n	switch to next buffer
<SPC> b p	switch to previous buffer
<SPC> b r	rename the current buffer
<SPC> b s	switch to a buffer using helm
<SPC> b w	toggle read-only

Files manipulation commands (start with f):

Key Binding	Description
<SPC> f f	open a file using ido
<SPC> f i	open your init.el file
<SPC> f s	save a file
<SPC> f S	save all files
<SPC> f y	show current file absolute path in the mini buffer

Bookmarks

Bookmarks can be set anywhere in a file. Bookmarks are persistent. They are very useful to jump to/open a known project. Spacemacs used helm-bookmarks to manage them.

Open an helm window with the current bookmarks by pressing:

<SPC> h b

Then in the helm-bookmarks buffer:

Key Binding	Description
CTRL+d	delete the selected bookmark
CTRL+e	edit the selected bookmark
CTRL+f	toggle filename location
CTRL+o	open the selected bookmark in another window

To save a new bookmark, just type the name of the bookmark and press RET.

Window manipulation

Every window has a number displayed at the start of the mode-line and can be quickly accessed using <SPC> number.

Key Binding	Description
<SPC> 1	go to first window
<SPC> 2	go to window number 2
<SPC> 3	go to window number 3
<SPC> 4	go to window number 4
<SPC> 5	go to window number 5
<SPC> 6	go to window number 6
<SPC> 7	go to window number 7
<SPC> 8	go to window number 8
<SPC> 9	go to window number 9
<SPC> 0	go to window number 10

Windows manipulation commands (start with w):

Key Binding	Description
<SPC> w b	split a window horizontally
<SPC> w c	close a window
<SPC> w d	toggle window dedication (dedicated window cannot be used by a mode)
<SPC> w H	move window to the left
<SPC> w J	move window to the bottom
<SPC> w K	move window to the top
<SPC> w L	move window to the right
<SPC> w m	maximize/minimize a window
<SPC> w M	maximize/minimize a window, when maximized the buffer is centered
<SPC> w p	close the current sticky popup window
<SPC> w r	rotate windows clockwise
<SPC> w R	rotate windows counter-clockwise
<SPC> w u	undo window layout (used to effectively undo a close window)
<SPC> w U	redo window layout
<SPC> w v	split a window vertically
<SPC> w w	cycle and focus between windows

Golden ratio

Split windows can be dynamically resized depending on whether they are selected or not. Resizing is performed by the golden-ratio mode. By default golden-ratio if off.

The mode can be toggled on and off with:

<SPC> t g

Text manipulation commands

Text related commands (start with x):

Key Binding   |                 Description

------------------|------------------------------------------------------------ <SPC> x u | set the selected text to lower case <SPC> x U | set the selected text to upper case <SPC> x d w | delete trailing whitespaces <SPC> x g l | set languages used by translate commands <SPC> x g t | translate current word using Google Translate <SPC> x g T | reverse source and target languages <SPC> x m j | move down a line of text <SPC> x m k | move up a line of text <SPC> x t c | swap (transpose) the current character with the previous one <SPC> x t w | swap (transpose) the current word with the previous one <SPC> x t l | swap (transpose) the current line with the previous one <SPC> x w c | count the number of words in the selection region <SPC> x w C | count the number of occurrences per word in the select region

Change font size

The font size of the current buffer can be adjusted with the commands:

Key Binding	Description
<SPC> x +	scale up the font and initiate the font scaling mini-mode
<SPC> x -	scale down the font and initiate the font scaling mini-mode
<SPC> x =	reset the font size (no scaling) and initiate the font scaling mini-mode
+	increase the font size
-	decrease the font size
=	reset the font size
Any other key	leave the font scaling mini-mode

Spell checking

Spell checking commands start with s:

Key Binding   |                 Description

------------------|------------------------------------------------------------ <SPC> s c | list of corrections in a helm buffer <SPC> s d | change dictionary language <SPC> s n | go to the next spell check error

Region selection

Vi Visual modes are all supported by evil, Spacemacs adds another Visual mode via the expand-region mode.

Key Binding	Description
<SPC> v	initiate expand-region mode then...
v	expand the region by one semantic unit
V	contract the region by one semantic unit
r	reset the region to initial selection
ESC	leave expand-region mode

Region narrowing

The displayed text of a buffer can be narrowed with the commands (start with n):

Key Binding	Description
<SPC> n f	narrow the buffer to the current function
<SPC> n p	narrow the buffer to the visible page
<SPC> n r	narrow the buffer to the selected text
<SPC> n w	widen, i.e show the whole buffer again

Auto highlight

Spacemacs supports auto highlighting of the current word (provided by the auto-highlight-symbol mode).

Key Binding	Description
<SPC> h e	edit all occurrences of the current word
<SPC> t h	toggle the auto highlighting

Navigation between the highlighted symbols can be done with the commands:

Key Binding	Description
<SPC> h h	go to definition occurrence (i.e. where the variable has been defined)
<SPC> h n	go to next occurrence and initiate navigation mini-mode
<SPC> h N	go to previous occurrence and initiate navigation mini-mode
n	go to next occurrence
N	go to previous occurrence
d	go to next definition occurrence
D	go to previous definition occurrence
h	go to home occurrence (go to starting occurrence)
Any other key	leave the navigation mini-mode

Color theme

By default, Spacemacs uses the theme Solarized.

Key Binding   |                 Description

------------------|------------------------------------------------------------ <SPC> c t | cycle between Spacemacs themes <SPC> h t | select a theme using a helm buffer

Spacemacs available themes:

• Solarized
• Monokai
• Zenburn

UI elements

Mode-line

The mode line is a powerline customized to show the window number and the colorized Evil current state.

The color codes for modes are:

Evil State	Color
Normal	Orange
Insert	Green
Visual	Grey
Emacs	Red
Motion	Purple

When Flycheck minor mode is enabled, the mode line color changes according to the current flycheck state:

Toggles

Some UI indicators can be toggled on and off (toggles start with t):

Key Binding   |                 Description

------------------|------------------------------------------------------------ <SPC> t 8 | display a mark on the 80th column <SPC> t F | toggle display of the fringe <SPC> t n | show the absolute line numbers

Minor Modes

Spacemacs uses diminish mode to reduce the size of minor mode indicators:

The minor mode area can be toggled on and off with:

<SPC> t m

Lighter	Mode
⊞	golden-ratio mode
Ⓐ	auto-complete mode
Ⓗ	auto-highlight-symbol mode
Ⓒ	centered-cursor mode
eⓅ	e-project mode
Ⓟ	projectile mode
Ⓕ	flymake mode
Ⓢ	flyspell mode
(Ⓢ)	smartparens mode
(Ⓟ)	paredit mode
Ⓨ	yasnippet mode

Note: in terminal the regular indicators are used instead of the utf-8 ones.

Line formatting

Spacemacs replaces the default J Vi key binding (join current line with next line) by a slightly more frequent action which is to go to the line below point and indent it.

Join lines can still be performed with <SPC> j k

Line formatting commands start with j:

Key Binding   |                 Description

------------------|------------------------------------------------------------ J | go to next line and indent it using auto-indent rules <SPC> j j | same as J but will split the current line at point <SPC> J | split a quoted string or s-expression in place <SPC> j J | split a quoted string or s-expression and auto-indent <SPC> j k | join the current line with the next line

Used together these key bindings are very powerful to quickly reformat the code.

Errors handling

Spacemacs uses Flycheck to gives error feedback on the fly. The checks are only performed at save time by default.

Errors management commands (star with f for flycheck):

Key Binding   |                 Description

------------------|------------------------------------------------------------ <SPC> f c | clear all errors <SPC> f l | display the flycheck list of errors/warnings <SPC> f n | go to the next flycheck error <SPC> f p | go to the previous flycheck error

Custom fringe bitmaps:

Symbol	Description
	Error
	warning
	Info

Project management

Projects in Spacemacs are managed with projectile. So projects are defined implicitly, for instance the root of a project is found when a .git repository or .projectile file is encountered in the file tree.

Projects management commands (start with p):

Key Binding   |                 Description

------------------|------------------------------------------------------------ <SPC> p b | switch to a buffer of the project <SPC> p C | invalidate the cache of projectile <SPC> p d | open a dired buffer at the root of the project <SPC> p f | open a file of the project using helm <SPC> p F | find a file if the project using ido <SPC> p k | kill all the buffers of the project <SPC> p g | grep search in the project <SPC> p r | replace a string in the files of the project

Modes

Spacemacs tries to add more natural Vi key bindings to some modes or simply add new leader key bindings.

Leader key bindings start with m because they are bindings related to the current major mode.

Helm

Spacemacs add hjkl navigation to helm buffers:

Key Binding   |                 Description

------------------|------------------------------------------------------------ CTRL+h | go to previous page CTRL+j | go to previous item CTRL+k | go to next item CTRL+l | go to next page

Erlang

Spacemacs uses EDTS as an Erlang coding environment.

Key Binding   |                 Description

------------------|------------------------------------------------------------ <SPC> m d | show man page documentation <SPC> m e | go to next issue <SPC> m g | go to definition <SPC> m G | find a module in the current project <SPC> m h | open the header file under point <SPC> m l | find a function in the current module <SPC> m m | go to the macro definition under point <SPC> m r | go to the record definition under point

Ledger

Key Binding   |                 Description

------------------|------------------------------------------------------------ <SPC> m a | add a transaction <SPC> m d | delete current transaction

Lisp

TODO

Magit

Spacemacs add hjkl navigation support for the following magit modes:

• branch manager
• commit
• log
• process
• status

Note: in status mode only j and k are remapped (to go down and up). Press K instead of k to discard changes to an item.

Org

In org, evil-org-mode is activated.

Key Binding   |                 Description

------------------|------------------------------------------------------------ gh | outline-up-heading gj | org-forward-heading-same-level gk | org-backward-heading-same-level gl | outline-next-visible-heading t | org-todo T | org-insert-todo-heading nil H | org-beginning-of-line L | org-end-of-line ;t | org-show-todo-tree o | always-insert-item O | org-insert-heading $ | org-end-of-line ^ | org-beginning-of-line < | org-metaleft > | org-metaright ;a | org-agenda`

Perforce

Key Binding   |                 Description

------------------|------------------------------------------------------------ <SPC> p 4 a | add a file in depot <SPC> p 4 d | delete a file in depot <SPC> p 4 D | p4-describe <SPC> p 4 e | checkout a file <SPC> p 4 r | rename a file <SPC> p 4 R | revert a file <SPC> p 4 S | submit CL

Python

Inferior REPL process

Start an iPython inferior REPL process with <SPC> m i.

Send code to inferior process commands:

Key Binding   |                 Description

------------------|------------------------------------------------------------ <SPC> m b | send buffer and keep code buffer focused <SPC> m B | send buffer and switch to REPL in insert mode <SPC> m f | send function and keep code buffer focused <SPC> m F | send function and switch to REPL in insert mode <SPC> m r | send region and keep code buffer focused <SPC> m R | send region and switch to REPL in insert mode CTRL+j | next item in REPL history CTRL+k | previous item in REPL history

Testing in Python

Spacemacs uses nose as a test runner. An improved version of nose.el is shipped with Spacemacs, this version adds:

• windows support
• test suite support

The root of the project is detected with a .git directory or a setup.cfg file.

Test commands (start with m t or m T):

No Debug      |                 Description

------------------|------------------------------------------------------------ m t a | launch all tests of the project m t f | launch the current test under point m t m | launch all tests of the current module m t s | launch all tests of the current suite

 Debug        |                 Description

------------------|------------------------------------------------------------ m T a | launch all tests of the project in debug mode m T f | launch the current test under point in debug mode m T m | launch all tests of the current module in debug mode m T s | launch all tests of the current suite in debug mode

Other Python commands

Key Binding   |                 Description

------------------|------------------------------------------------------------ <SPC> m d | open documentation in firefox using pylookup <SPC> m g | go to definition using emacs-jedi <SPC> m p | add a breakpoint

R (ESS)

Important: In order to speed up the boot time of Spacemacs, ESS must be loaded manually via the key binding:

<SPC> e s s

Inferior REPL process

Start an R inferior REPL process with <SPC> m i.

Send code to inferior process commands:

Key Binding   |                 Description

------------------|------------------------------------------------------------ <SPC> m b | send buffer and keep code buffer focused <SPC> m B | send buffer and switch to REPL in insert mode <SPC> m f | send function and keep code buffer focused <SPC> m F | send function and switch to REPL in insert mode <SPC> m l | send line and keep code buffer focused <SPC> m L | send line and switch to REPL in insert mode <SPC> m r | send region and keep code buffer focused <SPC> m R | send region and switch to REPL in insert mode <SPC> m s | send region or line and step (debug) <SPC> m S | send function or paragraph and step (debug) CTRL+j | next item in REPL history CTRL+k | previous item in REPL history

Other R commands

Key Binding   |                 Description

------------------|------------------------------------------------------------ <SPC> m p | object introspection popup ess-R-object-popup <SPC> m v p | view data under point using ess-R-data-view <SPC> m v t | view table using ess-R-data-view

rcirc

Key Binding   |                 Description

------------------|------------------------------------------------------------ CTRL+j | next item in command history CTRL+k | previous item in command history

TODO list

• Add support for multiple-cursors mode.

Thank you

Jokes aside, thank you Richard for this great piece of software.

Thank you to the whole Emacs community from core developers to elisp hackers!