Helix

Crate	Description
helix-core	Core editing primitives, functional.
helix-syntax	Tree-sitter grammars
helix-view	UI abstractions for use in backends, imperative shell.
helix-term	Terminal UI

Installation

git clone --depth 1 --recurse-submodules -j8 https://github.com/helix-editor/helix
cd helix
cargo install --path helix-term

This will install the hx binary to $HOME/.cargo/bin.

Notes

• server-client architecture via gRPC, UI separate from core
• multi cursor based editing and slicing
• WASM based plugins (builtin LSP & fuzzy file finder)

Structure similar to codemirror:

• text (ropes)

• column utils, stuff like tab aware (row, col) -> char pos translation

• word/grapheme/code point utils and iterators

• state

• transactions

  • changes
  • annotations (time changed etc)
  • state effects
  • additional editor state as facets

• snapshots as an async view into current state

• selections { anchor (nonmoving), head (moving) from/to } -> SelectionSet with a primary

  • cursor is just a single range selection

• markers track a position inside text that synchronizes with edits

• { doc, selection, update(), splice, changes(), facets, tabSize, identUnit, lineSeparator, changeFilter/transactionFilter to modify stuff before }

• view (actual UI)

• renders via termwiz

• viewport(Lines) -> what's actually visible

• extend the view via Decorations (inline styling) or Components (UI)

  • mark / wieget / line / replace decoration

• commands (transform state)

• movement

• selection extension

• deletion

• indentation

• keymap (maps keys to commands)

• history (undo tree via immutable ropes)

• undoes transactions

• invert changes (generates a revert)

• (collab mode)

• gutter (line numbers, diagnostic marker, etc) -> ties into UI components

• rangeset/span -> mappable over changes (can be a marker primitive?)

• syntax (treesitter)

• indentation strategies

• fold

• selections (select mode/multiselect)

• matchbrackets

• closebrackets

• special-chars (shows dots etc for specials)

• panel (for UI: file pickers, search dialogs, etc)

• tooltip (for UI)

• search (regex? pcre)

• lint (async linters)

• lsp

• highlight (?)

• stream-syntax

• autocomplete

• comment (gc, etc for auto commenting)

• snippets

• terminal mode?

• plugins can contain more commands/ui abstractions to use elsewhere

• languageData as presets for each language (syntax, indent, comment, etc)

Vim stuff:

• motions/operators/text objects
• full visual mode
• macros
• jump lists
• marks
• yank/paste
• conceal for markdown markers, etc