cheatsheet.md

view cheat sheet

Keys are shown as you type them. <Space> is your leader key, so <Space>ff is "press leader, then f, then f". If your config sets a different mapleader, use that in its place.

Each leader key is also a :View command, shown beside it. :View followed by Tab lists the commands. :map <Space> lists the keys view registered. <Space>fk opens a log of each mapping you fire. view --print-caps prints what view found out about your terminal and every setting it resolved, then exits.

Command	What it does
:View	Puts :View back on the command line, so Tab lists what to type next.
:View <feature>	Does what that feature's first key does. :View tree opens the tree, and :View keys opens the key log.

Starting view

Flag	What it does
--remote [USER@]HOST[:PATH]	Runs the editor on another machine over ssh and opens PATH there.
--ssh-port PORT	Uses this ssh port for --remote.
--ssh-opt KEY=VALUE	Passes an ssh option through for --remote. You can repeat it.
--nvim-bin PATH	Uses this editor binary. With --remote it names the one on the other machine.
--tier full, standard or basic	Tells view what your terminal can do. View skips asking the terminal.
--theme NAME	Starts with this colorscheme.
--panes tiles, nvim or auto	Picks the window look for this session.
--single-grid	Lets the editor draw the whole window layout itself. Use it to compare a layout view draws differently.
--print-caps	Prints your terminal's features and every setting view resolved, then exits.
--clean	Starts with no view.toml and no init.lua. Every feature uses its default.
--appname NAME	Reads your editor config from ~/.config/NAME.
--config PATH	Reads this view.toml.
--version	Prints the version.

Every other argument goes to the editor as you typed it, so +42, -R and file names work. View's own flags go first.

Finding files and commands

Key or command	What it does
<Space>ff (:View picker files)	Opens the file finder.
<Space>fb (:View picker buffers)	Opens the finder on your open buffers.
<Space>fg (:View picker grep)	Opens a live search through the text of your files.
<Space><Space> (:View palette open)	Opens the command line.
<Space>e (:View tree toggle)	Opens the file tree, jumps back into it, or closes it when you are already in it.

While the finder is open:

Key	What it does
Any character	Adds it to what you are searching for.
<BS>	Deletes the last character of the search.
<Down>, <C-n> or <C-j>	Moves to the next result.
<Up>, <C-p> or <C-k>	Moves to the previous result.
<CR>	Opens the selected result in the window you came from and closes the finder.
<C-v>	Opens it in a split beside that window.
<C-x>	Opens it in a split below that window.
<C-t>	Opens it in a new tab.
<Esc>	Closes the finder.

A search match opens on its line. A buffer result switches to that buffer. A title ending in 200+ means more results matched than the list holds, so narrow the search.

While you are in the file tree:

Key	What it does
<Down>	Moves to the next row.
<Up>	Moves to the previous row.
<CR>	Opens the file, or expands or collapses the folder. A floating tree closes as the file opens.
a	Asks for a name and creates a file.
r	Asks for a new name for the selected file. Folders are left alone.
d	Asks before it deletes the selected file. Folders are left alone.
<Esc>	Closes a floating tree. A tree in its own window stays, and you go back to the window you came from.

Panes and tiles

Key or command	What it does
<Space>wn (:View window new)	Splits the current tile along its longer side.
<Space>wz (:View window zoom)	Makes the current tile fill the screen. Press it again to even the tiles out.
<Space>wf (:View window fit)	Sizes the tile to its longest line.
<Space>ws (:View window flip)	With exactly two tiles, switches them between side by side and stacked.
<Space>uf (:View window float)	Moves the tree, agent panel or message history you are in between a window of its own and floating over your buffers.
<C-w>m (:View window resize_mode)	Starts resize mode on the window or sidebar you are in.
<Space>ug (:View ui gaps)	Turns the gaps between tiles on or off. Works in the tiles look.
<Space>uw (:View ui cycle_surfaces)	Moves the tree, agent panel, palette and message history together through config, windowed and overlay placement.
:View ui panes tiles	Gives every window its own frame.
:View ui panes nvim	Draws windows the way Neovim does.
:View ui panes auto	Uses the Neovim look under a tiling window manager and tiles everywhere else.
:View ui panes	Tells you which look is on, what decided it, and who draws the top row.
<Space>w1 (:View window to_tabpage_1)	Moves the current window to tab page 1.
<Space>w2 (:View window to_tabpage_2)	Moves the current window to tab page 2.
<Space>w3 (:View window to_tabpage_3)	Moves the current window to tab page 3.
<Space>w4 (:View window to_tabpage_4)	Moves the current window to tab page 4.
<Space>w5 (:View window to_tabpage_5)	Moves the current window to tab page 5.
<Space>w6 (:View window to_tabpage_6)	Moves the current window to tab page 6.
<Space>w7 (:View window to_tabpage_7)	Moves the current window to tab page 7.
<Space>w8 (:View window to_tabpage_8)	Moves the current window to tab page 8.
<Space>w9 (:View window to_tabpage_9)	Moves the current window to tab page 9.

While a sidebar (the tree, the agent panel, the message history in its own window) has the keyboard:

Key	What it does
<S-Right> or <C-w>>	Makes the sidebar one notch wider (5% of the screen).
<S-Left> or <C-w><	Makes the sidebar one notch narrower.
<C-w>m	Starts resize mode on the sidebar.

In resize mode the status line shows RESIZE. A count before the key repeats it, so 3l is three steps wider. A step is 5% of the screen.

Key	What it does
h or <Left>	Narrower.
l or <Right>	Wider.
j or <Down>	Shorter.
k or <Up>	Taller.
=	Makes every window the same size.
<Esc>, <CR> or q	Leaves resize mode.
Any other key	Leaves resize mode and then does what it always does.

Desktop chords

These work on top of the keys above. They are on by default over ssh and on a Linux console with no desktop running. They are off by default on a graphical desktop, on macOS and on Windows. [keys] profile = "desktop" turns them on and "editor" turns them off. :View keys profile tells you which is on. Press the Super form where your terminal speaks the kitty keyboard protocol, and the Alt form everywhere else.

Key	What it does
<D-Left> or <M-Left>	Moves to the window on the left.
<D-Right> or <M-Right>	Moves to the window on the right.
<D-Up> or <M-Up>	Moves to the window above.
<D-Down> or <M-Down>	Moves to the window below.
<S-D-Left> or <S-M-Left>	Moves the window to the far left.
<S-D-Right> or <S-M-Right>	Moves the window to the far right.
<S-D-Up> or <S-M-Up>	Moves the window to the top.
<S-D-Down> or <S-M-Down>	Moves the window to the bottom.
<D-w> or <M-w>	Closes the window.
<D-q> or <M-q>	Closes the window.
<D-CR> or <M-CR>	Splits the current tile along its longer side.
<D-f> or <M-f>	Makes the tile fill the screen, and evens the tiles out on the next press.
<M-D-f> or <C-M-f>	Makes the window as wide as it can be.
<D-Home> or <M-Home>	Sizes the tile to its longest line.
<D-j> or <M-j>	With exactly two tiles, switches them between side by side and stacked.
<D-t> or <M-t>	Moves the panel you are in between a window of its own and floating.
<D-Space> or <M-Space>	Opens the command line.
<M-D-Space> or <C-M-Space>	Opens the file finder.
<S-D-f> or <M-F>	Opens the file tree, jumps back into it, or closes it.
<D-1> or <M-1>	Goes to tab page 1.
<D-2> or <M-2>	Goes to tab page 2.
<D-3> or <M-3>	Goes to tab page 3.
<D-4> or <M-4>	Goes to tab page 4.
<D-5> or <M-5>	Goes to tab page 5.
<D-6> or <M-6>	Goes to tab page 6.
<D-7> or <M-7>	Goes to tab page 7.
<D-8> or <M-8>	Goes to tab page 8.
<D-9> or <M-9>	Goes to tab page 9.
<S-D-1> or <M-!>	Moves the window to tab page 1.
<S-D-2> or <M-@>	Moves the window to tab page 2.
<S-D-3> or <M-#>	Moves the window to tab page 3.
<S-D-4> or <M-$>	Moves the window to tab page 4.
<S-D-5> or <M-%>	Moves the window to tab page 5.
<S-D-6> or <M-^>	Moves the window to tab page 6.
<S-D-7> or <M-&>	Moves the window to tab page 7.
<S-D-8> or <M-*>	Moves the window to tab page 8.
<S-D-9> or <M-(>	Moves the window to tab page 9.
<D-Tab> or <M-Tab>	Goes to the next tab page.
<S-D-Tab> or <S-M-Tab>	Goes to the previous tab page.
<D--> or <M-->	Makes the window narrower.
<D-=> or <M-=>	Makes the window wider.
<S-D--> or <M-_>	Makes the window shorter.
<S-D-=> or <M-+>	Makes the window taller.
<S-D-BS> or <C-M-g>	Turns the gaps between tiles on or off.
<S-M-D-,> or <C-M-n>	Opens or closes the message history.
<D-,> or <M-,>	Takes down the newest notification.
<C-S-D-a> or <C-M-a>	Opens the agent panel, jumps back into it, or closes it.

The agent panel

[ai] enabled = false turns the panel and its keys off. The first time you open the panel in a project, view asks whether you trust that project.

Key or command	What it does
<Space>ai (:View ai toggle)	Opens the panel with the cursor in the prompt. Closes it when you are in it. Takes you back into it when it is open and you are not.
:View ai open	Opens the panel and puts you in it.
:View ai focus	Puts you in the panel, opening it first if needed.
:View ai close	Closes the panel and leaves the agent session running.
:View ai dismiss	Clears the crash banner.

While you are in the panel:

Key	What it does
Any character	Types it into the prompt.
<BS>	Deletes the last character of the prompt.
<CR>	Sends the prompt. Nothing is sent while the agent is still answering.
<M-CR>	Starts a new line in the prompt.
<S-CR>	Starts a new line in the prompt (needs the kitty keyboard protocol).
<C-c>	Stops the agent's answer.
<PageUp> or <PageDown>	Scrolls the transcript a full window.
<C-u> or <C-d>	Scrolls the transcript half a window. <C-d> also clears the crash banner while one is showing.
<Esc>	Steps out of the panel and leaves it on screen.

While the agent is asking permission:

Key	What it does
1 to 9	Picks the option on that row.
<Esc>	Cancels the request.
<C-c>	Stops the agent's answer.

While you review an agent's edit (these work only in the reviewed file):

Key or command	What it does
<Space>ha (:View review accept)	Accepts the hunk under the cursor.
<Space>hA (:View review accept_all)	Accepts every hunk still fresh, as one write.
<Space>hx (:View review reject)	Rejects the hunk under the cursor.
:View review reject_all	Rejects the whole proposal. It has no key.
<Space>hR (:View review rediff)	Re-anchors a hunk your own edit moved.
<Space>hq (:View review leave)	Leaves the review and decides nothing further.
]c (:View review next)	Jumps to the next hunk awaiting a decision.
[c (:View review prev)	Jumps to the previous hunk awaiting a decision.

Messages

Key or command	What it does
<Space>fm (:View notifications history)	Opens or closes the list of everything view has said this session.
<Space>fp (:View notifications pause)	Freezes the notification stack, and unfreezes it.
<Space>fd (:View notifications dismiss)	Takes down the newest notification.
<Esc>	Takes down a standing error or warning from the editor. The key still does what it does in Neovim.

While the message history is open:

Key	What it does
j	Selects the next entry.
k	Selects the previous entry.
<C-d>	Selects half a screen further down.
<C-u>	Selects half a screen further up.
gg	Selects the newest entry.
G	Selects the oldest entry.
y	Copies the selected entry to your clipboard.
d	Takes down the standing notice the entry belongs to. Messages from the editor have none.
<Esc>	Closes the history. In a window of its own, it takes you back to the window you came from.

When the editor stops answering

A banner names how long the editor has been silent. These keys answer it.

Key	What it does
<C-c>	Interrupts the editor and keeps your session.
<F5>	Restarts the editor and reopens your files with their unsaved text.
<Esc>	Puts the box away and leaves the editor to finish.
<C-q>	Quits view. It is offered once the editor has stopped running.

The key helper

Key or command	What it does
<Space>fk (:View keys log)	Opens or closes a log of each mapping you fire: the key, whose mapping it is, and what it took over.
:View keys focus	Opens the log if needed and hands it your keys so you can scroll it.
:View keys profile	Tells you which key profile is on and why. Add desktop, editor or auto to switch it for this session.

While the log has your keys:

Key	What it does
j	Selects the next older mapping.
k	Selects the next newer mapping.
<C-d>	Selects half a screen further down.
<C-u>	Selects half a screen further up.
gg	Selects the newest mapping.
G	Selects the oldest mapping.
y	Copies the selected row to your clipboard.
<Esc>	Closes the log.

The session recorder

Needs [dvr] enabled = true in view.toml.

Key or command	What it does
<Space>fv (:View dvr scrub)	Freezes the screen on the last frame and opens the scrub bar.
q or <Esc> (:View dvr close)	Closes the scrub and returns to the live screen.
:View dvr export	Writes the recording to view-dvr-<seconds>.vdvr in the directory view started in, on the machine view runs on, including under --remote. Add a path to write there. The clip holds the screen as it was shown and nothing you typed.
:View dvr play PATH	Opens a saved clip in the scrub. b and e close the clip. q returns to your session.

While you are scrubbing:

Key	What it does
h	One frame back.
l	One frame forward.
H	One second back.
L	One second forward.
g	Jumps to the oldest frame kept.
G	Jumps to the newest frame.
q	Returns to the live screen.
<Esc>	Returns to the live screen.
b	Replaces the editor with a fresh one brought to this frame, after you confirm.
e	Writes the recording to a clip file, then returns to the live screen.

When view asks whether to branch:

Key	What it does
y or <CR>	Branches from the frame.
n or <Esc>	Returns to the live screen.

Clipboard

view adds no clipboard keys of its own. y copies the selected row inside the message history and the key log, as listed above.

Everything else

view adds no other keys or :View commands. Keys view does not own go to Neovim under Neovim's own names, so your mappings fire as they do in Neovim.