Helix is a terminal-based modal text editor inspired by Kakoune and Neovim. Its selection-first editing model encourages users to identify text before applying changes, making it particularly effective for precise and repetitive editing tasks.
Written in Rust, Helix combines keyboard-driven editing with sophisticated code navigation and project management tools. It runs directly in a terminal, making it suitable for local development, remote SSH sessions and terminal multiplexers.
Helix provides many features associated with integrated development environments without requiring an extensive plugin ecosystem. Language-aware functionality is integrated into the editor, although external language servers are required to enable the corresponding capabilities.
This is free and open source software.
Key Features
- Vim-like modal editing with normal, insert and selection modes.
- Multiple selections and cursors for modifying several parts of a document simultaneously.
- Tree-sitter integration for incremental syntax highlighting, automatic indentation and structural code navigation.
- Navigate and select syntax tree nodes, including functions, classes and other language constructs.
- Built-in Language Server Protocol support for code completion, diagnostics, symbol renaming, code actions and navigation to definitions and references.
- Display inline diagnostics, signature help, hover documentation and inlay hints from supported language servers.
- Fuzzy file and symbol pickers for navigating projects and locating definitions.
- Project-wide search with interactive selection of matching results.
- Support for multiple buffers and split windows.
- Git integration with gutter indicators highlighting added, modified and deleted lines.
- Automatic formatting on save, configurable indentation and automatic insertion of matching brackets.
- Pipe selected text through external shell commands and replace selections with command output.
- Configurable keyboard shortcuts, editor behaviour and status line.
- Customisable colour schemes with support for separate light and dark themes.
- Clipboard integration, regular expression searches and automatic text wrapping.
- Cross-platform support – runs on Linux, macOS, and Windows.
Website: github.com/helix-editor/helix
Support:
Developer: Blaž Hrastnik, Michael Davis, Dmitry Sharshakov, Gokul Soumya, Ivan Tham, and other contributors
License: Mozilla Public License v2.0
Helix is written in Rust. Learn Rust with our recommended free books and free tutorials.
Related Software
| Vim-like Text Editors | |
|---|---|
| Neovim | Vim-fork focused on extensibility and usability |
| Helix | Kakoune / Neovim inspired editor. |
| Lapce | Modern editor in Rust which uses native GUI and GPU rendering |
| NvChad | Neovim config aiming to provide a base configuration |
| LunarVim | IDE layer for Neovim |
| Kakoune | Implements Vi’s "keystrokes as a text editing language" model |
| Vis | Combining modal editing with structural regular expressions |
| vile | Text editor that combines aspects of the Emacs and vi editors |
| pyvim | Implementation of Vim in Python |
| gVim | Vim with a built-in GUI |
| amp | Vim-like editor written in Rust |
| Vy | Vim-like in Python made from scratch |
| moe | Command-line editor inspired by Vim |
| wig | Modal, Vim-like text editor |
| sled | Simple text editor with a terminal UI |
| red | Modern modal text editor written in Rust |
| ad | Adaptable text editor |
| hat | Hackable modal text editor |
| HAKO | Lightweight terminal-based modal text environment |
| xvi | Portable multi-file text editor |
| aretext | Minimalist text editor with vim-compatible key bindings |
| Levee | Also known as Captain Video |
Read our verdict in the software roundup.
| Integrated Development Environments | |
|---|---|
| RStudio | Enterprise-ready professional software for R |
| PyCharm | Integrated Development Environment for Python |
| Neovim | Continuation and extension of Vim |
| Lapce | Fast and powerful code editor written in Rust |
| NetBeans IDE | Java based IDE from Apache |
| VSCodium | Binary distribution of VS Code |
| Eclipse | Java based environment combining a number of different Eclipse projects |
| Qt Creator | Cross-platform, complete Integrated Development Environment |
| Spyder | The Scientific Python Development Environment |
| KDevelop | An easy to use IDE for KDE |
| Helix | Post-modern modal text editor |
| Theia | Cloud & desktop IDE framework |
| eric | Full featured Python editor and IDE |
| Thonny | Python Integrated Development Environment for Beginners |
| Lazarus | Delphi compatible cross-platform IDE |
| PyDev | Python Integrated Development Environment for Eclipse |
| Gambas | Development environment and a full powerful development platform |
| Che | Kubernetes based Cloud Development Environments for Enterprise Teams |
| Leo | Python based IDE, Outliner and PIM |
| IntelliJ IDEA | IDE for Java, Groovy, and other languages |
| LiteIDE | Edit and build Go projects |
| Arduino IDE | Electronics prototyping platform |
| ZeroBrane Studio | Lightweight Lua-based IDE for Lua |
| CodeLite | Powerful and lightweight C/C++ IDE |
| Pyzo | Cross-Platform Python IDE focused on interactivity and introspection |
| DrRacket | IDE for the Racket programming languages |
| Builder | IDE for GNOME |
| Geany | Small and lightweight IDE based on Scintilla |
| Code::Blocks | Very extensible and fully configurable |
| Ecere SDK | Software development kit |
| Zasper | IDE for Data Science |
| U++ | Rapid application development framework |
| roobuilder | Vala and JavaScript IDE |
Read our verdict in the software roundup.
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