Vim Shortcuts in the REPL

When the REPL editor (CodeMirror) is configured to use Vim keybindings, the following commands are available:

• :w — Evaluate the current code

  • Triggers the same evaluation as Ctrl+Enter / Alt+Enter
  • You’ll see messages in the Console panel such as:
    • [vim] :w — evaluating code
    • [repl] evaluate via event
    • [eval] code updated

• :q — Stop/pause playback

  • Triggers the same stop action as Alt+.
  • Useful to quickly stop scheduling without leaving Vim mode

• gc — Toggle line comments for the current selection(s)

  • Works in normal and visual mode
  • If there’s a selection, all selected lines are toggled

Notes

• Behavior respects the current language mode in the editor for comment syntax.
• If multiple REPL editors are open, commands target the active editor. The implementation dispatches custom events handled by the editor.
• If you don’t see the Console panel, open the right panel in the REPL UI.

Troubleshooting

• If :w logs but evaluation doesn’t apply, ensure Vim keybindings are active and try again. You can also use Ctrl+Enter as a fallback.
• For :q / gc, ensure focus is inside the editor. If an error occurs, reload the page to reset editor state and try again.

Adding custom keybindings

To add custom keybindings the Vim object can be used (either from within a pattern or in a prebake script)

Example:

// Map 'jk' to Escape in normal mode
Vim.map('jk', '<Esc>', 'insert');
// Map 'U' to :w (Evaluate the current code)
Vim.map('U', ':w<CR>', 'normal');
// Map 'Q' to :q — Stop/pause playback
Vim.map('Q', ':q<CR>', 'normal');
// Map 'J' to find next '$' (jump to next label)
Vim.map('J', '/\\$<CR>', 'normal');
// Map 'K' to find previous '$' (jump to previous label)
Vim.map('K', '?\\$<CR>', 'normal');

For more information on how to use the Vim object see CodeMirror Vim