3 Micro stores all of the user configuration in its configuration directory.
5 Micro uses the `$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/micro` as the configuration directory. As per
6 the XDG spec, if `$XDG_CONFIG_HOME` is not set, `~/.config/micro` is used as
9 Here are the options that you can set:
11 * `autoindent`: when creating a new line, use the same indentation as the
16 * `autosave`: micro will save the buffer every `n` seconds automatically
17 (where `n` is the value of the option). Micro also will automatically
18 save and quit when you exit without asking. Be careful when using this
19 feature, because you might accidentally save a file, overwriting what
20 was there before. If the value of the option is `0` then micro will
25 * `basename`: in the infobar, show only the basename of the file being edited
26 rather than the full path.
28 default value: `false`
30 * `colorcolumn`: if this is not set to 0, it will display a column at the
31 specified column. This is useful if you want column 80 to be highlighted
36 * `colorscheme`: loads the colorscheme stored in
37 $(configDir)/colorschemes/`option`.micro, This setting is `global only`.
39 default value: `default`
41 Note that the default colorschemes (default, solarized, and solarized-tc)
42 are not located in configDir, because they are embedded in the micro binary.
44 The colorscheme can be selected from all the files in the
45 ~/.config/micro/colorschemes/ directory. Micro comes by default with three
48 You can read more about micro's colorschemes in the `colors` help topic
51 * `cursorline`: highlight the line that the cursor is on in a different color
52 (the color is defined by the colorscheme you are using).
56 * `encoding`: the encoding to open and save files with. Supported encodings
57 are listed at https://www.w3.org/TR/encoding/.
59 default value: `utf-8`
61 * `eofnewline`: micro will automatically add a newline to the file.
63 default value: `false`
65 * `fastdirty`: this determines what kind of algorithm micro uses to determine if
66 a buffer is modified or not. When `fastdirty` is on, micro just uses a
67 boolean `modified` that is set to `true` as soon as the user makes an edit.
68 This is fast, but can be inaccurate. If `fastdirty` is off, then micro will
69 hash the current buffer against a hash of the original file (created when the
70 buffer was loaded). This is more accurate but obviously more resource
71 intensive. This option is only for people who really care about having
72 accurate modified status.
76 * `fileformat`: this determines what kind of line endings micro will use for the
77 file. UNIX line endings are just `\n` (linefeed) whereas dos line endings are
78 `\r\n` (carriage return + linefeed). The two possible values for this option
79 are `unix` and `dos`. The fileformat will be automatically detected (when you
80 open an existing file) and displayed on the statusline, but this option is
81 useful if you would like to change the line endings or if you are starting a
86 * `filetype`: sets the filetype for the current buffer. This setting is
89 default value: this will be automatically set depending on the file you have
92 * `ignorecase`: perform case-insensitive searches.
94 default value: `false`
96 * `indentchar`: sets the indentation character.
98 default value: ` ` (space)
100 * `infobar`: enables the line at the bottom of the editor where messages are
101 printed. This option is `global only`.
103 default value: `true`
105 * `keepautoindent`: when using autoindent, whitespace is added for you. This
106 option determines if when you move to the next line without any insertions
107 the whitespace that was added should be deleted to remove trailing whitespace.
108 By default, the autoindent whitespace is deleted if the line was left empty.
110 default value: `false`
112 * `keymenu`: display the nano-style key menu at the bottom of the screen. Note
113 that ToggleKeyMenu is bound to `Alt-g` by default and this is displayed in
114 the statusline. To disable this, simply by `Alt-g` to `UnbindKey`.
116 default value: `false`
118 * `matchbrace`: underline matching braces for '()', '{}', '[]' when the cursor
119 is on a brace character.
121 default value: `true`
123 * `mkparents`: if a file is opened on a path that does not exist, the file cannot
124 be saved because the parent directories don't exist. This option lets micro
125 automatically create the parent directories in such a situation.
127 default value: `false`
129 * `mouse`: whether to enable mouse support. When mouse support is disabled,
130 usually the terminal will be able to access mouse events which can be useful
131 if you want to copy from the terminal instead of from micro (if over ssh for
132 example, because the terminal has access to the local clipboard and micro
135 default value: `true`
137 * `rmtrailingws`: micro will automatically trim trailing whitespaces at eol.
139 default value: `false`
141 * `ruler`: display line numbers.
143 default value: `true`
145 * `savecursor`: remember where the cursor was last time the file was opened and
146 put it there when you open the file again.
148 default value: `false`
150 * `savehistory`: remember command history between closing and re-opening
153 default value: `true`
155 * `saveundo`: when this option is on, undo is saved even after you close a file
156 so if you close and reopen a file, you can keep undoing.
158 default value: `false`
160 * `scrollbar`: display a scroll bar
162 default value: `false`
164 * `scrollmargin`: amount of lines you would like to see above and below the
169 * `scrollspeed`: amount of lines to scroll for one scroll event.
173 * `smartpaste`: should micro add leading whitespace when pasting multiple lines?
174 This will attempt to preserve the current indentation level when pasting an
177 default value: `true`
179 * `softwrap`: should micro wrap lines that are too long to fit on the screen.
181 default value: `false`
183 * `splitbottom`: when a horizontal split is created, should it be created below
186 default value: `true`
188 * `splitright`: when a vertical split is created, should it be created to the
189 right of the current split?
191 default value: `true`
193 * `statusformatl`: format string definition for the left-justified part of the
194 statusline. Special directives should be placed inside `$()`. Special
195 directives include: `filename`, `modified`, `line`, `col`, `opt`, `bind`.
196 The `opt` and `bind` directives take either an option or an action afterward
197 and fill in the value of the option or the key bound to the action.
199 default value: `$(filename) $(modified)($(line),$(col)) $(opt:filetype)
200 $(opt:fileformat) $(opt:encoding)`
202 * `statusformatl`: format string definition for the left-justified part of the
205 default value: `$(bind:ToggleKeyMenu): show bindings, $(bind:ToggleHelp):
208 * `statusline`: display the status line at the bottom of the screen.
210 default value: `true`
212 * `sucmd`: specifies the super user command. On most systems this is "sudo" but
213 on BSD it can be "doas." This option can be customized and is only used when
216 default value: `sudo`
218 * `syntax`: turns syntax on or off.
220 default value: `true`
222 * `tabmovement`: navigate spaces at the beginning of lines as if they are tabs
223 (e.g. move over 4 spaces at once). This option only does anything if
224 `tabstospaces` is on.
226 default value: `false`
228 * `tabsize`: sets the tab size to `option`
232 * `tabstospaces`: use spaces instead of tabs
234 default value: `false`
236 * `termtitle`: defines whether or not your terminal's title will be set by micro
239 default value: `false`
241 * `useprimary` (only useful on *nix): defines whether or not micro will use the
242 primary clipboard to copy selections in the background. This does not affect
243 the normal clipboard using Ctrl-C and Ctrl-V.
245 default value: `true`
249 Default plugin options:
251 * `autoclose`: automatically close `{}` `()` `[]` `""` `''`. Provided by the
254 default value: `true`
256 * `ftoptions`: by default, micro will set some options based on the filetype. At
257 the moment, micro will use tabs for makefiles and spaces for python and yaml
258 files regardless of your settings. If you would like to disable this behavior
259 turn this option off.
261 default value: `true`
263 * `linter`: Automatically lint when the file is saved. Provided by the `linter`
266 default value: `true`
268 Any option you set in the editor will be saved to the file
269 ~/.config/micro/settings.json so, in effect, your configuration file will be
270 created for you. If you'd like to take your configuration with you to another
271 machine, simply copy the settings.json to the other machine.
274 ## Global and local settings
276 You can set these settings either globally or locally. Locally means that the
277 setting won't be saved to `~/.config/micro/settings.json` and that it will only
278 be set in the current buffer. Setting an option globally is the default, and
279 will set the option in all buffers.
281 The `colorscheme` option is global only, and the `filetype` option is local
282 only. To set an option locally, use `setlocal` instead of `set`.
284 In the `settings.json` file you can also put set options locally by specifying either
285 a glob or a filetype. Here is an example which has `tabstospaces` on for all files except Go
286 files, and `tabsize` 4 for all files except Ruby files:
291 "tabstospaces": false
296 "tabstospaces": true,
301 Or similarly you can match with globs:
306 "tabstospaces": false
311 "tabstospaces": true,