3 Micro stores all of the user configuration in its configuration directory.
5 Micro uses `$MICRO_CONFIG_HOME` as the configuration directory. If this
6 environment variable is not set, it uses `$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/micro` instead. If
7 that environment variable is not set, it uses `~/.config/micro` as the
8 configuration directory. In the documentation, we use `~/.config/micro` to
9 refer to the configuration directory (even if it may in fact be somewhere else
10 if you have set either of the above environment variables).
12 Here are the available options:
14 * `autoindent`: when creating a new line, use the same indentation as the
19 * `autosave`: automatically save the buffer every n seconds, where n is the
20 value of the autosave option. Also when quitting on a modified buffer, micro
21 will automatically save and quit. Be warned, this option saves the buffer
22 without prompting the user, so data may be overwritten. If this option is
23 set to `0`, no autosaving is performed.
27 * `autosu`: When a file is saved that the user doesn't have permission to
28 modify, micro will ask if the user would like to use super user
29 privileges to save the file. If this option is enabled, micro will
30 automatically attempt to use super user privileges to save without
33 default value: `false`
35 * `backup`: micro will automatically keep backups of all open buffers. Backups
36 are stored in `~/.config/micro/backups` and are removed when the buffer is
37 closed cleanly. In the case of a system crash or a micro crash, the contents
38 of the buffer can be recovered automatically by opening the file that was
39 being edited before the crash, or manually by searching for the backup in
40 the backup directory. Backups are made in the background when a buffer is
41 modified and the latest backup is more than 8 seconds old, or when micro
42 detects a crash. It is highly recommended that you leave this feature
47 * `basename`: in the infobar and tabbar, show only the basename of the file
48 being edited rather than the full path.
50 default value: `false`
52 * `colorcolumn`: if this is not set to 0, it will display a column at the
53 specified column. This is useful if you want column 80 to be highlighted
58 * `colorscheme`: loads the colorscheme stored in
59 $(configDir)/colorschemes/`option`.micro, This setting is `global only`.
61 default value: `default`
63 Note that the default colorschemes (default, solarized, and solarized-tc)
64 are not located in configDir, because they are embedded in the micro
67 The colorscheme can be selected from all the files in the
68 ~/.config/micro/colorschemes/ directory. Micro comes by default with three
71 You can read more about micro's colorschemes in the `colors` help topic
74 * `cursorline`: highlight the line that the cursor is on in a different color
75 (the color is defined by the colorscheme you are using).
79 * `diffgutter`: display diff indicators before lines.
81 default value: `false`
83 * `divchars`: specifies the "divider" characters used for the dividing line
84 between vertical/horizontal splits. The first character is for vertical
85 dividers, and the second is for horizontal dividers. By default, for
86 horizontal splits the statusline serves as a divider, but if the statusline
87 is disabled the horizontal divider character will be used.
91 * `divreverse`: colorschemes provide the color (foreground and background) for
92 the characters displayed in split dividers. With this option enabled, the
93 colors specified by the colorscheme will be reversed (foreground and
94 background colors swapped).
98 * `encoding`: the encoding to open and save files with. Supported encodings
99 are listed at https://www.w3.org/TR/encoding/.
101 default value: `utf-8`
103 * `eofnewline`: micro will automatically add a newline to the end of the
104 file if one does not exist.
106 default value: `true`
108 * `fastdirty`: this determines what kind of algorithm micro uses to determine
109 if a buffer is modified or not. When `fastdirty` is on, micro just uses a
110 boolean `modified` that is set to `true` as soon as the user makes an edit.
111 This is fast, but can be inaccurate. If `fastdirty` is off, then micro will
112 hash the current buffer against a hash of the original file (created when
113 the buffer was loaded). This is more accurate but obviously more resource
114 intensive. This option will be automatically disabled if the file size
117 default value: `false`
119 * `fileformat`: this determines what kind of line endings micro will use for
120 the file. UNIX line endings are just `\n` (linefeed) whereas dos line
121 endings are `\r\n` (carriage return + linefeed). The two possible values for
122 this option are `unix` and `dos`. The fileformat will be automatically
123 detected (when you open an existing file) and displayed on the statusline,
124 but this option is useful if you would like to change the line endings or if
125 you are starting a new file.
127 default value: `unix`
129 * `filetype`: sets the filetype for the current buffer. Set this option to
130 `off` to completely disable filetype detection.
132 default value: `unknown`. This will be automatically overridden depending
133 on the file you open.
135 * `ignorecase`: perform case-insensitive searches.
137 default value: `false`
139 * `indentchar`: sets the indentation character.
141 default value: ` ` (space)
143 * `infobar`: enables the line at the bottom of the editor where messages are
144 printed. This option is `global only`.
146 default value: `true`
148 * `keepautoindent`: when using autoindent, whitespace is added for you. This
149 option determines if when you move to the next line without any insertions
150 the whitespace that was added should be deleted to remove trailing
151 whitespace. By default, the autoindent whitespace is deleted if the line
154 default value: `false`
156 * `keymenu`: display the nano-style key menu at the bottom of the screen. Note
157 that ToggleKeyMenu is bound to `Alt-g` by default and this is displayed in
158 the statusline. To disable this, simply by `Alt-g` to `UnbindKey`.
160 default value: `false`
162 * `matchbrace`: underline matching braces for '()', '{}', '[]' when the cursor
163 is on a brace character.
165 default value: `true`
167 * `mkparents`: if a file is opened on a path that does not exist, the file
168 cannot be saved because the parent directories don't exist. This option lets
169 micro automatically create the parent directories in such a situation.
171 default value: `false`
173 * `mouse`: mouse support. When mouse support is disabled,
174 usually the terminal will be able to access mouse events which can be useful
175 if you want to copy from the terminal instead of from micro (if over ssh for
176 example, because the terminal has access to the local clipboard and micro
179 default value: `true`
181 * `paste`: Treat characters sent from the terminal in a single chunk as a paste
182 event rather than a series of manual key presses. If you are pasting using
183 the terminal keybinding (not Ctrl-v, which is micro's default paste
184 keybinding) then it is a good idea to enable this option during the paste
185 and disable once the paste is over. See `> help copypaste` for details about
186 copying and pasting in a terminal environment.
188 default value: `false`
190 * `pluginchannels`: list of URLs pointing to plugin channels for downloading and
191 installing plugins. A plugin channel consists of a json file with links to
192 plugin repos, which store information about plugin versions and download URLs.
193 By default, this option points to the official plugin channel hosted on GitHub
194 at https://github.com/micro-editor/plugin-channel.
196 default value: `https://raw.githubusercontent.com/micro-editor/plugin-channel
197 /master/channel.json`
199 * `pluginrepos`: a list of links to plugin repositories.
203 * `readonly`: when enabled, disallows edits to the buffer. It is recommended
204 to only ever set this option locally using `setlocal`.
206 default value: `false`
208 * `rmtrailingws`: micro will automatically trim trailing whitespaces at ends of
211 default value: `false`
213 * `ruler`: display line numbers.
215 default value: `true`
217 * `relativeruler`: make line numbers display relatively. If set to true, all lines except
218 for the line that the cursor is located will display the distance from the
221 default value: `false`
223 * `savecursor`: remember where the cursor was last time the file was opened and
224 put it there when you open the file again. Information is saved to
225 `~/.config/micro/buffers/`
227 default value: `false`
229 * `savehistory`: remember command history between closing and re-opening
230 micro. Information is saved to `~/.config/micro/buffers/history`.
232 default value: `true`
234 * `saveundo`: when this option is on, undo is saved even after you close a file
235 so if you close and reopen a file, you can keep undoing. Information is
236 saved to `~/.config/micro/buffers/`.
238 default value: `false`
240 * `scrollbar`: display a scroll bar
242 default value: `false`
244 * `scrollmargin`: margin at which the view starts scrolling when the cursor
245 approaches the edge of the view.
249 * `scrollspeed`: amount of lines to scroll for one scroll event.
253 * `smartpaste`: add leading whitespace when pasting multiple lines.
254 This will attempt to preserve the current indentation level when pasting an
257 default value: `true`
259 * `softwrap`: wrap lines that are too long to fit on the screen.
261 default value: `false`
263 * `splitbottom`: when a horizontal split is created, create it below the
266 default value: `true`
268 * `splitright`: when a vertical split is created, create it to the right of the
271 default value: `true`
273 * `statusformatl`: format string definition for the left-justified part of the
274 statusline. Special directives should be placed inside `$()`. Special
275 directives include: `filename`, `modified`, `line`, `col`, `opt`, `bind`.
276 The `opt` and `bind` directives take either an option or an action afterward
277 and fill in the value of the option or the key bound to the action.
279 default value: `$(filename) $(modified)($(line),$(col)) $(status.paste)|
280 ft:$(opt:filetype) | $(opt:fileformat) | $(opt:encoding)`
282 * `statusformatr`: format string definition for the right-justified part of the
285 default value: `$(bind:ToggleKeyMenu): bindings, $(bind:ToggleHelp): help`
287 * `statusline`: display the status line at the bottom of the screen.
289 default value: `true`
291 * `sucmd`: specifies the super user command. On most systems this is "sudo" but
292 on BSD it can be "doas." This option can be customized and is only used when
295 default value: `sudo`
297 * `syntax`: enables syntax highlighting.
299 default value: `true`
301 * `tabmovement`: navigate spaces at the beginning of lines as if they are tabs
302 (e.g. move over 4 spaces at once). This option only does anything if
303 `tabstospaces` is on.
305 default value: `false`
307 * `tabsize`: the size in spaces that a tab character should be displayed with.
311 * `tabstospaces`: use spaces instead of tabs.
313 default value: `false`
315 * `useprimary` (only useful on unix): defines whether or not micro will use the
316 primary clipboard to copy selections in the background. This does not affect
317 the normal clipboard using Ctrl-c and Ctrl-v.
319 default value: `true`
321 * `xterm`: micro will assume that the terminal it is running in conforms to
322 `xterm-256color` regardless of what the `$TERM` variable actually contains.
323 Enabling this option may cause unwanted effects if your terminal in fact
324 does not conform to the `xterm-256color` standard.
326 Default value: `false`
330 Plugin options: all plugins come with a special option to enable or disable
331 them. The option is a boolean with the same name as the plugin itself.
333 By default, the following plugins are provided, each with an option to enable
336 * `autoclose`: automatically closes brackets, quotes, etc...
337 * `comment`: provides automatic commenting for a number of languages
338 * `ftoptions`: alters some default options depending on the filetype
339 * `linter`: provides extensible linting for many languages
340 * `literate`: provides advanced syntax highlighting for the Literate
342 * `status`: provides some extensions to the status line (integration with
344 * `diff`: integrates the `diffgutter` option with Git. If you are in a Git
345 directory, the diff gutter will show changes with respect to the most
346 recent Git commit rather than the diff since opening the file.
348 Any option you set in the editor will be saved to the file
349 ~/.config/micro/settings.json so, in effect, your configuration file will be
350 created for you. If you'd like to take your configuration with you to another
351 machine, simply copy the settings.json to the other machine.
353 ## Global and local settings
355 You can set these settings either globally or locally. Locally means that the
356 setting won't be saved to `~/.config/micro/settings.json` and that it will only
357 be set in the current buffer. Setting an option globally is the default, and
358 will set the option in all buffers. Use the `setlocal` command to set an option
359 locally rather than globally.
361 The `colorscheme` option is global only, and the `filetype` option is local
362 only. To set an option locally, use `setlocal` instead of `set`.
364 In the `settings.json` file you can also put set options locally by specifying
365 either a glob or a filetype. Here is an example which has `tabstospaces` on for
366 all files except Go files, and `tabsize` 4 for all files except Ruby files:
371 "tabstospaces": false
376 "tabstospaces": true,
381 Or similarly you can match with globs:
386 "tabstospaces": false
391 "tabstospaces": true,