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, show only the basename of the file being edited
48 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 * `encoding`: the encoding to open and save files with. Supported encodings
84 are listed at https://www.w3.org/TR/encoding/.
86 default value: `utf-8`
88 * `eofnewline`: micro will automatically add a newline to the file.
90 default value: `false`
92 * `fastdirty`: this determines what kind of algorithm micro uses to determine
93 if a buffer is modified or not. When `fastdirty` is on, micro just uses a
94 boolean `modified` that is set to `true` as soon as the user makes an edit.
95 This is fast, but can be inaccurate. If `fastdirty` is off, then micro will
96 hash the current buffer against a hash of the original file (created when
97 the buffer was loaded). This is more accurate but obviously more resource
98 intensive. This option is only for people who really care about having
99 accurate modified status.
101 default value: `true`
103 * `fileformat`: this determines what kind of line endings micro will use for
104 the file. UNIX line endings are just `\n` (linefeed) whereas dos line
105 endings are `\r\n` (carriage return + linefeed). The two possible values for
106 this option are `unix` and `dos`. The fileformat will be automatically
107 detected (when you open an existing file) and displayed on the statusline,
108 but this option is useful if you would like to change the line endings or if
109 you are starting a new file.
111 default value: `unix`
113 * `filetype`: sets the filetype for the current buffer. Set this option to
114 `off` to completely disable filetype detection.
116 default value: `unknown`. This will be automatically overridden depending
117 on the file you open.
119 * `ignorecase`: perform case-insensitive searches.
121 default value: `false`
123 * `indentchar`: sets the indentation character.
125 default value: ` ` (space)
127 * `infobar`: enables the line at the bottom of the editor where messages are
128 printed. This option is `global only`.
130 default value: `true`
132 * `keepautoindent`: when using autoindent, whitespace is added for you. This
133 option determines if when you move to the next line without any insertions
134 the whitespace that was added should be deleted to remove trailing
135 whitespace. By default, the autoindent whitespace is deleted if the line
138 default value: `false`
140 * `keymenu`: display the nano-style key menu at the bottom of the screen. Note
141 that ToggleKeyMenu is bound to `Alt-g` by default and this is displayed in
142 the statusline. To disable this, simply by `Alt-g` to `UnbindKey`.
144 default value: `false`
146 * `matchbrace`: underline matching braces for '()', '{}', '[]' when the cursor
147 is on a brace character.
149 default value: `true`
151 * `mkparents`: if a file is opened on a path that does not exist, the file
152 cannot be saved because the parent directories don't exist. This option lets
153 micro automatically create the parent directories in such a situation.
155 default value: `false`
157 * `mouse`: mouse support. When mouse support is disabled,
158 usually the terminal will be able to access mouse events which can be useful
159 if you want to copy from the terminal instead of from micro (if over ssh for
160 example, because the terminal has access to the local clipboard and micro
163 default value: `true`
165 * `paste`: Treat characters sent from the terminal in a single chunk as a paste
166 event rather than a series of manual key presses. If you are pasting using
167 the terminal keybinding (not Ctrl-v, which is micro's default paste
168 keybinding) then it is a good idea to enable this option during the paste
169 and disable once the paste is over. See `> help copypaste` for details about
170 copying and pasting in a terminal environment.
172 default value: `false`
174 * `pluginchannels`: list of URLs pointing to plugin channels for downloading and
175 installing plugins. A plugin channel consists of a json file with links to
176 plugin repos, which store information about plugin versions and download URLs.
177 By default, this option points to the official plugin channel hosted on GitHub
178 at https://github.com/micro-editor/plugin-channel.
180 default value: `https://raw.githubusercontent.com/micro-editor/plugin-channel
181 /master/channel.json`
183 * `pluginrepos`: a list of links to plugin repositories.
187 * `readonly`: when enabled, disallows edits to the buffer. It is recommended
188 to only ever set this option locally using `setlocal`.
190 default value: `false`
192 * `rmtrailingws`: micro will automatically trim trailing whitespaces at ends of
195 default value: `false`
197 * `ruler`: display line numbers.
199 default value: `true`
201 * `savecursor`: remember where the cursor was last time the file was opened and
202 put it there when you open the file again. Information is saved to
203 `~/.config/micro/buffers/`
205 default value: `false`
207 * `savehistory`: remember command history between closing and re-opening
208 micro. Information is saved to `~/.config/micro/buffers/history`.
210 default value: `true`
212 * `saveundo`: when this option is on, undo is saved even after you close a file
213 so if you close and reopen a file, you can keep undoing. Information is
214 saved to `~/.config/micro/buffers/`.
216 default value: `false`
218 * `scrollbar`: display a scroll bar
220 default value: `false`
222 * `scrollmargin`: margin at which the view starts scrolling when the cursor
223 approaches the edge of the view.
227 * `scrollspeed`: amount of lines to scroll for one scroll event.
231 * `smartpaste`: add leading whitespace when pasting multiple lines.
232 This will attempt to preserve the current indentation level when pasting an
235 default value: `true`
237 * `softwrap`: wrap lines that are too long to fit on the screen.
239 default value: `false`
241 * `splitbottom`: when a horizontal split is created, create it below the
244 default value: `true`
246 * `splitright`: when a vertical split is created, create it to the right of the
249 default value: `true`
251 * `statusformatl`: format string definition for the left-justified part of the
252 statusline. Special directives should be placed inside `$()`. Special
253 directives include: `filename`, `modified`, `line`, `col`, `opt`, `bind`.
254 The `opt` and `bind` directives take either an option or an action afterward
255 and fill in the value of the option or the key bound to the action.
257 default value: `$(filename) $(modified)($(line),$(col)) $(status.paste)|
258 ft:$(opt:filetype) | $(opt:fileformat) | $(opt:encoding)`
260 * `statusformatr`: format string definition for the right-justified part of the
263 default value: `$(bind:ToggleKeyMenu): bindings, $(bind:ToggleHelp): help`
265 * `statusline`: display the status line at the bottom of the screen.
267 default value: `true`
269 * `sucmd`: specifies the super user command. On most systems this is "sudo" but
270 on BSD it can be "doas." This option can be customized and is only used when
273 default value: `sudo`
275 * `syntax`: enables syntax highlighting.
277 default value: `true`
279 * `tabmovement`: navigate spaces at the beginning of lines as if they are tabs
280 (e.g. move over 4 spaces at once). This option only does anything if
281 `tabstospaces` is on.
283 default value: `false`
285 * `tabsize`: the size in spaces that a tab character should be displayed with.
289 * `tabstospaces`: use spaces instead of tabs.
291 default value: `false`
293 * `useprimary` (only useful on unix): defines whether or not micro will use the
294 primary clipboard to copy selections in the background. This does not affect
295 the normal clipboard using Ctrl-c and Ctrl-v.
297 default value: `true`
301 Plugin options: all plugins come with a special option to enable or disable
302 them. The option is a boolean with the same name as the plugin itself.
304 By default, the following plugins are provided, each with an option to enable
307 * `autoclose`: automatically closes brackets, quotes, etc...
308 * `comment`: provides automatic commenting for a number of languages
309 * `ftoptions`: alters some default options depending on the filetype
310 * `linter`: provides extensible linting for many languages
311 * `literate`: provides advanced syntax highlighting for the Literate
313 * `status`: provides some extensions to the status line (integration with
315 * `diff`: integrates the `diffgutter` option with Git. If you are in a Git
316 directory, the diff gutter will show changes with respect to the most
317 recent Git commit rather than the diff since opening the file.
319 Any option you set in the editor will be saved to the file
320 ~/.config/micro/settings.json so, in effect, your configuration file will be
321 created for you. If you'd like to take your configuration with you to another
322 machine, simply copy the settings.json to the other machine.
324 ## Global and local settings
326 You can set these settings either globally or locally. Locally means that the
327 setting won't be saved to `~/.config/micro/settings.json` and that it will only
328 be set in the current buffer. Setting an option globally is the default, and
329 will set the option in all buffers. Use the `setlocal` command to set an option
330 locally rather than globally.
332 The `colorscheme` option is global only, and the `filetype` option is local
333 only. To set an option locally, use `setlocal` instead of `set`.
335 In the `settings.json` file you can also put set options locally by specifying
336 either a glob or a filetype. Here is an example which has `tabstospaces` on for
337 all files except Go files, and `tabsize` 4 for all files except Ruby files:
342 "tabstospaces": false
347 "tabstospaces": true,
352 Or similarly you can match with globs:
357 "tabstospaces": false
362 "tabstospaces": true,