chopsticks/QUICKSTART.md

Quick Start

Five minutes from zero to a working Vim setup.

Install

These commands install the stable main branch. For beta testing this branch, use BETA.md.

curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/m1ngsama/chopsticks/main/get.sh | bash
curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/m1ngsama/chopsticks/main/get.sh | bash -s -- --profile=minimal
curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/m1ngsama/chopsticks/main/get.sh | bash -s -- --dry-run --profile=full

Open vim. First launch auto-installs plugins — wait 30-60s, don't close vim. Restart when done.

Default profile is engineer. Interactive installs ask for a profile first; --profile=minimal, --profile=engineer, or --profile=full selects it without prompting. You can later put let g:chopsticks_profile = 'minimal' in ${XDG_CONFIG_HOME:-~/.config}/chopsticks.vim for a smaller core-only setup, or use full for the heavier Markdown/LSP feedback.

The default keymap style is space: SPC is the command leader and , is reserved for filetype-local actions. To use the legacy comma layout instead, add this to ${XDG_CONFIG_HOME:-~/.config}/chopsticks.vim:

let g:chopsticks_keymap_style = 'classic'

To switch later without reinstalling anything:

cd ~/.vim && ./install.sh --configure-only --profile=full

Modes

Mode	Enter	Leave
Normal	startup default	—
Insert	i / a / o	Esc
Visual	v / V	Esc

Survival

Esc             back to Normal
SPC w           save
SPC qx          save + quit
:q!             force quit
SPC ?           cheat sheet (toggle sidebar)
SPC fc          edit local preferences
:ChopsticksHelp  full native help

Classic layout equivalents:

Esc             back to Normal
,w              save
,x              save + quit
:q!             force quit
,?              cheat sheet (toggle sidebar)
,ec             edit local preferences
:ChopsticksHelp  full native help

Find things

SPC SPC         fuzzy find file (git-aware)
SPC /           ripgrep project
SPC ,           search buffers
SPC fr          recent files
SPC e           file browser
SPC Tab         last file

Write code

gd              go to definition
K               hover docs
SPC cr          rename symbol
SPC ca          code action
SPC cf          format
SPC rr          run current file
Tab / S-Tab     cycle completions

First time in a new language? Run :LspInstallServer — it auto-detects filetype and installs the right server. Do this once per language.

Git

SPC gs          status (s=stage, cc=commit)
SPC gd          diff
SPC gb          blame
SPC gl          log graph
]x / [x         conflict markers

Edit

In the default Space layout, Normal-mode s is a fast visible-text jump. Use cl when you want Vim's original single-character substitute behavior, and cc when you want Vim's original line substitute behavior.

s + 2 chars     EasyMotion jump
SPC S + 2 chars same jump, discoverable fallback
cl / cc         native s / S substitute replacements
gc              toggle comment
cs"'            change surrounding " to '
Alt+j / Alt+k   move line
SPC U           undo tree
SPC y           clipboard yank

Navigate

<C-w>h/j/k/l   splits
SPC bp / SPC bn prev / next buffer
SPC z           maximize window
SPC tt / SPC th terminal

Markdown

,mp             preview in browser
,mt             table of contents

Markdown is quiet by default: no real-time lint, no spell noise, no concealed syntax. Enable the heavier Markdown tools only when you want them.

Health check

:ChopsticksHelp        full native Vim help
:ChopsticksConfig      edit local preferences
:ChopsticksReload      reload after saving local preferences
:ChopsticksTutor       guided practice for the final keymap
:ChopsticksStatus       see what's installed and what's missing

The SPC ? cheat sheet follows your active profile, so minimal users only see keys for features that are actually loaded.

Inside Vim, :help chopsticks opens the same reference after helptags are available. See README for the full reference. For beta testing and rollback, see BETA.md.