⚡flash.nvim

flash.nvim lets you navigate your code with search labels, enhanced character motions, and Treesitter integration.

Search Integration	Standalone Jump

`f`, `t`, `F`, `T`	Treesitter

✨ Features

🔍 Search Integration: integrate flash.nvim with your regular search using / or ?. Labels appear next to the matches, allowing you to quickly jump to any location. Labels are guaranteed not to exist as a continuation of the search pattern.
⌨️ type as many characters as you want before using a jump label.
⚡ Enhanced f, t, F, T motions
🌳 Treesitter Integration: all parents of the Treesitter node under your cursor are highlighted with a label for quick selection of a specific Treesitter node.
🎯 Jump Mode: a standalone jumping mode similar to search
🔎 Search Modes: exact, search (regex), and fuzzy search modes
🪟 Multi Window jumping
🌐 Remote Actions: perform motions in remote locations
⚫ dot-repeatable jumps
📡 highly extensible: check the examples

📋 Requirements

Neovim >= 0.8.0 (needs to be built with LuaJIT)

📦 Installation

Install the plugin with your preferred package manager:

lazy.nvim:

{
  "folke/flash.nvim",
  event = "VeryLazy",
  ---@type Flash.Config
  opts = {},
  -- stylua: ignore
  keys = {
    { "s", mode = { "n", "x", "o" }, function() require("flash").jump() end, desc = "Flash" },
    { "S", mode = { "n", "x", "o" }, function() require("flash").treesitter() end, desc = "Flash Treesitter" },
    { "r", mode = "o", function() require("flash").remote() end, desc = "Remote Flash" },
    { "R", mode = { "o", "x" }, function() require("flash").treesitter_search() end, desc = "Treesitter Search" },
    { "<c-s>", mode = { "c" }, function() require("flash").toggle() end, desc = "Toggle Flash Search" },
  },
}

⚠️ When creating the keymaps manually either use a lua function like function() require("flash").jump() end as the rhs, or a string like <cmd>lua require("flash").jump()<cr>. DO NOT use :lua, since that will break dot-repeat

⚙️ Configuration

flash.nvim is highly configurable. Please refer to the default settings below.

Default Settings

```lua { -- labels = "abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz", labels = "asdfghjklqwertyuiopzxcvbnm", search = { -- search/jump in all windows multi_window = true, -- search direction forward = true, -- when `false`, find only matches in the given direction wrap = true, ---@type Flash.Pattern.Mode -- Each mode will take ignorecase and smartcase into account. -- * exact: exact match -- * search: regular search -- * fuzzy: fuzzy search -- * fun(str): custom function that returns a pattern -- For example, to only match at the beginning of a word: -- mode = function(str) -- return "\\<" .. str -- end, mode = "exact", -- behave like `incsearch` incremental = false, -- Excluded filetypes and custom window filters ---@type (string|fun(win:window))[] exclude = { "notify", "cmp_menu", "noice", "flash_prompt", function(win) -- exclude non-focusable windows return not vim.api.nvim_win_get_config(win).focusable end, }, -- Optional trigger character that needs to be typed before -- a jump label can be used. It's NOT recommended to set this, -- unless you know what you're doing trigger = "", -- max pattern length. If the pattern length is equal to this -- labels will no longer be skipped. When it exceeds this length -- it will either end in a jump or terminate the search max_length = false, ---@type number|false }, jump = { -- save location in the jumplist jumplist = true, -- jump position pos = "start", ---@type "start" | "end" | "range" -- add pattern to search history history = false, -- add pattern to search register register = false, -- clear highlight after jump nohlsearch = false, -- automatically jump when there is only one match autojump = false, -- You can force inclusive/exclusive jumps by setting the -- `inclusive` option. By default it will be automatically -- set based on the mode. inclusive = nil, ---@type boolean? -- jump position offset. Not used for range jumps. -- 0: default -- 1: when pos == "end" and pos < current position offset = nil, ---@type number }, label = { -- allow uppercase labels uppercase = true, -- add any labels with the correct case here, that you want to exclude exclude = "", -- add a label for the first match in the current window. -- you can always jump to the first match with `` current = true, -- show the label after the match after = true, ---@type boolean|number[] -- show the label before the match before = false, ---@type boolean|number[] -- position of the label extmark style = "overlay", ---@type "eol" | "overlay" | "right_align" | "inline" -- flash tries to re-use labels that were already assigned to a position, -- when typing more characters. By default only lower-case labels are re-used. reuse = "lowercase", ---@type "lowercase" | "all" | "none" -- for the current window, label targets closer to the cursor first distance = true, -- minimum pattern length to show labels -- Ignored for custom labelers. min_pattern_length = 0, -- Enable this to use rainbow colors to highlight labels -- Can be useful for visualizing Treesitter ranges. rainbow = { enabled = false, -- number between 1 and 9 shade = 5, }, -- With `format`, you can change how the label is rendered. -- Should return a list of `[text, highlight]` tuples. ---@class Flash.Format ---@field state Flash.State ---@field match Flash.Match ---@field hl_group string ---@field after boolean ---@type fun(opts:Flash.Format): string[][] format = function(opts) return { { opts.match.label, opts.hl_group } } end, }, highlight = { -- show a backdrop with hl FlashBackdrop backdrop = true, -- Highlight the search matches matches = true, -- extmark priority priority = 5000, groups = { match = "FlashMatch", current = "FlashCurrent", backdrop = "FlashBackdrop", label = "FlashLabel", }, }, -- action to perform when picking a label. -- defaults to the jumping logic depending on the mode. ---@type fun(match:Flash.Match, state:Flash.State)|nil action = nil, -- initial pattern to use when opening flash pattern = "", -- When `true`, flash will try to continue the last search continue = false, -- Set config to a function to dynamically change the config config = nil, ---@type fun(opts:Flash.Config)|nil -- You can override the default options for a specific mode. -- Use it with `require("flash").jump({mode = "forward"})` ---@type table modes = { -- options used when flash is activated through -- a regular search with `/` or `?` search = { -- when `true`, flash will be activated during regular search by default. -- You can always toggle when searching with `require("flash").toggle()` enabled = false, highlight = { backdrop = false }, jump = { history = true, register = true, nohlsearch = true }, search = { -- `forward` will be automatically set to the search direction -- `mode` is always set to `search` -- `incremental` is set to `true` when `incsearch` is enabled }, }, -- options used when flash is activated through -- `f`, `F`, `t`, `T`, `;` and `,` motions char = { enabled = true, -- dynamic configuration for ftFT motions config = function(opts) -- autohide flash when in operator-pending mode opts.autohide = opts.autohide or (vim.fn.mode(true):find("no") and vim.v.operator == "y") -- disable jump labels when not enabled, when using a count, -- or when recording/executing registers opts.jump_labels = opts.jump_labels and vim.v.count == 0 and vim.fn.reg_executing() == "" and vim.fn.reg_recording() == "" -- Show jump labels only in operator-pending mode -- opts.jump_labels = vim.v.count == 0 and vim.fn.mode(true):find("o") end, -- hide after jump when not using jump labels autohide = false, -- show jump labels jump_labels = false, -- set to `false` to use the current line only multi_line = true, -- When using jump labels, don't use these keys -- This allows using those keys directly after the motion label = { exclude = "hjkliardc" }, -- by default all keymaps are enabled, but you can disable some of them, -- by removing them from the list. -- If you rather use another key, you can map them -- to something else, e.g., { [";"] = "L", [","] = H } keys = { "f", "F", "t", "T", ";", "," }, ---@alias Flash.CharActions table -- The direction for `prev` and `next` is determined by the motion. -- `left` and `right` are always left and right. char_actions = function(motion) return { [";"] = "next", -- set to `right` to always go right [","] = "prev", -- set to `left` to always go left -- clever-f style [motion:lower()] = "next", [motion:upper()] = "prev", -- jump2d style: same case goes next, opposite case goes prev -- [motion] = "next", -- [motion:match("%l") and motion:upper() or motion:lower()] = "prev", } end, search = { wrap = false }, highlight = { backdrop = true }, jump = { register = false }, }, -- options used for treesitter selections -- `require("flash").treesitter()` treesitter = { labels = "abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz", jump = { pos = "range" }, search = { incremental = false }, label = { before = true, after = true, style = "inline" }, highlight = { backdrop = false, matches = false, }, }, treesitter_search = { jump = { pos = "range" }, search = { multi_window = true, wrap = true, incremental = false }, remote_op = { restore = true }, label = { before = true, after = true, style = "inline" }, }, -- options used for remote flash remote = { remote_op = { restore = true, motion = true }, }, }, -- options for the floating window that shows the prompt, -- for regular jumps prompt = { enabled = true, prefix = { { "⚡", "FlashPromptIcon" } }, win_config = { relative = "editor", width = 1, -- when <=1 it's a percentage of the editor width height = 1, row = -1, -- when negative it's an offset from the bottom col = 0, -- when negative it's an offset from the right zindex = 1000, }, }, -- options for remote operator pending mode remote_op = { -- restore window views and cursor position -- after doing a remote operation restore = false, -- For `jump.pos = "range"`, this setting is ignored. -- `true`: always enter a new motion when doing a remote operation -- `false`: use the window's cursor position and jump target -- `nil`: act as `true` for remote windows, `false` for the current window motion = false, }, } ```

🚀 Usage

Treesitter: require("flash").treesitter(opts?) opens flash in Treesitter mode
- use a jump label, or use ; and , to increase/decrease the selection
regular search: search as you normally do, but enhanced with jump labels. You need to set opts.modes.search.enabled = true, or toggle it with require("flash").toggle()
f, t, F, T motions:
- After typing f{char} or F{char}, you can repeat the motion with f or go to the previous match with F to undo a jump.
- Similarly, after typing t{char} or T{char}, you can repeat the motion with t or go to the previous match with T.
- You can also go to the next match with ; or previous match with ,
- Any highlights clear automatically when moving, changing buffers, or pressing <esc>.
toggle Search: require("flash").toggle(boolean?)
- toggles flash on or off while using regular search
Treesitter Search: require("flash").treesitter_search(opts?) opens flash in Treesitter Search mode
- combination of Treesitter and Search modes
- do something like yR
- you can now start typing a search pattern.
- arround your matches, all the surrounding Treesitter nodes will be labeled.
- select a label to perform the operator on the new selection
remote: require("flash").remote(opts?) opens flash in remote mode
- equivalent to:
```
require("flash").jump({
  remote_op = {
    restore = true,
    motion = true,
  },
})
```
- this is only useful in operator pending mode.
- For example, press yr to start yanking and open flash
- select a label to set the cursor position
- perform any motion, like iw or even start flash Treesitter with S
- the yank will be performed on the new selection
- you'll be back in the original window / position
- You can also configure the remote_op options by default, so that ys, behaves like yr for remote operations
```
require("flash").jump({
  remote_op = {
    restore = true,
    motion = nil,
  },
})
```
jump: require("flash").jump(opts?) opens flash with the given options
- type any number of characters before typing a jump label
VS Code: some functionality is changed/disabled when running flash in VS Code:
- prompt is disabled
- highlights are set to different defaults that will actually work in VS Code

📡 API

The options for require("flash").jump(opts?), are the same as those in the config section, but can additionally have the following fields:

matcher: a custom function that generates matches for a given window
labeler: a custom function to label matches

You can also add labels in the matcher function and then set labeler to an empty function labeler = function() end

Type Definitions

```typescript type FlashMatcher = (win: number, state: FlashState) => FlashMatch[]; type FlashLabeler = (matches: FlashMatch[], state: FlashState) => void; interface FlashMatch { win: number; pos: [number, number]; // (1,0)-indexed end_pos: [number, number]; // (1,0)-indexed label?: string | false; // set to false to never show a label for this match highlight?: boolean; // override opts.highlight.matches for this match } // Check the code for the full definition // of Flash.State at `lua/flash/state.lua` type FlashState = {}; ```

💡 Examples

Forward search only

```lua require("flash").jump({ search = { forward = true, wrap = false, multi_window = false }, }) ```

Backward search only

```lua require("flash").jump({ search = { forward = false, wrap = false, multi_window = false }, }) ```

Show diagnostics at target, without changing cursor position

```lua require("flash").jump({ action = function(match, state) vim.api.nvim_win_call(match.win, function() vim.api.nvim_win_set_cursor(match.win, match.pos) vim.diagnostic.open_float() end) state:restore() end, }) -- More advanced example that also highlights diagnostics: require("flash").jump({ matcher = function(win) ---@param diag Diagnostic return vim.tbl_map(function(diag) return { pos = { diag.lnum + 1, diag.col }, end_pos = { diag.end_lnum + 1, diag.end_col - 1 }, } end, vim.diagnostic.get(vim.api.nvim_win_get_buf(win))) end, action = function(match, state) vim.api.nvim_win_call(match.win, function() vim.api.nvim_win_set_cursor(match.win, match.pos) vim.diagnostic.open_float() end) state:restore() end, }) ```

Match beginning of words only

```lua require("flash").jump({ search = { mode = function(str) return "\\<" .. str end, }, }) ```

Initialize flash with the word under the cursor

```lua require("flash").jump({ pattern = vim.fn.expand(""), }) ```

Jump to a line

```lua require("flash").jump({ search = { mode = "search", max_length = 0 }, label = { after = { 0, 0 } }, pattern = "^" }) ```

Select any word

```lua require("flash").jump({ pattern = ".", -- initialize pattern with any char search = { mode = function(pattern) -- remove leading dot if pattern:sub(1, 1) == "." then pattern = pattern:sub(2) end -- return word pattern and proper skip pattern return ([[\<%s\w*\>]]):format(pattern), ([[\<%s]]):format(pattern) end, }, -- select the range jump = { pos = "range" }, }) ```

f, t, F, T with labels

Use the options below: ```lua { modes = { char = { jump_labels = true } } } ```

Telescope integration

This will allow you to use `s` in normal mode and `` in insert mode, to jump to a label in Telescope results. ```lua { "nvim-telescope/telescope.nvim", optional = true, opts = function(_, opts) local function flash(prompt_bufnr) require("flash").jump({ pattern = "^", label = { after = { 0, 0 } }, search = { mode = "search", exclude = { function(win) return vim.bo[vim.api.nvim_win_get_buf(win)].filetype ~= "TelescopeResults" end, }, }, action = function(match) local picker = require("telescope.actions.state").get_current_picker(prompt_bufnr) picker:set_selection(match.pos[1] - 1) end, }) end opts.defaults = vim.tbl_deep_extend("force", opts.defaults or {}, { mappings = { n = { s = flash }, i = { [""] = flash }, }, }) end, } ```

Continue last search

```lua require("flash").jump({continue = true}) ```

2-char jump, similar to mini.jump2d or HopWord (hop.nvim)

```lua local Flash = require("flash") ---@param opts Flash.Format local function format(opts) -- always show first and second label return { { opts.match.label1, "FlashMatch" }, { opts.match.label2, "FlashLabel" }, } end Flash.jump({ search = { mode = "search" }, label = { after = false, before = { 0, 0 }, uppercase = false, format = format }, pattern = [[\<]], action = function(match, state) state:hide() Flash.jump({ search = { max_length = 0 }, highlight = { matches = false }, label = { format = format }, matcher = function(win) -- limit matches to the current label return vim.tbl_filter(function(m) return m.label == match.label and m.win == win end, state.results) end, labeler = function(matches) for _, m in ipairs(matches) do m.label = m.label2 -- use the second label end end, }) end, labeler = function(matches, state) local labels = state:labels() for m, match in ipairs(matches) do match.label1 = labels[math.floor((m - 1) / #labels) + 1] match.label2 = labels[(m - 1) % #labels + 1] match.label = match.label1 end end, }) ```

🌈 Highlights

Group	Default	Description
`FlashBackdrop`	`Comment`	backdrop
`FlashMatch`	`Search`	search matches
`FlashCurrent`	`IncSearch`	current match
`FlashLabel`	`Substitute`	jump label
`FlashPrompt`	`MsgArea`	prompt
`FlashPromptIcon`	`Special`	prompt icon
`FlashCursor`	`Cursor`	cursor

folke / flash.nvim

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