tabby/clients/vim/README.md

# Tabby Plugin for Vim and NeoVim

Tabby is a self-hosted AI coding assistant that can suggest multi-line code or full functions in real-time. For more information, please check out our [website](https://tabbyml.com/) and [github](https://github.com/TabbyML/tabby).  
If you encounter any problem or have any suggestion, please [open an issue](https://github.com/TabbyML/tabby/issues/new) or join our [Slack community](https://join.slack.com/t/tabbycommunity/shared_invite/zt-1xeiddizp-bciR2RtFTaJ37RBxr8VxpA) for support.

## Table of Contents

- [Tabby Plugin for Vim and NeoVim](#tabby-plugin-for-vim-and-neovim)
  - [Table of Contents](#table-of-contents)
  - [Requirements](#requirements)
  - [Installation](#installation)
    - [🔌 Vim-plug](#-vim-plug)
    - [📦 Packer.nvim](#-packernvim)
    - [💤 Lazy.nvim](#-lazynvim)
  - [Usage](#usage)
  - [Configuration](#configuration)
    - [Tabby Server](#tabby-server)
    - [Node.js Binary Path](#nodejs-binary-path)
    - [Completion Trigger Mode](#completion-trigger-mode)
    - [KeyBindings](#keybindings)
  - [Contributing](#contributing)
  - [License](#license)

## Requirements

Tabby plugin requires the following dependencies:

- Vim 9.0+ with `+job` and `+textprop` features enabled, or NeoVim 0.6.0+.
- Tabby server. You can install Tabby server locally or have it hosted on a remote server. For Tabby server installation, please refer to this [documentation](https://tabby.tabbyml.com/docs/installation/).
- [Node.js](https://nodejs.org/en/download/) version v18.0+.
  - If you need have multiple Node.js versions installed, you can use Node.js version manager such as [nvm](https://github.com/nvm-sh/nvm).
- Vim filetype plugin enabled. You can add following lines in vim config file (`~/.vimrc`). For NeoVim, filetype plugin is enabled by default, you don't need to add these lines.

  ```vim
  filetype plugin on
  ```

## Installation

You can install Tabby plugin using your favorite plugin manager. Here are some examples using popular plugin managers, you can choose one to follow.

### 🔌 Vim-plug

[Vim-plug](https://github.com/junegunn/vim-plug) is a minimalist Vim plugin manager that you can use to install Tabby plugin. You can install Vim-plug by following these [instructions](https://github.com/junegunn/vim-plug#installation).

Once Vim-plug is installed, you can install Tabby plugin by adding the following line to your vim config file (`~/.vimrc` for Vim and `~/.config/nvim/init.vim` for NeoVim), between the `plug#begin()` and `plug#end()` lines.

```vim
" ...your vim configs...

" Section for plugins managed by vim-plug
plug#begin()

" ...other plugins...

" Add Tabby plugin
Plug 'TabbyML/vim-tabby'
plug#end()
```

Then, run the following command in your vim command line:

```
:PlugInstall
```

### 📦 Packer.nvim

[Packer.nvim](https://github.com/wbthomason/packer.nvim) is a plugin manager for NeoVim that is written in Lua. You can install Packer.nvim by following these [instructions](https://github.com/wbthomason/packer.nvim#quickstart).

Once Packer is installed, you can install Tabby plugin by adding the following line to your plugin specification, e.g. (in `~/.config/nvim/lua/plugins.lua`).

```lua
--- Packer plugin specification
return require('packer').startup(function(use)
  --- ...other plugins...

  --- Add Tabby plugin
  use 'TabbyML/vim-tabby'
end)
```

Then, run the following command in your NeoVim command line:

```
:PackerSync
```

### 💤 Lazy.nvim

[Lazy.nvim](https://github.com/folke/lazy.nvim) is an alternative plugin manager for NeoVim. You can install Lazy.nvim by following these [instructions](https://github.com/folke/lazy.nvim#-installation).

Once Lazy is installed, you can install Tabby plugin by adding the following line to your plugin specification in `~/.config/nvim/init.lua`.

```lua
--- ...your NeoVim configs...

--- Lazy plugin specification
require("lazy").setup({
  --- ...other plugins...

  --- Add Tabby plugin
  "TabbyML/vim-tabby",
})
```

## Usage

After installation, please exit and restart Vim or NeoVim. Then you can check the Tabby plugin status by running `:Tabby` in your vim command line. If you see any message reported by Tabby, it means the plugin is installed successfully. If you see `Not an editor command: Tabby` or any other error message, please check the installation steps.

In insert mode, Tabby plugin will show inline completion automatically when you stop typing. You can simply press `<Tab>` to accept the completion. If you want to dismiss the completion manually, you can press `<C-\>` to dismiss, and press `<C-\>` again to show the completion again.

## Configuration

### Tabby Server

You need to start the Tabby server before using the plugin. For Tabby server installation, please refer to this [documentation](https://tabby.tabbyml.com/docs/installation/).

If your Tabby server endpoint is different from the default `http://localhost:8080`, please set the endpoint in `~/.tabby-client/config.toml`.

```toml
# Server
# You can set the server endpoint here.
[server]
endpoint = "http://localhost:8080" # http or https URL
```

### Node.js Binary Path

Normally, this config is not required as the Tabby plugin will try to find the Node.js binary in your `PATH` environment variable.  
But if you have installed Node.js in a non-standard location, or you are using a Node.js version manager such as nvm, you can set the Node.js binary path in your vim config file (`~/.vimrc` for Vim and `~/.config/nvim/init.vim` or `~/.config/nvim/init.lua` for NeoVim).

```vim
let g:tabby_node_binary = '/path/to/node'
```

```lua
--- lua
vim.g.tabby_node_binary = '/path/to/node'
```

### Completion Trigger Mode

Completion trigger mode is set to `auto` by default, Tabby plugin will show inline completion automatically when you stop typing.  
If you prefer to trigger code completion manually, add this config in your vim config file. Tabby plugin will not show inline completion automatically, you can trigger the completion manually by pressing `<C-\>`.

```vim
let g:tabby_trigger_mode = 'manual'
```

```lua
--- lua
vim.g.tabby_trigger_mode = 'manual'
```

### KeyBindings

The default key bindings for accept completion(`<Tab>`), manual trigger/dismiss(`<C-\>`) can be customized with the following global settings.

```vim
let g:tabby_keybinding_accept = '<Tab>'
let g:tabby_keybinding_trigger_or_dismiss = '<C-\>'
```

```lua
--- lua
vim.g.tabby_keybinding_accept = '<Tab>'
vim.g.tabby_keybinding_trigger_or_dismiss = '<C-\\>'
```

## Contributing

Repository [TabbyML/vim-tabby](https://github.com/TabbyML/vim-tabby) is for releasing Tabby plugin for Vim and NeoVim. If you want to contribute to Tabby plugin, please check our main repository [TabbyML/tabby](https://github.com/TabbyML/tabby/tree/main/clients/vim).

## License

[Apache-2.0](https://github.com/TabbyML/tabby/blob/main/LICENSE)