= Modes

== Description

Kakoune is a modal editor which means that keys have different effects depending
on the current mode. Therefore, modes can be conceptualized as a way to group
related behaviors together during a text editing workflow.

By default Kakoune starts in Normal mode. A few keys let users enter other
modes where they can focus on a specific task before going back to Normal mode
explicitly with `<esc>` or automatically in the case of *one shot* modes.

Modes are stored in a stack with the top of the stack being the active mode.
So in some scenarios, the Normal mode may feel *nested* in another one.
The `ModeChange` hook is triggered each time a mode is popped or pushed
on this stack. See <<hooks#,`:doc hooks`>>

To get a comprehensive list of commands available for each modes,
see <<keys#,`:doc keys`>>.
Most of them are described in *info* boxes in real-time if the `autoinfo` option is set.

To customize key mappings in various modes, refer to <<mapping#,`:doc mapping`>>.

== Builtin modes

=== Normal mode

Normal mode is the starting mode mainly dedicated to move, extend or create
selections where users spend most of their time (besides inserting content).
It also serves as a *basecamp* to access other modes.

See normal commands <<keys#movement,`:doc keys movement`>>.

=== Insert mode

In Insert mode, typing keys add content to the current buffer like in many other
text editors. There are several ways to reach Insert Mode and start editing at
common locations for maximum efficiency (after cursor, at the beginning of the line…).
See changes <<keys#changes,`:doc keys changes`>>.

Use `<esc>` to go back to Normal Mode: it pops Insert mode from the modes stack.
Use `<a-;>` to temporary enable Normal mode for one command: in this case, this quick
Normal Mode is pushed on the modes stack.

See insert commands <<keys#insert-mode,`:doc keys insert-mode`>>.

=== Goto mode

Default keys: `g`, `G`
Goto mode groups commands dedicated to jump inside a buffer (top, bottom…).
See goto commands <<keys#goto-commands,`:doc keys goto-commands`>>.

=== View mode

Default keys: `v`, `V`
View mode let users center and scroll the current window.
See view commands <<keys#view-commands,`:doc keys view-commands`>>.

=== Menu mode

Mode entered when a menu is displayed with the *menu* command or by autocompletion.
Mappings are used to choose and select intended items.

=== Prompt mode

Mode entered with `:`, `/` or the `:prompt` command.
The commands defined in this mode help editing.
See prompt commands <<keys#prompt-commands,`:doc keys prompt-commands`>>.

=== Object mode

Mode entered with `<a-i>`, `<a-a>` and various combinations of `[]{}` keys.
It aims at crafting semantic selections, often called *text-objects*.
See object commands <<keys#object-commands,`:doc keys object-commands`>>.

=== User mode

Default key: `,`
The user mode is empty by default and is the opportunity to store custom mappings
with no risk to shadow builtin ones. The context of execution is always the Normal mode.

== User modes

The following two commands are useful in advanced use cases, when the builtin User mode
gets too crowded by mappings competing for the same key that deserves to be split
in more meaningful collections. It's mostly useful for plugin authors who want
to bind their new commands in extensible menus.

--------------------------------
declare-user-mode <scope> <name>
--------------------------------

Declare a new custom mode that can later be referred by the *map* command.
For example a `grep` custom mode to attach keys like `n` or `p` to skim
through the output results.

-------------------------------
enter-user-mode <scope> <name>
-------------------------------

Enable the designated mode for the next key. Docstrings are shown in the automatic
info box to increase discoverability. To keep illustrating the aforementioned
fictional `grep` mode, a normal mapping on `<a-g>` could be used to enter this mode.