Builtin Commands

These are editor commands — reached from a key binding or from a plugin with (call! …), never from the command mode prompt. (Typed commands are listed on the Command mode page instead.) Every command below is a native one — owned by the editor itself, not a plugin. They are callable two ways from Scheme:

;; directly, as a bare binding
(move-left)
;; or through the generic dispatcher, like a plugin command
(call! "move-left")

The first form is only valid for builtins (they are pre-registered in the Steel scripting engine); call! works for any key-bindable command, builtin or Scheme-defined. Each entry lists the command name and what it does. For key bindings that trigger these commands, see the key reference and the per-topic pages.

Motions

Move the cursor/selection. Callable as (name) or (call! "name").

Command	Default key	Effect
find-backward	F + char	Find previous occurrence of a character (inclusive, backward).
find-forward	f + char	Find next occurrence of a character (inclusive, forward).
goto-first-line	g g	Move cursors to the first character of the buffer.
goto-first-nonblank	g s	Move cursors to the first non-blank character on the line.
goto-last-line	g e	Move cursors to the first character of the last line.
goto-line-end	End / g l	Move cursors to the last character on the line.
goto-line-start	Home / g h	Move cursors to the start of the line.
goto-matching-pair	#	Move cursors to the matching bracket or tag.
goto-next-argument	g a	Select the next argument.
goto-next-class	g t	Select the next class or type.
goto-next-comment	g c	Select the next comment.
goto-next-function	g f	Select the next function.
goto-next-paragraph	}	Select the next paragraph.
goto-next-test	g u	Select the next unit test.
goto-next-value	g v	Select the next array/tuple/struct value.
goto-prev-argument	g A	Select the previous argument.
goto-prev-class	g T	Select the previous class or type.
goto-prev-comment	g C	Select the previous comment.
goto-prev-function	g F	Select the previous function.
goto-prev-paragraph	{	Select the previous paragraph.
goto-prev-test	g U	Select the previous unit test.
goto-prev-value	g V	Select the previous array/tuple/struct value.
jump-backward	Ctrl+o	Navigate to the previous position in the jump list.
jump-forward	Ctrl+i / Tab	Navigate to the next position in the jump list.
move-down	j / ↓	Move cursors down one visual line (one buffer line with a count).
move-left	h / ←	Move cursors one grapheme to the left.
move-right	l / →	Move cursors one grapheme to the right.
move-up	k / ↑	Move cursors up one visual line (one buffer line with a count).
repeat-find-backward	-	Repeat the last find/till motion backward.
repeat-find-forward	=	Repeat the last find/till motion forward.
select-line	x / Ctrl+x	Select the full current line (forward).
select-line-backward	X / Ctrl+X	Select the full current line (backward).
select-next-uppercase-word	W	Select the next uppercase word (whitespace-delimited).
select-next-word	w	Select the next word.
select-prev-uppercase-word	B	Select the previous uppercase word (whitespace-delimited).
select-prev-word	b	Select the previous word.
till-backward	T + char	Move to just after previous occurrence of a character (exclusive).
till-forward	t + char	Move to just before next occurrence of a character (exclusive).

Selection commands

Create, refine, or manipulate the selection set.

Command	Default key	Effect
collapse-and-exit-extend	;	Collapse each selection to its cursor and exit extend mode.
collapse-selection	—	Collapse each selection to a single cursor at the head.
collapse-to-anchor-and-exit-extend	Ctrl+;	Collapse each selection to its anchor and exit extend mode.
copy-selection-on-next-line	C	Duplicate each selection on the line below.
copy-selection-on-prev-line	—	Duplicate each selection on the line above.
cycle-primary-backward	(	Cycle the primary selection backward.
cycle-primary-forward	)	Cycle the primary selection forward.
flip-selections	Ctrl+e	Swap anchor and head for each selection.
keep-primary-selection	,	Remove all selections except the primary.
remove-primary-selection	Ctrl+,	Remove the primary selection, promoting the next.
select-all	%	Select the entire buffer.
select-last-insertion	m i i	Select the text typed during the most recently completed insert session.
sift-within	s	Narrow each selection down to its regex matches.
split-selection-on-newlines	S	Split each multi-line selection into one per line.
trim-selection-whitespace	_	Trim leading and trailing whitespace from each selection.

Text objects

Select a delimited region around the cursor.

Command	Default key	Effect
around-angle	m a < / m a >	Select content including the nearest <>.
around-argument	m a a	Select the argument and its separator comma. Structure-aware — uses the language's parameter object when the grammar defines one.
around-backtick	m a `	Select content including the nearest backtick pair.
around-brace	m a { / m a }	Select content including the nearest {}.
around-bracket	m a [ / m a ]	Select content including the nearest [].
around-class	m a t	Select the class or type including its header. Requires a grammar with a textobjects.scm.
around-comment	m a c	Select the whole comment block. Requires a grammar with a textobjects.scm.
around-double-quote	m a "	Select content including the nearest ".
around-function	m a f	Select the function including its signature (and attributes/decorators). Requires a grammar with a textobjects.scm.
around-line	m a l	Select the line including its newline.
around-paragraph	m a p	Select the paragraph plus its trailing blank gap.
around-paren	m a ( / m a )	Select content including the nearest ().
around-single-quote	m a '	Select content including the nearest '.
around-test	m a u	Select the whole unit test, including its attribute or decorator. Requires a grammar with a textobjects.scm.
around-uppercase-word	m a W	Select uppercase word plus one adjacent whitespace run.
around-value	m a v	Select an array/tuple/struct value plus its separator comma. Requires a grammar with a textobjects.scm.
around-word	m a w	Select word plus one adjacent whitespace run.
inner-angle	m i < / m i >	Select content inside the nearest <>.
inner-argument	m i a	Select the argument at the cursor (trimmed). Structure-aware — uses the language's parameter object when the grammar defines one.
inner-backtick	m i `	Select content inside the nearest backtick pair.
inner-brace	m i { / m i }	Select content inside the nearest {}.
inner-bracket	m i [ / m i ]	Select content inside the nearest [].
inner-class	m i t	Select inside a class or type. Requires a grammar with a textobjects.scm.
inner-comment	m i c	Select inside a comment. Requires a grammar with a textobjects.scm.
inner-double-quote	m i "	Select content inside the nearest ".
inner-function	m i f	Select inside a function. Requires a grammar with a textobjects.scm.
inner-line	m i l	Select inner line content (excluding the newline).
inner-paragraph	m i p	Select the paragraph's text, excluding any trailing blank gap.
inner-paren	m i ( / m i )	Select content inside the nearest ().
inner-single-quote	m i '	Select content inside the nearest '.
inner-test	m i u	Select inside a unit test function's body. Requires a grammar with a textobjects.scm.
inner-uppercase-word	m i W	Select inner uppercase word (whitespace-delimited).
inner-value	m i v	Select inside an array/tuple/struct value. Requires a grammar with a textobjects.scm.
inner-word	m i w	Select inner word.
select-uppercase-word	M M	Select the uppercase word (WORD) under the cursor.
select-word	m m	Select the word under the cursor.
select-word-nearest-on-line	—	Select the word under the cursor, or the nearest word on the same visual line when on whitespace; span follows word-selects-whitespace.

Surround

Select or wrap delimiter pairs.

Command	Default key	Effect
surround-add	m w + char	Wrap each selection with a delimiter pair. Reads the next typed character to determine the pair.
surround-angle	m s < / m s >	Select surrounding <> delimiters.
surround-backtick	m s `	Select surrounding ` delimiters.
surround-brace	m s { / m s }	Select surrounding {} delimiters.
surround-bracket	m s [ / m s ]	Select surrounding [] delimiters.
surround-double-quote	m s "	Select surrounding " delimiters.
surround-paren	m s ( / m s )	Select surrounding () delimiters.
surround-single-quote	m s '	Select surrounding ' delimiters.

Edits

Modify buffer text.

Command	Default key	Effect
align-selections	&	Align each selection's anchor to the primary selection's anchor column.
change	c	Delete selections onto the kill ring, then enter insert mode (one undo group).
delete	d	Delete selections, pushing their text onto the kill ring.
delete-char-backward	—	Delete the character before each cursor.
delete-char-forward	—	Delete the character (or selection) under the cursor.
delete-selection	—	Delete all selections.
delete-word-backward	Ctrl+w (insert mode)	Delete the word before each cursor.
indent	>	Indent every line touched by a selection by one level.
join-lines-select-spaces	J	Join lines inside each selection and select the inserted spaces.
make-text-capitalized	G C	Capitalize each word in every selection (Title Case).
make-text-lowercase	G L	Lowercase the text in each selection.
make-text-uppercase	G U	Uppercase the text in each selection.
open-line-above	O	Open a new line above the cursor and enter insert mode.
open-line-below	o	Open a new line below the cursor and enter insert mode.
replace	r + char	Replace every character in each selection with the next typed character.
unindent	<	Unindent every line touched by a selection by one level.

Clipboard and registers

Move text between the buffer, the kill ring, and the system clipboard.

Command	Default key	Effect
paste-after	—	Paste register contents after the selection. Bare (no "<reg> prefix) reads the kill-ring head, with no clipboard fallback.
paste-before	—	Paste register contents before the selection. Bare (no "<reg> prefix) reads the kill-ring head, with no clipboard fallback.
paste-ring-newer	]	Cycle kill ring one step newer and re-paste.
paste-ring-older	[	Cycle kill ring one step older and re-paste.
smart-paste-after	p	Paste after the selection: kill-ring head while nothing has been edited since the last capture, clipboard otherwise.
smart-paste-before	P	Paste before the selection: kill-ring head while nothing has been edited since the last capture, clipboard otherwise.
yank	y	Copy selections to the clipboard and kill ring without deleting.

Undo and repeat

Replay or roll back past changes.

Command	Default key	Effect
redo	U / Ctrl+r	Redo the last undone change.
repeat-last-action	.	Repeat the last editing action.
undo	u	Undo the last change.

Search

Find text and act on the matches.

Command	Default key	Effect
clear-search	—	Clear search highlights. Esc also clears them; bind a key to run this directly.
search-backward	?	Enter search mode (backward).
search-forward	/	Enter search mode (forward).
search-next	n	Jump to the next search match.
search-prev	N	Jump to the previous search match.
search-selection	Ctrl+/	Use the primary selection text literally as the search pattern.
search-word-under-cursor	*	Search the whole word under the cursor.
select-all-matches	m /	Turn every search match in the buffer into a selection.

Modes

Switch between normal, insert, extend, and the command prompt.

Command	Default key	Effect
command-mode	:	Open the command mode prompt.
exit-insert	Esc / Ctrl+c	Return to normal mode from insert mode.
insert-after	—	Enter insert mode after the cursor (move one grapheme right).
insert-at-line-end	A	Enter insert mode after the last character on the line.
insert-at-line-start	I	Enter insert mode at the first non-blank character on the line.
insert-at-selection-end	a	Enter insert mode after the end of the selection.
insert-at-selection-start	i	Enter insert mode at the start of the selection.
insert-before	—	Enter insert mode; collapse each selection to its start.
toggle-extend	e	Toggle sticky extend mode.

Scrolling

Move the viewport without moving the cursor.

Command	Default key	Effect
bottom-view-on-cursor	z j	Scroll so the primary selection head sits at the bottom of the viewport.
center-view-on-cursor	z z	Scroll so the primary selection head sits at the vertical center of the viewport.
half-page-down	Ctrl+d	Scroll down by half a viewport height.
half-page-up	Ctrl+u	Scroll up by half a viewport height.
page-down	PageDown	Scroll down by one viewport height.
page-up	PageUp	Scroll up by one viewport height.
top-view-on-cursor	z k	Scroll so the primary selection head sits at the top of the viewport.

Panes and buffers

Split, focus, and close panes; switch buffers.

Command	Default key	Effect
goto-alternate-buffer	—	Switch to the most-recently-focused other buffer.
goto-next-buffer	—	Switch to the next buffer in open-order.
goto-prev-buffer	—	Switch to the previous buffer in open-order.
pane-close	Ctrl+p c	Close the focused pane.
pane-focus-down	Ctrl+p j	Focus the pane below.
pane-focus-left	Ctrl+p h	Focus the pane to the left.
pane-focus-next	Tab / Ctrl+p p	Focus the next pane.
pane-focus-right	Ctrl+p l	Focus the pane to the right.
pane-focus-up	Ctrl+p k	Focus the pane above.
pane-split	Ctrl+p s	Split the focused pane, stacking the new pane below it.
pane-vsplit	Ctrl+p v	Split the focused pane side by side.