VimTeX is a modern Vim and neovim filetype and syntax plugin for LaTeX files.
VimTeX requires Vim version 8.0.1453 or neovim version 0.4.3. The requirements were updated in July 2020 after the release of VimTeX 1.0. If you are stuck on older versions of Vim or neovim, then you should not use the most recent version of VimTeX, but instead remain at the v1.0 tag.
Some features require external tools. For example, the default compiler backend relies on latexmk.
Users are encouraged to read the requirements section in the documentation (:h vimtex-requirements).
If you use vim-plug, then add the
following line to your vimrc file:
Plug 'lervag/vimtex'Or use some other plugin manager:
If you use the new package feature in Vim, please note the following:
- Make sure to read and understand the package feature:
:help package! - Use the
/pack/foo/startsubdirectory to make sure the filetype plugin is automatically loaded for thetexfiletypes. - Helptags are not generated automatically. Run
:helptagsto generate them. - Please note that by default Vim puts custom
/start/plugin directories at the end of the&runtimepath. This means the built in filetype plugin is loaded, which prevents VimTeX from loading. See #1413 for two suggested solutions to this. To see which scripts are loaded and in which order, use:scriptnames. - For more information on how to use the Vim native package solution, see here and here.
The following is a simple guide for how to use VimTeX. It only displays the
most basic features. Users are strongly encouraged to read or at least skim
through the documentation to learn about the different features and
possibilities provided by VimTeX (see :h vimtex).
Below is a list of features offered by VimTeX. The features are accessible as
both commands and mappings. The mappings generally start with
<localleader>l, but if desired one can disable default mappings to define
custom mappings. All features are enabled by default, but each feature may be
disabled if desired.
- Document compilation with latexmk, latexrun, tectonic, or arara
- LaTeX log parsing for quickfix entries using
- internal method
- pplatex
- Compilation of selected part of document
- Support for several PDF viewers with forward search
- Completion of
- citations
- labels
- commands
- file names for figures, input/include, includepdf, includestandalone
- glossary entries
- package and documentclass names based on available
.styand.clsfiles
- Document navigation through
- table of content
- table of labels
- proper settings for
'include','includexpr','suffixesadd'and'define', which among other things- allow
:h include-searchand:h definition-search - give enhanced
gfcommand
- allow
- Easy access to (online) documentation of packages
- Word count (through
texcount) - Motions
- Move between section boundaries with
[[,[],][, and]] - Move between environment boundaries with
[m,[M,]m, and]M - Move between math environment boundaries with
[n,[N,]n, and]N - Move between frame environment boundaries with
[r,[R,]r, and]R - Move between comment boundaries with
[*and]* - Move between matching delimiters with
%
- Move between section boundaries with
- Text objects
ic acCommandsid adDelimitersie aeLaTeX environmentsi$ a$Inline math structuresiP aPSectionsim amItems
- Other mappings
- Delete the surrounding command, environment or delimiter with
dsc/dse/ds$/dsd - Change the surrounding command, environment or delimiter with
csc/cse/cs$/csd - Toggle starred command or environment with
tsc/tse - Toggle between e.g.
()and\left(\right)withtsd - Toggle (inline) fractions with
tsf - Close the current environment/delimiter in insert mode with
]] - Insert new command with
<F7> - Convenient insert mode mappings for faster typing of e.g. maths
- Context menu on citations (e.g.
\cite{...}) mapped to<cr>
- Delete the surrounding command, environment or delimiter with
- Improved folding (
:h 'foldexpr') - Improved indentation (
:h 'indentexpr') - Syntax highlighting
- A consistent core syntax specification
- General syntax highlighting for several popular LaTeX packages
- Nested syntax highlighting for several popular LaTeX packages
- Highlight matching delimiters
- Support for multi-file project packages
See the documentation for a thorough introduction to VimTeX (e.g. :h vimtex).
Even though VimTeX provides a lot of nice features for working with LaTeX
documents, there are several features that are better served by other,
dedicated plugins. For a more detailed listing of these, please see :help vimtex-non-features.
The following are some alternative LaTeX plugins for Vim:
-
The main difference between VimTeX and LaTeX-Suite (aka vim-latex) is probably that VimTeX does not try to implement a full fledged IDE for LaTeX inside Vim. E.g.:
- VimTeX does not provide a full snippet feature, because this is better handled by UltiSnips or neosnippet or similar snippet engines.
- VimTeX builds upon Vim principles: It provides text objects for environments, inline math, it provides motions for sections and paragraphs
- VimTeX uses
latexmk,latexrun,tectonicorararafor compilation with a callback feature to get instant feedback on compilation errors - VimTeX is very modular: if you don't like a feature, you can turn it off.
-
VimTeX currently has most of the features of LaTeX-Box, as well as some additional ones. See here for a relatively complete list of features.
One particular feature that LaTeX-Box has but VimTeX misses, is the ability to do single-shot compilation with callback. This functionality was removed because it adds a lot of complexity for relatively little gain (IMHO).
For more alternatives and more information and discussions regarding LaTeX plugins for Vim, see: