Vi mode

What

Display the current Vi mode (insert / normal / visual …) in the prompt. Useful when using ZSH keymaps via bindkey -v, PowerShell PSReadLine -EditMode Vi, or fish vi key bindings so you can tell at a glance which mode you are in.

In ZSH, adding this segment automatically registers a zle-keymap-select hook. In PowerShell, it registers a PSReadLine Vi mode change handler. In fish, it registers an --on-variable fish_bind_mode handler (only when vi or hybrid key bindings are active). All of them re-render the prompt every time the active mode changes.

PowerShell cursor indicator

PowerShell support sets PSReadLine's ViModeIndicator to Script, replacing cursor-shape mode indicators such as Cursor. The mode is then shown by this segment in the prompt instead.

fish mode prompt

fish support overrides fish_mode_prompt with an empty function so fish's built-in [N] / [I] mode indicator does not show up next to the mode rendered by this segment. Make sure vi key bindings are enabled (e.g. fish_vi_key_bindings) for the segment to display.

Sample Configuration

json

{
  "type": "vimode",
  "style": "plain",
  "foreground": "#ffffff",
  "background": "#0077c2",
  "template": " {{ if eq .Mode \"normal\" }} NORMAL{{ else if eq .Mode \"visual\" }} VISUAL{{ else }} INSERT{{ end }} "
}

yaml

type: vimode
style: plain
foreground: "#ffffff"
background: "#0077c2"
template: ' {{ if eq .Mode "normal" }} NORMAL{{ else if eq .Mode "visual" }}
  VISUAL{{ else }} INSERT{{ end }} '

toml

type = "vimode"
style = "plain"
foreground = "#ffffff"
background = "#0077c2"
template = " {{ if eq .Mode \"normal\" }} NORMAL{{ else if eq .Mode \"visual\" }} VISUAL{{ else }} INSERT{{ end }} "

Template (info)

default template

 {{ .Mode }}

Properties

Name	Type	Description
.Mode	string	the normalized mode: insert, normal, visual, viopp, replace, or the raw keymap when unmapped
.Keymap	string	the raw mode value ($KEYMAP in ZSH, e.g. main, viins, vicmd, visual, viopp; viins or vicmd in PowerShell PSReadLine; viins, vicmd, visual or replace in fish)