Today, I learned setting up snippets for Vim using UltiSnips and vim-snippets. These plugins have drastically improved my coding efficiency, especially for C++ and Python. Here’s a quick guide on how I did it.
Why Use UltiSnips and vim-snippets?
- UltiSnips is a powerful snippet engine for Vim, enabling you to create and expand custom code snippets quickly.
- vim-snippets provides a collection of pre-made snippets for various programming languages, working seamlessly with UltiSnips to boost productivity.
Step 1: Installing UltiSnips and vim-snippets Using Vim-Plug
First, I installed both plugins using Vim-Plug. If you don’t have Vim-Plug set up, add the following to your .vimrc:
call plug#begin('~/.vim/plugged')
Plug 'SirVer/ultisnips'
Plug 'honza/vim-snippets'
call plug#end()After adding the plugins, run :PlugInstall in Vim to install them.
Step 2: Configure UltiSnips
I configured UltiSnips to use convenient keybindings for expanding and navigating snippets. Here’s what I added to my .vimrc:
let g:UltiSnipsExpandTrigger="<tab>"
let g:UltiSnipsJumpForwardTrigger="<c-b>"
let g:UltiSnipsJumpBackwardTrigger="<c-z>"
- `<tab>`: Expands the snippet.
- `<c-b>`: Jumps forward to the next placeholder in the snippet.
- `<c-z>`: Jumps backward to the previous placeholder.Step 3: Creating a Custom C++ Snippet
Next, I created a custom snippet for my C++ workflow. I added it in the file ~/.vim/UltiSnips/cpp.snippets:
snippet main
#include <iostream>
int main()
{
${1:return 0;}
}
endsnippet- The
${1:return 0;}part sets a placeholder at the cursor’s initial position when the snippet expands. - You can overwrite the default content (
return 0;) by typing and pressing<c-b>to jump to the next tab stop.
Step 4: Testing the Snippet
When I type main and press <tab> in a C++ file, it expands to:
#include <iostream>
int main()
{
return 0;
}The cursor lands on the placeholder (return 0;), letting me modify the code quickly.
5. (Optional) Install Additional Snippets via vim-snippets
If you want a rich collection of community-maintained snippets for multiple languages, the vim-snippets repository (already installed in Step 2) offers a variety of pre-made snippets.
Note: You can find these snippets in ~/.vim/plugged/vim-snippets/snippets/. You can customize them further or add your own!
6. Reload Vim and Test Your Snippet
Reload your Vim configuration or restart Vim to ensure everything is set up:
source ~/.vimrc Now, open a new .cpp file, type main, and hit
Summary
Setting up UltiSnips and vim-snippets was straightforward and significantly boosted my coding speed in Vim. By creating custom snippets, I tailored my workflow even further. I recommend these plugins to anyone looking to streamline repetitive code patterns.
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