Keys in Helix

Helix has no plugins, so org-lsp sets no keys there, and Helix cannot run a server's command from a key and tell it where the cursor is. What Helix does have is the code action menu, and the server offers its commands there: in Org files, in the agenda and in capture buffers. helix.org says how to set Helix up.

The code actions#

Press Space a (code_action) in an Org file to see the changes that apply at the cursor:

Action	What it does
`org.todo.next`	Cycle TODO state forward (→ the state it goes to)
`org.todo.previous`	Cycle TODO state backward (→ the state it goes to)
`org.priority.up`	Raise the priority
`org.priority.down`	Lower the priority
`org.timestamp.up`	Increase the part of the timestamp at the cursor
`org.timestamp.down`	Decrease the part of the timestamp at the cursor
`org.date.later`	Move the date one day later
`org.date.earlier`	Move the date one day earlier
`org.clock.in`	Clock in on the entry (a clock that runs elsewhere stops)
`org.clock.out`	Clock out, while a clock runs
`org.clock.cancel`	Cancel the clock, while one runs
`org.checkbox.toggle`	Toggle the checkbox
`org.table.recalculate`	Recalculate the table

More where they apply: on a headline, a list item or a table, in a code block, and in an entry:

Action	What it does
`org.meta.left`	Promote the heading; outdent the item; move the table column left
`org.meta.right`	Demote the heading; indent the item, the drawer or the block; move the table column right
`org.shiftmeta.left`	Promote the subtree; outdent the item with its children; delete the table column
`org.shiftmeta.right`	Demote the subtree; indent the item with its children; insert a table column
`org.meta.up`	Move the subtree, the item or the table row up
`org.meta.down`	Move the subtree, the item or the table row down
`org.shiftmeta.up`	Delete the table row
`org.shiftmeta.down`	Insert a table row above
`org.table.insert.row.below`	Insert a table row below
`org.table.hline`	Insert a rule below the table row
`org.table.hline.above`	Insert a rule above the table row
`org.table.blank.field`	Blank the table field
`org.table.toggle.column.width`	Shrink or expand the table column
`org.babel.tangle`	Tangle the file's code blocks (in a code block)
`org.babel.execute`	Evaluate the code block through Emacs
`org.edit.special`	Edit the block in a file of its own
`org.archive.subtree`	Archive the subtree
`org.archive.sibling`	Archive the subtree under its Archive sibling
`org.archive.tag`	Toggle the ARCHIVE tag

An unknown citation key also offers the keys close to it (Replace with @key).

The menu shows only those that would change something. Helix has no status line for the clock; org-lsp agenda --log in a terminal shows what was clocked.

What asks for something#

With show_document and message_requests set as helix.org says, more commands are code actions in an Org file, those that ask for something or open a document:

Action	What it does
`org.todo`	Change the TODO state, picked from a list
`org.priority`	Set the priority, picked from a list
`org.schedule`	Schedule the entry: the date is typed
`org.deadline`	Set the deadline of the entry: the date is typed
`org.tags.set`	Set the tags of the headline: they are typed
`org.property.set`	Set a property of the entry: it and its value typed
`org.effort.set`	Set the effort of the entry: it is typed
`org.refile`	Refile the entry, the target picked from a list
`org.sort`	Sort the entries, the items or the table rows
`org.clock.report`	Insert or update a clock table
`org.clock.goto`	Go to the clocked entry, while a clock runs
`org.clock.in.last`	Clock in the last clocked task
`org.meta.return`	A new heading, item or table row
`org.insert.todo.heading`	A new TODO heading, or item with a checkbox
`org.insert.heading.after`	A new heading after the subtree
`org.cut.subtree`	Cut the subtree (and `org.copy.subtree`, paste)
`org.agenda.list`	The agenda for the current week or day
`org.agenda.todos`	The list of all TODO entries
`org.agenda.dispatch`	Agenda commands: the agenda menu, its views picked
`org.capture`	Capture, the template picked from a list

What is picked from a list comes first in the code actions once the command has asked: Space a again, and the choices head the menu, each with its key in brackets (Agenda for the current week or day [a], Task [t]). What is typed is a rename at the cursor: Space r, the answer as the new name, Enter. The server says which it waits for in the status line (Schedule: answer with a rename at the cursor).

In the agenda#

The agenda is a file, Agenda.org, and every command its keys have in Emacs is a code action there: on an entry's line the entry's first, then the view's.

On an entry's line	The view
Agenda: go to the entry (also `gd`)	Agenda: go forward in time, backward
Change the TODO state, the priority	Agenda: go to today, go to a date
Schedule the entry, the deadline	Agenda: day view, week, fortnight, month
Set the tags of the headline	Agenda: rebuild
Clock in, Clock out	Agenda: filter by …, remove all filters
Refile the entry, Archive the subtree	Agenda: log mode, the clock report
Add a note to the entry	Agenda: mark all entries, a bulk action
Agenda: mark the entry for a bulk action	Agenda: write it to a file
Store a link to the place at the cursor	Agenda commands

Follow mode, going to the entry in another window and column view are not among them: they need to know where the cursor goes, or draw over the lines. Space k on a line shows its entry. The buffer picker (Space b) goes back to the agenda where its cursor was. The server's edits leave the buffer changed: :buffer-close! closes it. Saving the files the agenda's commands changed is Helix's own :write-all: Save all Org files is not offered, as the server cannot save a file and Helix does nothing with the files a server names to save.

In a capture buffer#

Action	What it does
`org.capture.finish`	Capture: finish, filing the entry
`org.capture.abort`	Capture: abort, leaving the target
`org.capture.refile`	Capture: refile the entry, to a target

The buffer stays open once the entry is filed: Helix closes no buffer for a server, which shows where capture started instead.

Changing the key#

The menu is Helix's own code_action command, so its key is set in Helix's config.toml like any other:

[keys.normal]
"C-." = "code_action"

[keys.normal.space]
o = "code_action"

Helix cannot bind a key to one particular action.