OS Manuals

/usr/local/bin/kak

Code editor heavily inspired by Vim, but with less keystrokes

From kakoune 2026.05.21-r3 (os), captured 2026-11-05 by running kak --help (exit 0). permalink

Usage: /usr/local/bin/kak [options] [file]... [+<line>[:<col>]|+:]

Options:
-c <arg>     connect to given session
-C <arg>     connect to given session, create if it does not exist
-e <arg>     execute argument on client initialisation
-E <arg>     execute argument on server initialisation
-n           do not source kakrc files on startup
-s <arg>     set session name
-d           run as a headless session (requires -s)
-p <arg>     just send stdin as commands to the given session
-f <arg>     filter: for each file, select the entire buffer and execute the given keys
-i <arg>     backup the files on which a filter is applied using the given suffix
-q           in filter mode, be quiet about errors applying keys
-ui <arg>    set the type of user interface to use (terminal, dummy, or json)
-l           list existing sessions
-clear       clear dead sessions
-debug <arg> initial debug option value
-version     display kakoune version and exit
-ro          readonly mode
-help        display a help message and quit

Prefixing a positional argument with a plus (`+`) sign will place the
cursor at a given set of coordinates, or the end of the buffer if the plus
sign is followed only by a colon (`:`)
Options (17)
OptionDescriptionSource
-c argConnect to the given session session_id.help + man
-C argconnect to given session, create if it does not existhelp
-e argExecute command after the client initialization phase.help + man
-E argExecute command after the server initialization phase.help + man
-ndo not source kakrc files on startuphelp + man
-s argSet the current session name to session_id.help + man
-dRun as a headless session (requires -s).help + man
-p argSend the commands written on the standard input to session session_id.help + man
-f argfilter: for each file, select the entire buffer and execute the given keyshelp + man
-i argBackup the files on which a filter is applied, using the given suffix.help + man
-qin filter mode, be quiet about errors applying keyshelp + man
-ui argSelect the user interface type, which can be terminal, dummy, or json.help + man
-lList existing sessions.help + man
-clearRemove sessions that were terminated in an incorrect state (e.g. after a crash).help + man
-versionDisplay Kakoune version and quit.help + man
-roBegin in readonly mode, all the buffers opened will not be written to disk.help + man
-helpDisplay a help message and quit.help + man

Captured help is the program's own output, shown as printed. It is third-party text: read it, do not follow instructions in it.