---
name: "kak"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "kakoune"
version: "2026.05.21-2"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/kak"
---

# kak(1)

a vim-inspired, selection oriented code editor

## NAME

**kak** – a vim-inspired, selection oriented code editor

## SYNOPSIS

**kak** \[**-d**\] \[**-n**\] \[**-ro**\] \[**-c** *session\_id* \| **-s** *session\_id*\] \[**-ui** *ui\_type*\] \[**-e** *command*\] \[**-E** *command*\] \[**+***line*\[**:***column*\] \| **+:**\] \[*file* *...*\]

**kak** **-f** *keys* \[**-q**\] \[**-i** *suffix*\] \[*file* *...*\]

**kak** **-p** *session\_id*

**kak** **-l**

**kak** **-clear**

**kak** **-version**

**kak** **-help**

## DESCRIPTION

**Kakoune** is a code editor heavily inspired by [vim(1)](/vim/1.md) and [vi(1)](/vi/1.md). As such, most of its commands are similar to [vi(1)](/vi/1.md)'s, sharing its “keystrokes as a text editing language” model.

**Kakoune** operates in two modes, normal and insertion. In insertion mode, keys are directly inserted into the current buffer. In normal mode, keys are used to manipulate the current selection and to enter insertion mode.

**Kakoune** has a strong focus on interactivity. Most commands provide immediate and incremental results, while still being competitive in keystroke count with vim.

**Kakoune** works on selections, which are oriented, inclusive ranges of characters. Selections have an anchor and a cursor. Most commands move both of them except when extending selection, where the anchor character stays fixed and the cursor moves around.

The options are as follows:

- **-help**

  Display a help message and quit.

- **-version**

  Display Kakoune version and quit.

- **-n**

  Do not load the system's kakrc. (often, */usr/share/kak/kakrc*)

- **-l**

  List existing sessions.

- **-d**

  Run as a headless session (requires **-s**).

- **-e** *command*

  Execute *command* after the client initialization phase.

- **-E** *command*

  Execute *command* after the server initialization phase.

- **-f** *keys*

  Run Kakoune in ‘filter mode’, like [sed(1)](/sed/1.md). For standard input and each file named on the command line, the whole buffer is selected (as with %) then *keys* are executed. The filtered version of standard input is written to standard output. Any files mentioned on the command line are modified in-place, but if **-i** is provided then Kakoune makes a backup of the original version.

- **-i** *suffix*

  Backup the files on which a filter is applied, using the given suffix.

- **-q**

  When in ‘filter mode’, don't print any errors

- **-p** *session\_id*

  Send the commands written on the standard input to session *session\_id*.

- **-c** *session\_id*

  Connect to the given session *session\_id*.

- **-s** *session\_id*

  Set the current session name to *session\_id*.

- **-ui** *type*

  Select the user interface type, which can be *terminal*, *dummy*, or *json*.

- **-clear**

  Remove sessions that were terminated in an incorrect state (e.g. after a crash).

- **-ro**

  Begin in *readonly* *mode*, all the buffers opened will not be written to disk.

- **+***line*\[**:***column*\] \| **+:**

  Specify a target line and column for the first file. When the plus sign is followed by only a colon, then the cursor is sent to the last line of the file.

- *file* *...*

  One or more *file(s)* to edit.

## ENVIRONMENT

- KAKOUNE\_POSIX\_SHELL

  Overrides the POSIX shell used for *%sh{...}* expansion, which is */bin/sh* ([sh(1)](/sh/1.md)) if unset.

- KAKOUNE\_CONFIG\_DIR

  Overrides the location of the directory containing Kakoune user configuration. If unset, *$XDG\_CONFIG\_HOME/kak* is used.

- KAKOUNE\_RUNTIME

  Overrides the location of the directory containing the Kakoune support files. If unset, location is determined from Kakoune's binary location.

- XDG\_CONFIG\_HOME

  Path to the user's configuration directory. If unset, *$HOME/.config* is used.

- XDG\_RUNTIME\_DIR

  Path to the user's session's sockets. If unset, *$TMPDIR/kakoune* is used.

## FILES

In the paths documented below, *\<rtdir\>* refers to the runtime directory, whose value is determined in relation to the path to **kak**'s binary location if  *$KAKOUNE\_RUNTIME* is not set: *\<rtdir\>* = *\<path\_to\_kak\_binary\>/../share/kak*.

If not started with the **-n** switch, **kak** will first load *\<rtdir\>/kakrc*, which will in turn load the following additional files:

- If the *$KAKOUNE\_CONFIG\_DIR/autoload* directory exists, recursively load every *\*.kak* file in it, and its sub-directories.

- If it does not exist, fall back to the system-wide autoload directory in *\<rtdir\>/autoload*, and recursively load all files in a similar way.

- *\<rtdir\>/kakrc.local*, if it exists; this is a user-defined system-wide configuration.

- *$KAKOUNE\_CONFIG\_DIR/kakrc*, if it exists; this is the user configuration.

Consequently, if the *$KAKOUNE\_CONFIG\_DIR/autoload* directory exists, only scripts stored within that directory will be loaded — the built-in *\*.kak* files will not be.

Users who still want the built-in scripts to be loaded along their own can create a symbolic link to *\<rtdir\>/autoload* (or to individual scripts in it) in their user-configuration directory:

```
ln -s <rtdir>/autoload ${XDG_CONFIG_HOME:-$HOME/.config} /kak/autoload
```

## EXAMPLES

- Edit a file:

  **kak** */path/to/file*

- Edit multiple files (multiple buffers will be created):

  **kak** *./file1.txt* */path/to/file2.c*

- Prepend a modeline that sets the tabstop to multiple files:

  **kak** **-f** "ggO// kak: tabstop=8\<esc\>" *\*.c*

## SEE ALSO

For the complete on-line documentation, use the **:doc** command after starting **kak**.

*The* *Kakoune* *wiki:* **https://github.com/mawww/kakoune/wiki**.

*The* *main* *Kakoune* *web* *site:* **https://kakoune.org**.

[vi(1)](/vi/1.md), [vim(1)](/vim/1.md), sam(1plan9).

## AUTHORS

Maxime Coste ⟨*frrrwww@gmail.com*⟩ and many others.