---
title: "Development"
description: "General contributing guidelines and changelog of SpaceVim, including development information about SpaceVim"
---

# Development

<!-- vim-markdown-toc GFM -->

- [Asking for help](#asking-for-help)
- [Reporting bugs](#reporting-bugs)
- [Requesting new feature](#requesting-new-feature)
- [Contributing code](#contributing-code)
  - [License](#license)
  - [Conventions](#conventions)
  - [Commit style guide](#commit-style-guide)
  - [Pull Request](#pull-request)
    - [Prefix of title](#prefix-of-title)
    - [Workflow](#workflow)
    - [Simple PRs](#simple-prs)
    - [Complex PRs](#complex-prs)
  - [Contributing a layer](#contributing-a-layer)
    - [File header](#file-header)
    - [Author of a new layer](#author-of-a-new-layer)
  - [Contributor to an existing layer](#contributor-to-an-existing-layer)
  - [Contributing a keybinding](#contributing-a-keybinding)
    - [Language specified key bindings](#language-specified-key-bindings)
  - [Contributing a banner](#contributing-a-banner)
- [Build with SpaceVim](#build-with-spacevim)
- [Newsletters](#newsletters)
- [Changelog](#changelog)

<!-- vim-markdown-toc -->

SpaceVim is a joint effort of all contributors.
We encourage you to participate in SpaceVim's development.
This page describes the entire development process of SpaceVim.

We have some guidelines that we need all contributors to follow.
You can only think about reading the part that is relevant to what you are going to do:

- [Asking for help](#asking-for-help): if you are about to open an issue to ask a question.
- [Requesting new feature](#requesting-new-feature): if you want a new feature.
- [Reporting bugs](#reporting-bugs): if you run into a bug.
- [Contributing code](#contributing-code): if you are about to send a pull-request.

## Asking for help

If you have any questions about using SpaceVim,
check out the following context first, which may contain the answers:

- `:h SpaceVim-faq`: Some of the most frequently asked questions are answered there.
- [SpaceVim documentation](https://spacevim.org/documentation/): It is the general documentation of SpaceVim.

Besides, you can also [chat with us](../community/#chat)

## Reporting bugs

If you run into a bug, please follow the guidelines below to give feedback.

- Check that no duplicate issue in [issue tracker](https://github.com/SpaceVim/SpaceVim/issues)
- Check that the issue has not been fixed in latest version of SpaceVim,
  please update your SpaceVim, and try to reproduce the bug here.
- Use a clear title with `bug reporting` issue template

```
<!-- bug reporting without issue template will be closed automatically -->
## Expected behavior, english is required

## The reproduce ways from Vim starting (Required!)

## Debug info
<!-- Please press SPC h I, debug info will be put into clipboard, -->
<!-- then paste all content below. -->

## Screenshots
<!-- If you have any screenshots for this issue, -->
<!-- please upload here. -->
<!-- BTW you can use https://asciinema.org/ for recording video in terminal. -->
```

## Requesting new feature

If you want a new feature, use the [github issue tracker](https://github.com/SpaceVim/SpaceVim/issues) to file a new issue.
You need to choose a concise title and refine the content in the issue template:

```
**Is your feature request related to a problem? Please describe.**
<!-- A clear and concise description of what the problem is. Ex. I'm always frustrated when [...] -->

**Describe the solution you'd like**
<!-- A clear and concise description of what you want to happen. -->

**Describe alternatives you've considered**
<!-- A clear and concise description of any alternative solutions or features you've considered. -->

**Additional context**
<!-- Add any other context or screenshots about the feature request here. -->
```

## Contributing code

Code and documentation contributions of any kind are welcome.
Please read the following sections carefully.
In any case, feel free to [chat with us](../community/#chat) to ask questions about contributing!

### License

The license is GPLv3 for all the parts of SpaceVim. This includes:

- The initialization and core files.
- All the layer files.
- The documentation

For files not belonging to SpaceVim like bundle packages,
refer to the header file. Those files should not have an empty header,
we may not accept code without a proper header file.

### Conventions

SpaceVim is based on conventions, mainly for naming functions,
keybindings definition and writing documentation.
Please read these [conventions](../conventions/) to make sure you
understand them before you contribute code or documentation for the first time.

### Commit style guide

Follow the [conventional commits guidelines](https://www.conventionalcommits.org/) to _make reviews easier_ and to make the git logs more valuable.
The general structure of a commit message is:

```
<type>([optional scope]): <description>

[optional body]

[optional footer(s)]
```

**types:**

- `feat`: A new feature
- `fix`: A bug fix
- `docs`: Documentation only changes
- `style`: Changes that do not affect the meaning of the code
- `refactor`: A code change that neither fixes a bug nor adds a feature
- `pref`: A code change that improves performance
- `test`: Adding missing tests or correcting existing tests
- `ci`: Changes to our CI configuration files and scripts
- `chore`: Other changes that don't modify src or test files
- `revert`: Reverts a previous commit

**scopes:**

- `api`: files in `autoload/SpaceVim/api/` and `docs/api/` directory
- `layer`: files in `autoload/SpaceVim/layers/` and `docs/layers/` directory
- `plugin`: files in `autoload/SpaceVim/plugins/` directory
- `bundle`: files in `bundle/` directory
- `core`: other files in this repository

In addition to these scopes above,
you can also use a specific layer name or plugin name as a scope.

**subject:**

Subjects should be no greater than 50 characters,
should begin with a capital letter and do not end with a period.

Use an imperative tone to describe what a commit does,
rather than what it did. For example, use change; not changed or changes.

**body:**

Not all commits are complex enough to warrant a body,
therefore it is optional and only used when a commit requires a bit of explanation and context.

**footer**

The footer is optional and is used to reference issue tracker IDs.

**Breaking change**

Breaking changes must be indicated by "!" after the type/scope, and
a "BREAKING CHANGE" footer describing the change. Example:

```
refactor(tools#mpv)!: change default musics_directory

BREAKING CHANGE: `~/Music` is standard on macOS and
also on FreeDesktop's XDG.
```

### Pull Request

#### Prefix of title

The title of a pull request should contain one of the following prefixes::

- `Add:` Adding new features.
- `Change:` Change default behaviors or the existing features.
- `Fix:` Fix some bugs.
- `Remove:` Remove some existing features.
- `Doc:` Update the help files.
- `Website:` Update the content of website.

Here is an example:

`Website: Update the lang#c layer page.`

#### Workflow

- Fork SpaceVim repository
- Clone your repository

```sh
git clone ${YOUR_OWN_REPOSITORY_URL}
```

- Add upstream remote

```sh
git remote add upstream https://github.com/SpaceVim/SpaceVim.git
```

- Fetch upstream and rebase on top of upstream master

```sh
git fetch upstream
git rebase upstream/master
```

#### Simple PRs

- Branch from `master`
- One topic per PR
- One commit per PR
- If you have several commits on different topics, close the PR and create one PR per topic
- If you still have several commits, squash them into only one commit

#### Complex PRs

Squash only the commits with uninteresting changes like typos, syntax fixes, etc.
And keep the important and isolated steps in different commits.

Those PRs are merged and explicitly not fast-forwarded.

### Contributing a layer

Please read the layers documentation first.

Layer with no associated configuration will be rejected. For instance a layer with just a package and a hook can be easily replaced by the usage of the variable `custom_plugins`.

#### File header

The file header for Vim script should look like the following template:

```vim
"=============================================================================
" FILENAME --- NAME layer file for SpaceVim
" Copyright (c) 2016-2022 Wang Shidong & Contributors
" Author: Wang Shidong < wsdjeg@outlook.com >
" URL: https://spacevim.org
" License: GPLv3
"=============================================================================
```

You should replace FILENAME by the name of the file (e.g. foo.vim) and NAME by the name of the layer you are creating, don’t forget to replace **YOUR NAME** and **YOUR EMAIL** too.

#### Author of a new layer

In the file's header, replace the default author name (Shidong Wang) with your name.

The following example shows how to create a new layer named `foo`:

1. Fork SpaceVim repo.
2. Add a layer file `autoload/SpaceVim/layers/foo.vim` for `foo` layer.
3. Edit layer file, check out the example below:

```vim
"=============================================================================
" foo.vim --- foo Layer file for SpaceVim
" Copyright (c) 2012-2016 Shidong Wang & Contributors
" Author: Shidong Wang < wsdjeg@outlook.com >
" URL: https://spacevim.org
" License: GPLv3
"=============================================================================

""
" @section foo, layers-foo
" @parentsection layers
" This is the doc for this layer:
"
" @subsection Key Bindings
" >
"   Mode      Key           Function
"   -------------------------------------------------------------
"   normal    <leader>jA    generate accessors
"   normal    <leader>js    generate setter accessor
" <
" @subsection Layer options
" >
"   Name              Description                      Default
"   -------------------------------------------------------------
"   option1       Set option1 for foo layer               ''
"   option2       Set option2 for foo layer               []
"   option3       Set option3 for foo layer               {}
" <
" @subsection Global options
" >
"   Name              Description                      Default
"   -------------------------------------------------------------
"   g:pluginA_opt1    Set opt1 for plugin A               ''
"   g:pluginB_opt2    Set opt2 for plugin B               []
" <

function! SpaceVim#layers#foo#plugins() abort
  let plugins = []
  call add(plugins, ['Shougo/foo.vim', {'option' : 'value'}])
  call add(plugins, ['Shougo/foo_test.vim', {'option' : 'value'}])
  return plugins
endfunction


function! SpaceVim#layers#foo#config() abort
  let g:foo_option1 = get(g:, 'foo_option1', 1)
  let g:foo_option2 = get(g:, 'foo_option2', 2)
  let g:foo_option3 = get(g:, 'foo_option3', 3)
  " ...
endfunction

" add layer options:
let s:layer_option = 'default var'
function! SpaceVim#layers#foo#set_variable(var) abort
  let s:layer_option = get(a:var, 'layer_option', s:layer_option)
endfunction

" completion function for layer options:
function! SpaceVim#layers#foo#get_options() abort
    return ['layer_option']
endfunction
```

4. Create the layer's documentation file `docs/layers/foo.md` for `foo` layer.
5. Open `docs/layers/index.md`, and run `:call SpaceVim#dev#layers#update()` to update the layers list.
6. Send a PR to SpaceVim.

### Contributor to an existing layer

If you want to contribute to an already existing layer, you should not modify any header file.

### Contributing a keybinding

Mappings are an important part of SpaceVim.

First if you want to have some personal mappings.
This can be done in your bootstrap function.

If you think it is worth contributing new mappings,
be sure to read the documentation to find the best mappings,
then create a Pull-Request with your mappings.

ALWAYS document your new mappings or mapping changes inside
the relevant documentation file.
It should be the layername.md and the [documentation](../documentation/).

#### Language specified key bindings

All language specified key bindings have the prefix `SPC l`.

We recommend you to use the common language specified key bindings for the same purpose as the following:

| Key Binding | Description                                      |
| ----------- | ------------------------------------------------ |
| `g d`       | jump to definition                               |
| `g D`       | jump to type definition                               |
| `SPC l r`   | start a runner for current file                  |
| `SPC l e`   | rename symbol                                    |
| `SPC l d`   | show doc                                         |
| `K`         | show doc                                         |
| `SPC l i r` | remove unused imports                            |
| `SPC l i s` | sort imports with isort                          |
| `SPC l s i` | Start a language specified inferior REPL process |
| `SPC l s b` | send buffer and keep code buffer focused         |
| `SPC l s l` | send line and keep code buffer focused           |
| `SPC l s s` | send selection text and keep code buffer focused |

All above key bindings are just recommended as default, but they are also based on the language layer itself.

### Contributing a banner

The startup banner is the SpaceVim logo by default.
but there are also ASCII banners available in the [core/banner layer](../layers/core/banner/).

If you have some ASCII skills you can submit your artwork!

You are free to choose a reasonable height size.
but the width size should be around 75 characters.

## Build with SpaceVim

SpaceVim provides a lot of public [APIs](../api/),
you can create plugins based on these APIs.
Also you can add a badge to the README.md of your plugin.

![](https://img.shields.io/badge/build%20with-SpaceVim-ff69b4.svg)

markdown

```md
[![](https://spacevim.org/img/build-with-SpaceVim.svg)](https://spacevim.org)
```

## Newsletters

<ul>
    {% for post in site.categories.newsletter %}
            <li>
               <h3><a href="{{ post.url }}">{{ post.title }}</a></h3>
               <span class="post-date">{{ post.date | date_to_string }}</span>
               <p>{{ post.description | truncatewords: 100 }}</p>
            </li>
    {% endfor %}
</ul>

## Changelog

<ul>
    {% for post in site.categories.changelog %}
            <li>
               <h3><a href="{{ post.url }}">{{ post.title }}</a></h3>
               <span class="post-date">{{ post.date | date_to_string }}</span>
               <p>{{ post.description | truncatewords: 100 }}</p>
            </li>
    {% endfor %}
</ul>
