File and Buffer Management

File & Buffer Management

Tuim provides straightforward file exploration, buffer switching, and project-wide searching. Even in environments where third-party plugins are disabled or unavailable, Tuim's built-in buffer controls keep you productive.

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1. File Explorer

Open the Explorer by clicking Explorer in the sidebar or via the F1 command palette:

• Navigating the Tree: Use ↑ / ↓ or j / k to move between files and directories.
• Expanding / Collapsing: Press Enter or click a folder to toggle its contents.
• Opening a File: Press Enter or click a file to load it into the active editor split.
• Collapsing the Sidebar: Press Ctrl+E (or Alt+E in the Vim-safe preset) to toggle the sidebar view.

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2. Creating New Files

You can create a new file from any editing mode:

1. Press Ctrl+N (or open F1 → New file).

   [!NOTE] When the bottom terminal panel is focused, Ctrl+N is passed to the shell/terminal mode. To create a file while in the terminal, use F1 → New file or switch focus with F6.

2. Begin typing immediately.
3. On the first save (Ctrl+S), Tuim presents a prompt:

   Save file as: [src/utils.zig         ]
   (Enter to save, Esc to cancel)
   

4. Enter the filename or relative path and press Enter.
5. Pressing Esc cancels the naming prompt safely without discarding any typed text.

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3. Switching & Managing Buffers

Switch Buffers

Tuim includes a native, plugin-independent Switch buffers dialog:

• Open F1 → Switch buffers.
• Displays all open buffers, their relative paths, active/inactive state, and modification markers ([+]).
• Fuzzy filter buffers by typing.
• Use arrows and Enter to jump to the selected buffer.
• Works in Zen mode, narrow terminals, and recovery mode without requiring Telescope.

Close Buffer

• Open F1 → Close buffer.
• Closes the active buffer. If the buffer has unsaved changes, Tuim prompts you to save or discard before closing.

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4. Project Search with Telescope & Ripgrep

Tuim integrates Telescope and ripgrep for lightning-fast project navigation:

Find Files

• Press Ctrl+P or <Space> f f.
• Type any part of a file path to fuzzy search across the workspace.
• Results display the filename first followed by its parent directory path.
• Preview panel appears on wide terminals, showing the file content at your cursor.

Live Grep (Search in Files)

• Press Alt+G or <Space> f g.
• Search text across the entire repository using ripgrep.
• Jump directly to matching lines and columns.

Telescope Picker Controls

Shortcut	Action
Ctrl+N / Ctrl+P	Move to next / previous search result
Enter	Open selected result in editor
Tab	Multi-select / mark entry
Alt+P	Toggle preview window
Esc	Close picker immediately (single press)

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Next Steps

Learn how to interact with the shell and copy terminal text in Integrated Terminal.