path: root/doc/using_the_repl.md

CIDER comes with a powerful REPL, which is quite handy when you want to
experiment with the code you're working on or just explore some stuff (e.g. a
library you're playing with).  The REPL offers a number of advanced features:

* auto-completion
* font-locking (the same as in `clojure-mode`)
* quick access to many CIDER commands (e.g. definition and documentation lookup, tracing, etc)
* (optional) pretty-printing of evaluation results
* eldoc support
* highly customizable REPL prompt

Here's a list of the keybindings that are available in CIDER's REPL:

Keyboard shortcut                    | Description
-------------------------------------|------------------------------
<kbd>RET</kbd>        | Evaluate the current input in Clojure if it is complete. If incomplete, open a new line and indent. If the current input is a blank string (containing only whitespace including newlines) then clear the input without evaluating and print a fresh prompt. If invoked with a prefix argument is given then the input is evaluated without checking for completeness.
<kbd>C-RET</kbd>      | Close any unmatched parenthesis and then evaluate the current input in Clojure.
<kbd>C-j</kbd>        | Open a new line and indent.
<kbd>C-c C-o</kbd>    | Remove the output of the previous evaluation from the REPL buffer. With a prefix argument it will clear the entire REPL buffer, leaving only a prompt.
<kbd>C-c M-o</kbd>    | Switch between the Clojure and ClojureScript REPLs for the current project.
<kbd>C-c C-u</kbd>    | Kill all text from the prompt to the current point.
<kbd>C-c C-b</kbd> <br/> <kbd>C-c C-c</kbd>| Interrupt any pending evaluations.
<kbd>C-up</kbd> <br/> <kbd>C-down</kbd> | Go to to previous/next input in history.
<kbd>M-p</kbd> <br/> <kbd>M-n</kbd> | Search the previous/next item in history using the current input as search pattern. If <kbd>M-p/M-n</kbd> is typed two times in a row, the second invocation uses the same search pattern (even if the current input has changed).
<kbd>M-s</kbd> <br/> <kbd>M-r</kbd> | Search forward/reverse through command history with regex.
<kbd>C-c C-n</kbd> <br/> <kbd>C-c C-p</kbd> | Move between the current and previous prompts in the REPL buffer. Pressing <kbd>RET</kbd> on a line with old input copies that line to the newest prompt.
<kbd>TAB</kbd> | Complete symbol at point.
<kbd>C-c C-d d</kbd> <br/> <kbd>C-c C-d C-d</kbd> | Display doc string for the symbol at point.  If invoked with a prefix argument, or no symbol is found at point, prompt for a symbol
<kbd>C-c C-d j</kbd> <br/> <kbd>C-c C-d C-j</kbd> | Display JavaDoc (in your default browser) for the symbol at point.  If invoked with a prefix argument, or no symbol is found at point, prompt for a symbol.
<kbd>C-c C-d r</kbd> <br/> <kbd>C-c C-d C-r</kbd> | Lookup symbol in Grimoire.
<kbd>C-c C-d a</kbd> <br/> <kbd>C-c C-d C-a</kbd> | Apropos search for functions/vars.
<kbd>C-c C-d f</kbd> <br/> <kbd>C-c C-d C-f</kbd> | Apropos search for documentation.
<kbd>C-c C-z</kbd> | Switch to the previous Clojure buffer. This complements <kbd>C-c C-z</kbd> used in cider-mode.
<kbd>C-c M-i</kbd> | Inspect expression. Will act on expression at point if present.
<kbd>C-c M-n</kbd> | Select a namespace and switch to it.
<kbd>C-c C-.</kbd> | Jump to some namespace on the classpath.
<kbd>C-c M-t v</kbd> | Toggle var tracing.
<kbd>C-c M-t n</kbd> | Toggle namespace tracing.
<kbd>C-c C-t t</kbd> <br/> <kbd>C-c C-t C-t</kbd> | Run test at point.
<kbd>C-c C-t g</kbd> <br/> <kbd>C-c C-t C-g</kbd> | Re-run the last test you ran.
<kbd>C-c C-t n</kbd> <br/> <kbd>C-c C-t C-n</kbd> | Run tests for current namespace.
<kbd>C-c C-t l</kbd> <br/> <kbd>C-c C-t C-l</kbd> | Run tests for all loaded namespaces.
<kbd>C-c C-t p</kbd> <br/> <kbd>C-c C-t C-p</kbd> | Run tests for all project namespaces. This loads the additional namespaces.
<kbd>C-c C-t r</kbd> <br/> <kbd>C-c C-t C-r</kbd> | Re-run test failures/errors.
<kbd>C-c C-t b</kbd> <br/> <kbd>C-c C-t C-b</kbd> | Show the test report buffer.
<kbd>C-c C-q</kbd>                   | Quit the current nREPL connection. With a prefix argument it will quit all connections.

There's no need to memorize this list. In any REPL buffer you'll have a `REPL`
menu available, which lists all the most important commands and their
keybindings. You can also invoke `C-h f RET cider-repl-mode` to get a list of the
keybindings for `cider-repl-mode`.

In the REPL you can also use "shortcut commands" by pressing `,` at the
beginning of a REPL line. You'll be presented with a list of commands you can
quickly run (like quitting, displaying some info, clearing the REPL, etc). The
character used to trigger the shortcuts is configurable via
`cider-repl-shortcut-dispatch-char`. Here's how you can change it to `;`:

```el
(setq cider-repl-shortcut-dispatch-char ?\;)
```

### REPL Configuration

#### Behavior on connect

Normally, the REPL buffer is auto-displayed in a separate window after
  a connection is established. You can suppress this behaviour like this:

```el
(setq cider-repl-pop-to-buffer-on-connect nil)
```

If you want the REPL buffer to be auto-displayed, but don't want it to be
focused, use this:

```el
(setq cider-repl-pop-to-buffer-on-connect 'display-only)
```

#### Behavior on switch

By default <kbd>C-c C-z</kbd> will display the REPL buffer in a different window.
You can make <kbd>C-c C-z</kbd> switch to the CIDER REPL buffer in the current
window:

```el
(setq cider-repl-display-in-current-window t)
```

#### Eldoc

Eldoc displays function signatures in the minibuffer as you're typing.
It's extremely useful! Enable `eldoc` in REPL buffers like this:

```el
(add-hook 'cider-repl-mode-hook #'eldoc-mode)
```

#### Customizing the REPL prompt

You can customize the prompt in REPL buffer. To do that you can customize
`cider-repl-prompt-function` and set it to a function that takes one argument,
a namespace name. For convenience, three functions are already provided:
`cider-repl-prompt-lastname`, `cider-repl-prompt-abbreviated`,
`cider-repl-prompt-default` and by default the last one is being used.
Prompt for each of them for namespace `leiningen.core.ssl`:

  * `cider-repl-prompt-lastname`:

  ```
  ssl>
  ```

  * `cider-repl-prompt-abbreviated`:

  ```
  l.c.ssl>
  ```

  * `cider-repl-prompt-default`:

  ```
  leiningen.core.ssl>
  ```

You may, of course, write your own function. For example, in `leiningen` there
are two namespaces with similar names - `leiningen.classpath` and
`leiningen.core.classpath`. To make them easily recognizable you can either
use the default value or you can opt to show only two segments of the
namespace and still be able to know which is the REPL's current
namespace. Here is an example function that will do exactly that:

```el
(defun cider-repl-prompt-show-two (namespace)
  "Return a prompt string with the last 2 segments of NAMESPACE."
  (let ((names (reverse (subseq (reverse (split-string namespace "\\.")) 0 2))))
    (concat (car names) "." (cadr names) "> ")))
```

#### TAB Completion

You can control the <kbd>TAB</kbd> key behavior in the REPL via the
`cider-repl-tab-command` variable.  While the default command
`cider-repl-indent-and-complete-symbol` should be an adequate choice for
most users, it's very easy to switch to another command if you wish
to. For instance if you'd like <kbd>TAB</kbd> to only indent (maybe
because you're used to completing with <kbd>M-TAB</kbd>) use the
following snippet:

```el
(setq cider-repl-tab-command #'indent-for-tab-command)
```

#### Result Prefix

Change the result prefix for REPL evaluation (by default there's no prefix):

```el
(setq cider-repl-result-prefix ";; => ")
```

And here's the result of that change:

```
user> (+ 1 2)
;; => 3
```

#### Customize the REPL Buffer's Name

The REPL buffer name has the format `*cider-repl project-name*`.
You can change the separator from space to something else by overriding `nrepl-buffer-name-separator`.

```el
(setq nrepl-buffer-name-separator "-")
```

The REPL buffer name can also display the port on which the nREPL server is running.
Buffer name will look like `*cider-repl project-name:port*`.

```el
(setq nrepl-buffer-name-show-port t)
```

#### Font-locking

Normally code in the REPL is font-locked the same way as in
`clojure-mode`. Before CIDER 0.10 by default REPL input was font-locked with
`cider-repl-input-face` (after you press `RET`) and results were font-locked with
`cider-repl-result-face`. If you want to restore the old behaviour use:

```el
(setq cider-repl-use-clojure-font-lock nil)
```

#### Pretty printing in the REPL

Make the REPL always pretty-print the results of your evaluations.

<kbd>M-x cider-repl-toggle-pretty-printing</kbd>

To make this behavior the default:

```el
(setq cider-repl-use-pretty-printing t)
```

#### Displaying images in the REPL

Starting with CIDER 0.17 (Andalucía) expressions that evaluate to
images will be rendered as images in the REPL. You can disable this
behavior if you don't like it.

```el
(setq cider-repl-use-content-types nil)
```

Alternatively you can toggle this behaviour on and off using <kbd>M-x
cider-repl-toggle-content-types</kbd>.

Currently the feature doesn't work well with pretty-printing in the REPL,
so you're advised not to enable both of them at the same time.

#### Limiting printed output in the REPL

Accidentally printing large objects can be detrimental to your
productivity. Clojure provides the `*print-length*` var which, if set,
controls how many items of each collection the printer will print. You
can supply a default value for REPL sessions via the `repl-options`
section of your Leiningen project's configuration.

```clojure
:repl-options {:init (set! *print-length* 50)}
```

or via `cider-repl-print-length` (set to 100 by default). In case both are
present, CIDER's config will take precedence over what came from Lein.

All of this applies to `*print-level*` as well. CIDER's configuration
variable for it is named `cider-repl-print-level` (set to `nil` by default).

#### Customizing the initial REPL namespace

Normally the CIDER REPL will start with the `user` namespace.
You can supply a default value for REPL sessions via the `repl-options` section
of your Leiningen project's configuration.

```clojure
:repl-options {:init-ns 'my-ns}
```

#### Customizing newline interaction

Ordinarily <kbd>Return</kbd> sends a form for evaluation meaning entering a
newline requires a special chord: <kbd>C-j</kbd>. When entering forms that span
multiple lines, it may be desirable to make evaluation require the special
invocation and have entering a new-line be the default.

The following customization of the `cider-repl-mode-map` will change these
keybindings so that <kbd>Return</kbd> will introduce a new-line and
<kbd>C-<return></kbd> will send the form off for evaluation.

``` el
(define-key cider-repl-mode-map (kbd "RET") #'cider-repl-newline-and-indent)
(define-key cider-repl-mode-map (kbd "C-<return>") #'cider-repl-return)
```

#### REPL history

* To make the REPL history wrap around when its end is reached:

```el
(setq cider-repl-wrap-history t)
```

* To adjust the maximum number of items kept in the REPL history:

```el
(setq cider-repl-history-size 1000) ; the default is 500
```

* To store the REPL history in a file:

```el
(setq cider-repl-history-file "path/to/file")
```

Note that the history is written to the file when you kill the REPL
buffer (which includes invoking `cider-quit`) or you quit Emacs.

### REPL history browser

You can browse your REPL input history with the command <kbd>M-x</kbd>
`cider-repl-history`.  It is also bound in `cider-repl-mode` buffers to
<kbd>C-c M-p</kbd>, and is also available via the `history` shortcut.

The history is displayed in order, with the most recent input at the top of the
buffer, and the oldest one at the bottom.  You can scroll through the history,
and when you find the history item you were looking for, you can insert it from
the history buffer into your REPL buffer.

![History Browser](images/history_browser.png)

#### Mode

The history buffer has its own major mode, `cider-repl-history-mode` which is derived
from `clojure-mode`, so you get fontification in the history buffer. It supports
the expected defcustom hook variable, `cider-repl-history-hook`.

#### Insertion

Typically your cursor will be at the bottom of the REPL buffer (`point-max`)
when you use this feature; if that's the case, the text is inserted, and point
is advanced to the end of the inserted text. In the unusual case where you
invoke the history browser when your cursor is _not_ at the end of the buffer,
the text is _still_ inserted at point-max, but point is not modified.

The text is inserted without a final newline, meaning you can edit the form
if you wish, and you must explicitly hit <kbd>Enter</kbd> to have it evaluated
by the REPL.

#### Quitting

After text is inserted, the history buffer is automatically quit. If you decide
you don't want to insert any text after all, you can explicitly quit by running
`cider-repl-history-quit` (see keyboard shortcuts).  Due to the initialization and
cleanup done, it is better to properly quit, rather than just switch away from
the history buffer.

When you quit the history buffer, there are several different ways for the
buffers and windows to be restored. This is controlled by the custom variable
`cider-repl-history-quit-action`, which can be assigned one of several values:

- `quit-window` restores the window configuration to what it was before.
  This is the default.
- `delete-and-restore` restores the window configuration to what it was before,
  and kills the `*cider-repl-history*` buffer.
- `kill-and-delete-window` kills the `*cider-repl-history*` buffer, and
  deletes the window.
- `bury-buffer` simply buries the `*cider-repl-history*` buffer, but keeps the
  window.
- `bury-and-delete-window` buries the buffer, and (if there is more than one
  window) deletes the window.
- any other value is interpreted as the name of a function to call

#### Filtering

By invoking `cider-repl-history-occur` from the history buffer, you will be prompted
for a regular expression, and the history buffer will be filtered to only those
inputs that match the regexp.

#### Preview and Highlight

When `cider-repl-history-show-preview` is non-nil, we display an [`overlay`]
(https://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/manual/html_node/elisp/Overlays.html)
of the currently selected history entry, in the REPL buffer.

This is a nice feature; the only thing to be careful of is that if you do not
properly quit from browsing the history (i.e., if you just <kbd>C-x b</kbd>
away from the buffer), you may be left with an unwanted overlay in your REPL
buffer. It can be eliminated with <kbd>M-x</kbd> `cider-repl-history-clear-preview`.

By default, the variable is nil and the feature is off.

A related feature is to highlight the entry once it is actually inserted into
the REPL buffer. This is controlled by the variable
`cider-repl-history-highlight-inserted-item`. The non-nil value selected controls how
the inserted item is highlighted, possible values are `solid` (highlight the
inserted text for a fixed period of time), or `pulse` (fade out the highlighting
gradually).  Setting this variable to the value t will select the default
highlighting style, which currently `pulse`. Default is nil.

When "highlight-inserted" is turned on, you can customize the face of the
inserted text with the variable `cider-repl-history-inserted-item-face`.

#### Additional Customization

There are quite a few customizations available, in addition to the ones
already mentioned.

- `cider-repl-history-display-duplicates` - when set to `nil`, will not display any
  duplicate entries in the history buffer.  Default is `t`.
- `cider-repl-history-display-duplicate-highest` - when not displaying duplicates,
  this controls where in the history the one instance of the duplicated text
  is displayed. When `t`, it displays the entry in the highest position
  applicable; when `nil`, it displays it in the lowest position.
- `cider-repl-history-display-style` - the history entries will often be more than
   one line. The package gives you two options for displaying the entries:
    - `separated` - a separator string is inserted between entries; entries
      may span multiple lines.  This is the default.
    - `one-line` - any newlines are replaced with literal `\n` strings, and
      therefore no separator is necessary. Each `\n` becomes a proper newline
      when the text is inserted into the REPL.
- `cider-repl-history-separator` - when `cider-repl-history-display-style` is `separated`,
  this gives the text to use as the separator. The default is a series of ten
  semicolons, which is, of course, a comment in Clojure. The separator could be
  anything, but it may screw up the fontification if you make it something weird.
- `cider-repl-history-separator-face` - specifies the face for the separator.
- `cider-repl-history-maximum-display-length` - when nil (the default), all history
  items are displayed in full. If you prefer to have long items abbreviated,
  you can set this variable to an integer, and each item will be limited to that
  many characters. (This variable does not affect the number of items displayed,
  only the maximum length of each item.)
- `cider-repl-history-recenter` - when non-nil, always keep the current entry at the
  top of the history window.  Default is nil.
- `cider-repl-history-resize-window` - whether to resize the history window to fit
  its contents.  Value is either t, meaning yes, or a cons pair of integers,
  (MAXIMUM . MINIMUM) for the size of the window. MAXIMUM defaults to the window
  size chosen by `pop-to-buffer`; MINIMUM defaults to `window-min-height`.
- `cider-repl-history-highlight-current-entry` - if non-nil, highlight the currently
  selected entry in the history buffer.  Default is nil.
- `cider-repl-history-current-entry-face` - specifies the face for the history-entry
  highlight.
- `cider-repl-history-text-properties` - when set to `t`, maintains Emacs text
  properties on the entry. Default is `nil`.

#### Key Bindings

There are a number of important keybindings in history buffers.

Keyboard shortcut                | Description
---------------------------------|-------------------------------
<kbd>n</kbd>                     | Go to next (lower, older) item in the history.
<kbd>p</kbd>                     | Go to previous (higher, more recent) item in the history.
<kbd>RET</kbd> or <kbd>SPC</kbd> | Insert history item (at point) at the end of the REPL buffer, and quit.
<kbd>l</kbd> (lower-case L)      | Filter the command history (see **Filtering**, above).
<kbd>s</kbd>                     | Regexp search forward.
<kbd>r</kbd>                     | Regexp search backward.
<kbd>q</kbd>                     | Quit (and take quit action).
<kbd>U</kbd>                     | Undo in the REPL buffer.