fzf.vim
A collection of ready-made Vim commands that open fzf fuzzy finder for files, buffers, lines, tags, and git.
- Stars
- 10.3k
- Forks
- 604
- Licence
- MIT
- Language
- Vim Script
- Last update
- 1 months ago
- Type
- Library
What it is
fzf.vim is a plugin for Vim that adds ready-made commands such as :Files, :Buffers, and :Rg. Each one opens fzf, a fuzzy finder program, so you can type a few characters to filter a list and jump to the result. It is meant for people who want these features without writing their own Vimscript.
- Open a file by typing part of its name with :Files
- Search text across a project with :Rg or :Ag
- Jump to a recent file, buffer, or command from history
- Browse git commits for the current file with :BCommits
Great for
- Vim or Neovim users who already use fzf and want ready-made search commands
- People who want fuzzy file, buffer, or line search inside Vim
- Users who work in git repositories and want to browse commits or changed files
Not ideal for
- People who do not use Vim or Neovim, since the plugin only runs inside them
- Users who need fzf itself without Vim, because fzf must be set up separately first
- Users who want very large searches on small inputs to feel faster; the README notes the speed gain may not be noticeable for small lists
How to get it
- 1
Install with a package manager
You'll need: fzf 0.54.0 or above · Vim or Neovim with a plugin manager such as vim-plug
Install vim-plug plugins (add to vimrc, then run from Vim)
Plug 'junegunn/fzf', { 'do': { -> fzf#install() } }Add fzf.vim plugin
Plug 'junegunn/fzf.vim' - 2
Run it
- Add both Plug lines to your vimrc and run :PlugInstall
- Restart Vim
- Run :Files to open a fuzzy file finder
- Press ENTER on a result to open it
- 3
Get the most out of it
- Install bat to get syntax-highlighted previews
- Set g:fzf_vim.preview_window to change preview position or hide it by default
- Set g:fzf_vim.command_prefix to add a prefix to all commands
- Use CTRL-T, CTRL-X, or CTRL-V to open results in a new tab or split
- Use ALT-ENTER to insert the selected item into the current buffer instead of opening it
Downloads
Strengths
- Provides many common finder commands without custom Vimscript
- Built on fzf, which the README says runs asynchronously and can be much faster than similar plugins
- Customizable through a single g:fzf_vim dictionary, including preview window and key bindings
Trade-offs
- Requires both the main fzf program and the fzf.vim plugin to be installed, plus optional tools for some commands
- Some commands depend on extra tools such as ripgrep, ag, fugitive.vim, or Universal Ctags
How it compares
| Project | Stars | Type | Level | Updated | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| fzf.vim (this) | 10.3k | Library | beginner | 1 months ago | Vim or Neovim users who already use fzf and want ready-made search commands |
| telescope.nvim | 19.8k | Library | intermediate | 10 days ago | Neovim users who want fast fuzzy search for files and text |
| fzf | 83.9k | Dev tool | beginner | 8 days ago | Command-line users who often search file names or command history |
| fff | 11.2k | Library | intermediate | 5 days ago | Developers building an AI coding agent or editor that needs fast file search |
| oni | 11.2k | App | intermediate | 6.6 years ago | Vim users who want a graphical editor with extra IDE features built in |
| core | 22.8k | Dev tool | intermediate | 1 months ago | Emacs users who want a curated starting point without building everything from scratch |
Stats synced from GitHub. The assessment above was drafted with AI from the project's README on 2026-10-29 and may miss recent changes — check the README before relying on a command. MIT licence: free to use, modify and distribute, including commercially, as long as you keep the copyright notice.