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How can one close HTML tags in Vim quickly?

html
vim-plugins
tag-autoclosing
markdown
Anton ShumikhinbyAnton Shumikhin·Aug 25, 2024
TLDR

Instantly close HTML tags in Vim with Ctrl + _: Type the opening tag (<div>), then just type </ and Vim prompts the end tag. Hit Ctrl + P or Ctrl + N to autofill </div>. This provides error-free tag completion in a snap!

<div>...</div> <!-- Who's got two thumbs and autofills tags? This Vim command! -->

Empower your Vim: Plugins

Stepping up your Vim game often involve the enhancement of already powerful features using plugins. For faster HTML editing, consider installing the xmledit plugin. It's a trove of features that include tag autoclosing, code folding and nested tag matching.

Furthermore, Markdown highly simplifies the process of coding in HTML. The %! command in Vim effectively processes Markdown content, converting it to HTML. This avoids the grunt work of manually closing each tag, who wouldn't want that?

The icing on the cake is defining your own shortcuts in Vim for closing tags using simple mapping commands like imap ,/ </<C-X><C-O>.

Enhance your speed and productivity with the surround and ragtag plugins by Tim Pope. These plugins yield fast tag generation and management with easy-to-remember Ctrl+x commands.

Quick and Automated Tag Closure

Here're some tips to maximize your workflow:

  1. Create custom keyboard shortcuts for tasks like tag closure.
  2. Harness Vim's autocomplete feature; it's your best friend for tag insertion.
  3. Write in Markdown and use the %! filter command to get HTML code.
imap ,/ </<C-X><C-O> <!-- Your life before this shortcut: </div>. After: ,/ -->

Extending Vim’s Capabilities

Using Plugins for Efficiency

Access tons of resources at vim.org for plugins like surround and ragtag. These tools can ramp up your Vim workflow, minimising keystrokes per tag and enhancing HTML editing flexibility.

Conversions Make Life Easier

Writing content in Markdown and employing Vim's filter command to seamlessly convert it to HTML reduces the need for manual tag closure.

Custom Key mapping

Introducing keyboard mappings in your workflow can greatly speed up your coding. Assigning frequent HTML tags to unique combinations reduces effort and time spent typing.

Harnessing Plugin Power

Don’t forget plugins! They expand Vim's existing functionalities. Opt for minimalist plugins that concentrate on rapid HTML tag completion.