---
title: vim-nerdtree
homepage: https://github.com/preservim/nerdtree
tagline: |
  NERDTree: A tree explorer plugin for vim.
---

To update (replacing the current version) run `webi vim-nerdtree`.

## Cheat Sheet

![](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/preservim/nerdtree/master/screenshot.png)

> The NERDTree is a file system explorer for the Vim editor. Using this plugin,
> users can visually browse complex directory hierarchies, quickly open files
> for reading or editing, and perform basic file system operations.

This installer also includes a few reasonable defaults from the project's
README:

| Key                          | Action                                                               |
| ---------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Global Key Bindings**      |                                                                      |
| `<Leader>n`                  | Move cursor to NERDTree                                              |
| `<ctrl>+t`<br>or `<Leader>`t | Toggle NERDTree window on/off                                        |
| `<ctrl>+f`<br>or `<Leader>`f | Move to current file in NERDTree                                     |
| **NERDTree Window Bindings** |                                                                      |
| `o`                          | Open a directory to reveal children                                  |
| `x`                          | Close directory and go to parent                                     |
| `shift+o`                    | Open directory and all children dirs, recursively                    |
| `shift+x`                    | Close all child directories, recursively                             |
| `p`                          | Go to **p**arent directory                                           |
| `gt`                         | Go to next Tab (`gT` for previous, naturally)                        |
| `/`                          | Search matches of visible files <br>(use `shift+o` first to see all) |
| **Normal Vim Stuff**         |                                                                      |
| `ctrl+w`, w                  | Rotate between open windows                                          |
| `:e **/api.js<tab>`          | Open and edit file matching api.js, in any subfolder                 |

(if you've installed [`vim-leader`](../vim-leader) then `<Leader>` is Space)

### How to install and configure manually

Place NerdTree into your `~/.vim/pack/plugins/start`:

```bash
mkdir -p ~/.vim/pack/plugins/start/
git clone --depth=1 https://github.com/preservim/nerdtree.git ~/.vim/pack/plugins/start/nerdtree
```

Create the file `~/.vim/plugins/nerdtree.vim`. Add the same contents as
<https://github.com/webinstall/webi-installers/blob/master/vim-nerdtree/nerdtree.vim>.

That will look something like this:

`~/.vim/plugins/nerdtree.vim`:

```vim
" default mappings for nerdtree
nnoremap <leader>n :NERDTreeFocus<CR>
nnoremap <C-n> :NERDTree<CR>
nnoremap <C-t> :NERDTreeToggle<CR>
nnoremap <C-f> :NERDTreeFind<CR>

" also map with Leader, since ctrl is hard to reach on Mac
nnoremap <leader>t :NERDTreeToggle<CR>
nnoremap <leader>f :NERDTreeFind<CR>

" show hidden files
let NERDTreeShowHidden=1

" keep ignoring .git, node_modules, vendor, and dist
let NERDTreeIgnore=["\.git", "node_modules", "vendor", "dist"]

" Start NERDTree when Vim is started without file arguments.
autocmd StdinReadPre * let s:std_in=1
autocmd VimEnter * if argc() == 0 && !exists('s:std_in') | NERDTree | endif

" Exit Vim if NERDTree is the only window left.
autocmd BufEnter * if tabpagenr('$') == 1 && winnr('$') == 1 && exists('b:NERDTree') && b:NERDTree.isTabTree() |
    \ quit | endif

```

You'll then need to update `~/.vimrc` to source that plugin:

```vim
" nerdtree: reasonable defaults from webinstall.dev/vim-nerdtree
source ~/.vim/plugins/nerdtree.vim
```