Commands

typstwriter.nvim uses a unified CLI-style command structure that groups related functionality under subcommands, similar to tools like git, docker, or kubectl.

Main Command

All functionality is accessed through the main :TypstWriter command:

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:TypstWriter <subcommand> [options] [arguments]

Command Structure

Document Operations

These are the most frequently used commands for working with documents:

Template Management

Commands for working with PKM templates:

Package Management

Commands for managing the typstwriter package system:

System Operations

Commands for system setup and maintenance:

Detailed Command Reference

Document Commands

:TypstWriter new

Creates a new document from a template.

Interactive Process:

1. Select from available templates via fuzzy finder
2. Enter document title
3. Document is created with updated metadata
4. File opens automatically in Neovim
5. Auto-compiles if auto_compile is enabled

Example workflow:

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:TypstWriter new
" → Select "NOTE: Quick Note Template"
" → Enter "Meeting with John"
" → Creates meeting-with-john-a1b2c3d4.typ

:TypstWriter compile

Compiles the current Typst document to PDF.

Features:

• Validates metadata if require_metadata is enabled
• Uses home directory as compilation root
• Includes bundled fonts from package system
• Provides clear success/error feedback

Requirements:

• Current buffer must be a .typ file
• Typst binary must be installed
• Document must have valid metadata (if required)

:TypstWriter open

Opens the PDF corresponding to the current Typst document.

Cross-platform support:

• Linux: Uses xdg-open
• macOS: Uses open
• Windows: Uses start

Behavior:

• Checks if PDF exists before attempting to open
• Opens PDF asynchronously (non-blocking)
• Shows user-friendly error messages if PDF opener is unavailable

:TypstWriter both

Convenience command that compiles and opens the PDF in sequence.

Process:

1. Compile current document
2. Wait 800ms for compilation to complete
3. Open the resulting PDF

:TypstWriter status

Shows comprehensive status information for the current document and system.

Information displayed:

• File paths: Typst file and corresponding PDF location
• System requirements: Typst binary and PDF opener availability
• File status: Existence and currency of files
• Metadata: Parsing status, validation results, and content
• Recommendations: Actionable next steps

Example output:

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TypstWriter Status
==================
File: /home/user/notes/meeting-notes-a1b2c3d4.typ
PDF:  /home/user/notes/meeting-notes-a1b2c3d4.pdf

System:
  Typst binary:     ✓
  PDF opener:       ✓

Files:
  Typst exists:     ✓
  PDF exists:       ✓
  PDF up to date:   ✓

Metadata:
  Has metadata:     ✓
  Type:             meeting
  Title:            Meeting with John
  Status:           draft
  Tags:             work, meeting
  Valid metadata:   ✓

✅ Everything looks good!

Template Commands

:TypstWriter templates list

Lists all available templates with their metadata status.

Output format:

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Available templates:
======================
  ✓ person       Person contact and relationship tracking
  ✓ meeting      Meeting Notes Template with participant tracking
  ✓ note         Quick Note Template for daily thoughts
  ✓ guide        Step-by-step guide documentation
  ✓ project      Project planning and tracking
  ✓ book         Book notes and reviews
  ✓ idea         Idea capture and development
  ✓ decision     Decision records and rationale

✓ = Has metadata, ! = No metadata
Template directory: /home/user/Documents/notes/templates

:TypstWriter templates copyexamples

Copies the 8 PKM template examples to your user template directory.

PKM Template Types:

• Person - Contact info, relationships, interaction history
• Note - General knowledge capture with sources
• Meeting - Structured meeting records with participants
• Guide - How-to documentation with prerequisites
• Project - Project planning with timelines and resources
• Book - Book notes with progress tracking
• Idea - Idea development with impact/effort analysis
• Decision - Decision records with stakeholders and context

Process:

1. Ensures your template directory exists
2. Verifies the package system is installed
3. Copies 8 PKM template files to your template directory
4. Updates import paths to use your XDG package location
5. Reports number of templates installed

Features:

• Templates are fully customizable after copying
• Rich metadata schemas specific to each document type
• Consistent professional styling via universal template system
• Smart property display based on document type

Package Commands

:TypstWriter package status

Shows detailed information about the package installation system.

Information displayed:

• Platform details (OS, XDG directories)
• Package installation status
• Template count
• Package size and font information

Example output:

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typstwriter Package Status (XDG)
================================
Platform: Linux
XDG Data Dir: /home/user/.local/share/nvim
Package Dir:  /home/user/.local/share/nvim/typstwriter/packages/typstwriter
Template Dir: /home/user/Documents/notes/templates/v2

Package installed:  ✓
Templates count:    5

✅ XDG package system ready!
📁 Package includes bundled fonts (32MB)

:TypstWriter package install

Installs the typstwriter package to the XDG-compliant location.

Process:

1. Creates XDG directories if needed
2. Copies package files from plugin directory
3. Verifies successful installation
4. Reports installation path

Package contents:

• Typst module files
• Bundled fonts (~32MB)
• Style definitions
• Import configurations

:TypstWriter package templates

Sets up templates in your template directory with correct XDG package imports.

Process:

1. Ensures template directory exists
2. Verifies package is installed
3. Copies templates from plugin
4. Updates import paths to use XDG package location
5. Reports number of templates installed

System Commands

:TypstWriter setup

Performs complete system setup in one command.

Process:

1. Installs package to XDG location
2. Sets up templates with correct imports
3. Verifies everything is working
4. Provides status feedback throughout

This is equivalent to:

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:TypstWriter package install
:TypstWriter package templates

:TypstWriter help

Shows help information for the command system.

Features:

• Overview of all available commands
• Usage patterns and examples
• References to detailed documentation

Tab Completion

The command system supports intelligent tab completion at every level:

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:TypstWriter <Tab>
" → Shows: both, compile, help, new, open, package, setup, status, templates

:TypstWriter package <Tab>
" → Shows: install, status, templates

:TypstWriter templates <Tab>
" → Shows: copyexamples, list

Migration from Old Commands

The new CLI structure replaces the previous individual commands:

Error Handling

The command system provides helpful error messages:

• Unknown command: Lists available subcommands
• Incomplete command: Shows possible completions
• Missing requirements: Guides toward resolution
• File errors: Clear explanations with next steps

Tips

1. Use tab completion - It’s the fastest way to discover and navigate commands
2. Start with :TypstWriter help - Get an overview of all functionality
3. Check status first - :TypstWriter status shows what’s working and what needs attention
4. One-time setup - Run :TypstWriter setup once after installation
5. Keybindings still work - Your configured keymaps continue to function as before