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Run npx skillmds@latest add majiayu000/emacs-navigation in your terminal (requires Node.js), paste this page's agent-chat prompt into Claude, Cursor, or any MCP-connected agent, or download the SKILL.md file and copy it into your agent's skills directory.

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Is Emacs Navigation free to use?

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Who published Emacs Navigation?

majiayu000 (@majiayu000) published this skill. Their other Agent Skills are listed on their SkillMD profile.

Emacs Navigation by majiayu000 — Agent Skill

Name: Emacs Navigation
Rating: 4.2 (5 reviews)
Author: majiayu000

File contents

Emacs Navigation Skill

Display Guidelines

E-ink Monitor Compatibility: User uses an e-ink monitor that only supports black, white, and grey.

NEVER use colors (:foreground "red", :foreground "cyan", etc.)
Use :weight bold, :weight light, :slant italic, :underline t for differentiation
Standard Emacs faces (font-lock-*-face) are acceptable as they adapt to themes

File Navigation

Open file

(find-file "/path/to/file")
(find-file-noselect "/path/to/file")  ; open without switching

Find file in project

(project-find-file)  ; interactive
(project-root (project-current))  ; get project root

Recent files

recentf-list  ; list of recent files
(recentf-open-files)  ; interactive

Position Navigation

Line navigation

(goto-line 42)
(forward-line n)  ; move n lines (negative goes backward)
(beginning-of-line)
(end-of-line)

Character navigation

(goto-char position)
(forward-char n)
(backward-char n)

Word navigation

(forward-word)
(backward-word)

Search Navigation

Search forward

(search-forward "text" nil t)  ; returns nil if not found
(re-search-forward "regex" nil t)

Search backward

(search-backward "text" nil t)
(re-search-backward "regex" nil t)

Search with bounds

(re-search-forward "pattern" limit-pos t)  ; stop at limit-pos

Save/Restore Positions

save-excursion

(save-excursion
  (goto-char (point-min))
  (search-forward "target")
  ;; point restored after body
  )

save-restriction

(save-restriction
  (narrow-to-region start end)
  ;; work with narrowed buffer
  )  ; narrowing restored

Markers

(point-marker)  ; marker at current point
(set-marker marker position)
(marker-position marker)
(goto-char marker)

Window Navigation

Switch windows

(other-window 1)  ; next window
(select-window window)

Find window

(get-buffer-window "*buffer*")
(selected-window)

Split windows

(split-window-right)
(split-window-below)
(delete-window)

Match Data

After successful search

(re-search-forward "\\(group1\\).*\\(group2\\)")
(match-string 1)  ; first group
(match-string 2)  ; second group
(match-beginning 0)  ; start of full match
(match-end 0)  ; end of full match

Common Patterns

Find and process all matches

(save-excursion
  (goto-char (point-min))
  (while (re-search-forward "pattern" nil t)
    ;; process each match
    (let ((matched (match-string 0)))
      ;; do something
      )))

Navigate to specific file and line

(let ((file "/path/to/file")
      (line 42))
  (find-file file)
  (goto-char (point-min))
  (forward-line (1- line)))  ; lines are 1-indexed

Narrow to function/section

(save-restriction
  (org-narrow-to-subtree)  ; or narrow-to-defun
  ;; work within narrowed region
  (point-min)  ; now returns subtree start
  )

Visit file at point

(find-file-at-point)  ; interactive
(ffap-file-at-point)  ; get filename at point

Directory Navigation

Default directory

default-directory  ; current directory
(cd "/new/path")

List directory

(directory-files "/path")
(directory-files "/path" t "\\.el$")  ; full paths, only .el files

Walk directory tree

(directory-files-recursively "/path" "\\.org$")

---name: emacs-navigationdescription: Use when navigating files and positions in Emacs - provides elisp patterns for finding files, searching, and position management--- # Emacs Navigation Skill ## Display Guidelines **E-ink Monitor Compatibility**: User uses an e-ink monitor that only supports black, white, and grey. - NEVER use colors (`:foreground "red"`, `:foreground "cyan"`, etc.) - Use `:weight bold`, `:weight light`, `:slant italic`, `:underline t` for differentiation - Standard Emacs faces (font-lock-*-face) are acceptable as they adapt to themes ## File Navigation ### Open file ```elisp (find-file "/path/to/file") (find-file-noselect "/path/to/file") ; open without switching ``` ### Find file in project ```elisp (project-find-file) ; interactive (project-root (project-current)) ; get project root ``` ### Recent files ```elisp recentf-list ; list of recent files (recentf-open-files) ; interactive ``` ## Position Navigation ### Line navigation ```elisp (goto-line 42) (forward-line n) ; move n lines (negative goes backward) (beginning-of-line) (end-of-line) ``` ### Character navigation ```elisp (goto-char position) (forward-char n) (backward-char n) ``` ### Word navigation ```elisp (forward-word) (backward-word) ``` ## Search Navigation ### Search forward ```elisp (search-forward "text" nil t) ; returns nil if not found (re-search-forward "regex" nil t) ``` ### Search backward ```elisp (search-backward "text" nil t) (re-search-backward "regex" nil t) ``` ### Search with bounds ```elisp (re-search-forward "pattern" limit-pos t) ; stop at limit-pos ``` ## Save/Restore Positions ### save-excursion ```elisp (save-excursion (goto-char (point-min)) (search-forward "target") ;; point restored after body ) ``` ### save-restriction ```elisp (save-restriction (narrow-to-region start end) ;; work with narrowed buffer ) ; narrowing restored ``` ### Markers ```elisp (point-marker) ; marker at current point (set-marker marker position) (marker-position marker) (goto-char marker) ``` ## Window Navigation ### Switch windows ```elisp (other-window 1) ; next window (select-window window) ``` ### Find window ```elisp (get-buffer-window "*buffer*") (selected-window) ``` ### Split windows ```elisp (split-window-right) (split-window-below) (delete-window) ``` ## Match Data ### After successful search ```elisp (re-search-forward "\$group1\$.*\$group2\$") (match-string 1) ; first group (match-string 2) ; second group (match-beginning 0) ; start of full match (match-end 0) ; end of full match ``` ## Common Patterns ### Find and process all matches ```elisp (save-excursion (goto-char (point-min)) (while (re-search-forward "pattern" nil t) ;; process each match (let ((matched (match-string 0))) ;; do something ))) ``` ### Navigate to specific file and line ```elisp (let ((file "/path/to/file") (line 42)) (find-file file) (goto-char (point-min)) (forward-line (1- line))) ; lines are 1-indexed ``` ### Narrow to function/section ```elisp (save-restriction (org-narrow-to-subtree) ; or narrow-to-defun ;; work within narrowed region (point-min) ; now returns subtree start ) ``` ### Visit file at point ```elisp (find-file-at-point) ; interactive (ffap-file-at-point) ; get filename at point ``` ## Directory Navigation ### Default directory ```elisp default-directory ; current directory (cd "/new/path") ``` ### List directory ```elisp (directory-files "/path") (directory-files "/path" t "\\.el$") ; full paths, only .el files ``` ### Walk directory tree ```elisp (directory-files-recursively "/path" "\\.org$") ```

Frequently asked questions

Emacs Navigation