xmd helps you work with AI chat transcripts as editable files in Vim.

Instead of treating a chat as a disposable terminal session, xmd stores the conversation in a *.x.md file and lets you keep editing, re-running, and restructuring it like normal text.

xmd is for the case where you want:

• a chat transcript you can inspect and version
• repeatable prompts that stay attached to the file they belong to
• a way to send the current file to a model without copying content around
• optional tool calls and arena-style multi-model runs, while keeping the transcript readable in Vim

In short: it turns AI chat into a file-based workflow instead of an opaque UI session.

Here is the same *.x.md file as it moves through the workflow:

# User -> qwen3.5-27b
Write a short launch note for the new release.

# User -> qwen3.5-27b
Write a short launch note for the new release.

# model: qwen3.5-27b [4s]
We are shipping the new release today. It is faster, more focused, and
ready for daily use.

# User -> qwen3.5-27b
Find the current date and include it in the release note.

# tool calls: qwen3.5-27b [3s]
```json
[
  {
    "type": "function",
    "function": {
      "name": "get_date_time",
      "arguments": {}
    }
  }
}
```

# tool: get_date_time
```json
{}
```

2026-04-11 22:54:00 CEST

# model: qwen3.5-27b [5s]
We are shipping the new release today, on 2026-04-11, with a simpler and
faster workflow.

This is the shape xmd keeps in the file: human-written prompts, model replies, and tool traces all live together in one editable transcript.

The CLI talks to Ollama. Right now that is the only supported backend.

A typical flow looks like this:

1. Start the queue worker in one terminal:

xmd worker

1. Keep a second terminal open as a lightweight HUD:

watch xmd status

1. Create or open a *.x.md transcript in Vim.
2. Edit the prompt, model blocks, or tool-call transcript as plain text.
3. Send the current file to the model:

xmd send path/to/file.x.md

1. If you want the next authoring action instead of a send, ask for it:

xmd suggest path/to/file.x.md --json

Other CLI commands:

• xmd new topic
• xmd models
• xmd ls
• xmd status

The Vim plugin adds buffer-local behavior for *.x.md files.

When you open a *.x.md file, Vim applies xmd behavior automatically.

Use these exact mappings and commands:

• [s to jump to the previous section
• ]s to jump to the next section
• zT to fold every <think>...</think> block
• <leader>xs to write and send the current buffer
• <leader>xm to write and send the current buffer with a chosen model
• <leader>xl to list files in the current directory
• :Xmd to ask for the next authoring action and append it
• :XmdSend to send the current buffer through the CLI
• :XmdSelectModel to insert a model name at the cursor

The doc/xmd.txt help file describes the full file format, commands, and mappings.

Install this repository as a Vim plugin using your normal plugin manager or a manual runtimepath setup.

Then generate help tags:

:helptags {path-to-xmd}/doc
:help xmd

The CLI executable is xmd. Put it on your PATH, or invoke it from the repository root.

xmd reads runtime files from XMD_HOME, which defaults to ~/.xmd.

Common configuration points:

• XMD_HOME
  • runtime state, queue files, tool specs, and the default system prompt
• XMD_DEFAULT_MODEL
  • fallback model when a file does not specify one
• LLAMA_SWAP_URL
  • base URL for the backend API, defaulting to http://localhost:11434
• XMD_TOOLS_FILE
  • optional explicit JSON file with tool definitions

If you want the optional contrib bundle, copy the pieces you want into your own XMD_HOME:

mkdir -p "$XMD_HOME"
cp -R contrib/bin "$XMD_HOME/"
cp -R contrib/tools.d "$XMD_HOME/"
cp -R contrib/system_prompt.txt "$XMD_HOME/"

• autoload/, after/, syntax/, ftplugin/: Vim integration
• xmd: CLI executable
• doc/xmd.txt: Vim help
• test_xmd.sh, test_vim_xmd.sh: tests
• contrib/: optional, unsupported extras you can install manually