feat: ephemeral-messages option

README.md

@@ -82,6 +82,8 @@ This exists because in default helix, even if you have no statusline elements in
 This option is designed to be disabled in your config, but you can set it on runtime as well (surprisingly). \
 It will look wonky if you do, so it makes the most sense to make a hotkey to toggle the statusline when / if you suddenly realize you want to see information in it (while not caring about it in the general case).
 
+`ephemeral-messages` option in the `[editor]` section can now be set to `true` to make status / error messages at the bottom of the UI *not* take up an entire line. Instead, they will be printed over the editor view directly.
+
 ### Implemented PRs from upstream
 
 * [11234](https://github.com/helix-editor/helix/issues/11234) by @Swordelf2

helix-term/src/ui/editor.rs

@@ -1496,7 +1496,7 @@ impl Component for EditorView {
         };
 
         // -1 for commandline and -1 for bufferline
-        let mut editor_area = area.clip_bottom(1);
+        let mut editor_area = area.clip_bottom(if config.ephemeral_messages { 0 } else { 1 });
         if use_bufferline {
             editor_area = editor_area.clip_top(1);
         }

helix-view/src/editor.rs

@@ -251,8 +251,10 @@ pub struct Config {
     //--------------------------------------------------fork--------------------------------------------------
     /// Whether to display infoboxes for mappings. If `auto_info` is true, and `whichkey` is false, you will only get infoboxes for `register_select`. Defaults to true.
     pub whichkey: bool,
-    /// Whether to display the statusline at all.
+    /// Whether to display the statusline at all. Defaults to true.
     pub should_statusline: bool,
+    /// Whether to make messages take up an entire line in the UI, or appear over editor text. Defaults to the latter (false).
+    pub ephemeral_messages: bool,
     //--------------------------------------------------fork--------------------------------------------------
     /// Padding to keep between the edge of the screen and the cursor when scrolling. Defaults to 5.
     pub scrolloff: usize,
@@ -984,6 +986,7 @@ impl Default for Config {
             //----------------------------------------------fork----------------------------------------------
             should_statusline: true,
             whichkey: true,
+            ephemeral_messages: false,
             //----------------------------------------------fork----------------------------------------------
             scrolloff: 5,
             scroll_lines: 3,