How do I make Vim respond faster to idle events?

Explanation

The updatetime option controls how long Vim waits after you stop typing before triggering certain events (like swap file writes and CursorHold autocommands). A lower value makes plugins more responsive.

How it works

• Default is 4000ms (4 seconds)
• :set updatetime=250 reduces it to 250ms
• Affects swap file writing and CursorHold events
• Many plugins use CursorHold for updates

Example

set updatetime=250

Now git-gutter signs, diagnostics, and hover info appear faster.

Tips

• vim-gitgutter, ALE, and coc.nvim all benefit from lower updatetime
• Very low values (below 100ms) may cause performance issues
• 250-300ms is a good balance
• Also controls how quickly the swap file is written after you stop typing
• This is one of the most impactful performance settings