# Split panes and docks in Skink (side by side editing)

> Split Skink side by side with Ctrl+\ or top and bottom with Alt+\, move between or resize panes, and dock a shell at the bottom or the agent panel at the right.

Source: https://skink.cc/editing/splits-and-docks/

Press Ctrl+\\ to split side by side, or Alt+\\ to split top and bottom. Ctrl+W moves to the next pane and Alt+Q closes the focused one; its tab stays open.

Every split key also has a typed command. Press Ctrl+E and type it, for example `vsplit` or `unsplit`.

## Split pane keys and commands

| Key | Typed command | Does |
|---|---|---|
| Ctrl+\\ | `:vsplit [FILE]` (`:vs`) | Split side by side, optionally opening `FILE` in the new pane |
| Alt+\\ | `:split [FILE]` (`:hsplit`, `:sp`) | Split top and bottom |
| Ctrl+W | `:nextsplit` | Focus the next pane |
| Alt+Shift+W | `:prevsplit` | Focus the previous pane |
| Alt+Q | `:unsplit` | Close the focused pane (its tab stays open) |
| | `:only` | Close every pane except the focused one |
| Alt+= / Alt+- | `:growsplit` / `:shrinksplit` | Grow / shrink the focused pane |

`:nextsplit`, `:prevsplit`, `:growsplit` and `:shrinksplit` run the same actions as the keys. See [Typed commands](https://skink.cc/editing/typed-commands/).

In terminals without the kitty keyboard protocol, Ctrl+\\ often arrives as Ctrl+4, so that is bound to the same split.

With the mouse, drag the divider or a pane's title row to resize, and click a pane to focus it.

## How panes and tabs fit together

- Every pane shows one tab from the shared tab bar.
- Switching tabs changes what the focused pane shows.
- A file shown in two panes is one buffer with two cursors. Edits appear in both, and each pane scrolls on its own.
- Closing a pane never closes a file. Close tabs with Ctrl+Q.
- A terminal tab can be shown in one pane at a time.

Splits are saved with your session and come back the next time you run `skink` in that project.

## Docks: a bottom shell and the agent panel

Docks are panels at the edge of the window, toggled with one key.

| Key | Typed command | Does |
|---|---|---|
| Alt+T | `:termdock` | A shell along the bottom |
| Alt+Shift+T | `:agentdock` | The AI agent panel on the right |

Press the key again to hide the dock. The shell keeps running in its tab, so nothing is lost.

The agent panel is described in [AI agents](https://skink.cc/tools/ai-agents/).

## Zoom one pane

Alt+Z or `:zoom` hides the tab bar, the tree and the status line so the text gets the whole window. Press it again to go back. See [Zoom and text size](https://skink.cc/editing/zoom-and-text-size/).

**Note:**
Skink is alpha. Per-pane tab lists (each pane with its own tabs) are not in yet: all panes share one tab bar.