Add Always Keep The Gutter Open as a Vim til

README.md

@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ pairing with smart people at Hashrocket.
 
 For a steady stream of TILs, [sign up for my newsletter](https://tinyletter.com/jbranchaud).
 
-_1098 TILs and counting..._
+_1099 TILs and counting..._
 
 ---
 
@@ -1111,6 +1111,7 @@ _1098 TILs and counting..._
 - [Allow Neovim To Copy/Paste With System Clipboard](vim/allow-neovim-to-copy-paste-with-system-clipboard.md)
 - [Almost The End Of The Line](vim/almost-the-end-of-the-line.md)
 - [Alternate Files With vim-rails](vim/alternate-files-with-vim-rails.md)
+- [Always Keep The Gutter Open](vim/always-keep-the-gutter-open.md)
 - [Amend Commits With Fugitive](vim/amend-commits-with-fugitive.md)
 - [Backspace Options](vim/backspace-options.md)
 - [Beginning And End Of Previous Change](vim/beginning-and-end-of-previous-change.md)

vim/always-keep-the-gutter-open.md

@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+# Always Keep The Gutter Open
+
+Vim has an area off to the left where it can display information for specific
+lines in a buffer. This is sometimes called the gutter or the tray. In the Vim
+help files it is called the `signcolumn`. That names makes sense. It is a
+column to the left of the line numbers where _signs_ can be shown to indicate
+git status, type errors, and lint warnings.
+
+By default, the `signcolumn` is set to `auto` which means that as a sign
+appears, the column shifts open moving the editor text with it. When you've
+resolved whatever cause the sign to disappear, everything will shift back to
+the left.
+
+This jumpy layout shift can be avoiding by keeping the `signcolumn` always
+open. That's done by setting it to `yes` in your `~/.vimrc`.
+
+```vim
+set signcolumn=yes
+```
+
+See `:h signcolumn` for more details.