This repository contains slightly modified variants of the syntax highlighting files of Simon Garland for the k and q/kdb+ programming languages. All credits go to the original author, Simon Garland. There are other variants, namely:

• bitbucket.org/alexcolson/kdb-vim.git
• github.com/patmok/qvim

Why another variant? I did not like the highlight link to-group target colors in the original one, especially with the solarized-dark color scheme.

For example, I almost exclusively use // to begin line comments in q, not with any particular special meaning or emphasis, just to keep compatibility with other editors' C-like syntax highlighting schemes lacking syntax highlighting for q. Originally, target color for the kSpecialComment group covering line comments starting with // was SpecialComment, which translates to a strong red color in case of solarized-dark. Now it is simply Comment, which is the expected-by-me neutral grey color. See the hi link commands for all the minor target-group tweaks.

Installation without a plugin manager. The following is an excerpt from the original readme.txt by Simon Garland.

Copy the files [...] to your vim home directory (probably $HOME/.vim).

If you already have a filetype.vim then just insert the additional k and q lines.

Copy the *.vim files from <syntax> and <indent> to their corresponding directories, creating them if need be.

Most of the work is done in k.vim (which is loaded into q.vim) as q "only" adds the functions in <.q> as primitives, and relaxes the restriction on underscores in names.

Syntax highlighting in action. The following screenshot shows the q.k file opened in vim with k syntax highlighting enabled, using the solarized-dark color scheme.