To allow folds based on syntax add something like the following to your .vimrc: set foldmethod=syntax set foldlevelstart=1 let javaScript_fold=1 " JavaScript let perl_fold=1 " Perl let php_folding=1 " PHP let r_syntax_folding=1 " R let ruby_fold=1 " Ruby let sh_fold_enabled=1 " sh let vimsyn_folding='af' " Vim script let xml_syntax_folding=1 " XML Syntax based folding is defined in the syntax file