Standard Hooks

The following is a list of some hook variables that let you provide functions to be called from within Emacs on suitable occasions.

Most of these variables have names ending with ‘-hook’. They are normal hooks, run by means of run-hooks. The value of such a hook is a list of functions; the functions are called with no arguments and their values are completely ignored. The recommended way to put a new function on such a hook is to call add-hook. See Hooks, for more information about using hooks.

The variables whose names end in ‘-functions’ are usually abnormal hooks (some old code may also use the deprecated ‘-hooks’ suffix). Their values are lists of functions, but these functions are called in a special way: they are either passed arguments, or their return values are used in some way. The variables whose names end in ‘-function’ have single functions as their values.

This is not an exhaustive list, it only covers the more general hooks. For example, every major mode defines a hook named ‘modename-mode-hook’. The major mode command runs this normal hook with run-mode-hooks as the very last thing it does. See Mode Hooks. Most minor modes have mode hooks too.

A special feature allows you to specify expressions to evaluate if and when a file is loaded (see Hooks for Loading). That feature is not exactly a hook, but does a similar job.

activate-mark-hook

deactivate-mark-hook

See The Mark.

after-change-functions

before-change-functions

first-change-hook

See Change Hooks.

after-change-major-mode-hook

change-major-mode-after-body-hook

See Mode Hooks.

after-init-hook

before-init-hook

emacs-startup-hook

window-setup-hook

See Init File.

after-insert-file-functions

write-region-annotate-functions

write-region-post-annotation-function

See Format Conversion.

after-make-frame-functions

before-make-frame-hook

server-after-make-frame-hook

See Creating Frames.

after-save-hook

before-save-hook

write-contents-functions

write-file-functions

See Saving Buffers.

after-setting-font-hook

Hook run after a frame’s font changes.

auto-save-hook

See Auto-Saving.

before-hack-local-variables-hook

hack-local-variables-hook

See File Local Variables.

buffer-access-fontify-functions

See Lazy Properties.

buffer-list-update-hook

Hook run when the buffer list changes (see Buffer List).

buffer-quit-function

Function to call to quit the current buffer.

change-major-mode-hook

See Creating Buffer-Local.

comint-password-function

This abnormal hook permits a derived mode to supply a password for the underlying command interpreter without prompting the user.

command-line-functions

See Command-Line Arguments.

delayed-warnings-hook

The command loop runs this soon after post-command-hook (q.v.).

focus-in-hook

focus-out-hook

See Input Focus.

delete-frame-functions

after-delete-frame-functions

See Deleting Frames.

delete-terminal-functions

See Multiple Terminals.

pop-up-frame-function

split-window-preferred-function

See Choosing Window Options.

echo-area-clear-hook

See Echo Area Customization.

find-file-hook

find-file-not-found-functions

See Visiting Functions.

font-lock-extend-after-change-region-function

See Region to Refontify.

font-lock-extend-region-functions

See Multiline Font Lock.

font-lock-fontify-buffer-function

font-lock-fontify-region-function

font-lock-mark-block-function

font-lock-unfontify-buffer-function

font-lock-unfontify-region-function

See Other Font Lock Variables.

fontification-functions

See Automatic Face Assignment.

frame-auto-hide-function

See Quitting Windows.

quit-window-hook

See Quitting Windows.

kill-buffer-hook

kill-buffer-query-functions

See Killing Buffers.

kill-emacs-hook

kill-emacs-query-functions

See Killing Emacs.

menu-bar-update-hook

See Menu Bar.

minibuffer-setup-hook

minibuffer-exit-hook

See Minibuffer Misc.

mouse-leave-buffer-hook

Hook run when the user mouse-clicks in a window.

mouse-position-function

See Mouse Position.

prefix-command-echo-keystrokes-functions

An abnormal hook run by prefix commands (such as C-u) which should return a string describing the current prefix state. For example, C-u produces ‘C-u-’ and ‘C-u 1 2 3-’. Each hook function is called with no arguments and should return a string describing the current prefix state, or nil if there’s no prefix state. See Prefix Command Arguments.

prefix-command-preserve-state-hook

Hook run when a prefix command needs to preserve the prefix by passing the current prefix command state to the next command. For example, C-u needs to pass the state to the next command when the user types C-u - or follows C-u with a digit.

pre-redisplay-functions

Hook run in each window just before redisplaying it. See Forcing Redisplay.

post-command-hook

pre-command-hook

See Command Overview.

post-gc-hook

See Garbage Collection.

post-self-insert-hook

See Keymaps and Minor Modes.

suspend-hook

suspend-resume-hook

suspend-tty-functions