To access Python documentation for the word under the cursor using, this mapping can be used nnoremap K :execute "!pydoc " . expand("") or for Windows nnoremap K :execute "!C://Lib/pydoc.py " . expand("") To keep the documentation open while you continue editing, this mapping can be used instead nnoremap K :execute "!xterm -e 'pydoc " . expand("") . "'" or for Windows nnoremap K :execute "!start cmd /c C://Lib/pydoc.py " . \| \ expand("") nnoremap K :let save_isk = &iskeyword \| \ set iskeyword+=. \| \ execute "!pydoc " . expand("") \| \ let &iskeyword = save_isk