Before: Save g:ale_php_phpcs_executable Save g:ale_php_phpcs_use_global let g:ale_php_phpcs_executable = 'phpcs_test' let g:ale_php_phpcs_use_global = 0 call ale#test#SetDirectory('/testplugin/test') runtime ale_linters/php/phpcs.vim After: Restore call ale#test#RestoreDirectory() call ale#linter#Reset() Execute(project with phpcs should use local by default): call ale#test#SetFilename('phpcs-test-files/project-with-phpcs/foo/test.php') AssertEqual \ ale#path#Simplify(g:dir . '/phpcs-test-files/project-with-phpcs/vendor/bin/phpcs'), \ ale_linters#php#phpcs#GetExecutable(bufnr('')) Execute(use-global should override local detection): let g:ale_php_phpcs_use_global = 1 call ale#test#SetFilename('phpcs-test-files/project-with-phpcs/foo/test.php') AssertEqual \ 'phpcs_test', \ ale_linters#php#phpcs#GetExecutable(bufnr('')) Execute(project without phpcs should use global): call ale#test#SetFilename('phpcs-test-files/project-without-phpcs/foo/test.php') AssertEqual \ 'phpcs_test', \ ale_linters#php#phpcs#GetExecutable(bufnr(''))