Before: let g:ale_php_phpcs_executable = 'phpcs_test' silent! cd /testplugin/test let g:dir = getcwd() runtime ale_linters/php/phpcs.vim After: let g:ale_php_phpcs_executable = 'phpcs' let g:ale_php_phpcs_use_global = 0 silent execute 'cd ' . g:dir unlet! g:dir call ale#linter#Reset() Execute(project with phpcs should use local by default): silent noautocmd new phpcs-test-files/project-with-phpcs/vendor/bin/phpcs AssertEqual \ g:dir . '/phpcs-test-files/project-with-phpcs/vendor/bin/phpcs', \ ale_linters#php#phpcs#GetExecutable(bufnr('')) :q Execute(use-global should override local detection): let g:ale_php_phpcs_use_global = 1 silent noautocmd new phpcs-test-files/project-with-phpcs/vendor/bin/phpcs AssertEqual \ 'phpcs_test', \ ale_linters#php#phpcs#GetExecutable(bufnr('')) :q Execute(project without phpcs should use global): silent noautocmd new phpcs-test-files/project-without-phpcs/vendor/bin/phpcs AssertEqual \ 'phpcs_test', \ ale_linters#php#phpcs#GetExecutable(bufnr('')) :q