diff --git a/autoload/ale/sign.vim b/autoload/ale/sign.vim
index 9aba8684..23666287 100644
--- a/autoload/ale/sign.vim
+++ b/autoload/ale/sign.vim
@@ -20,14 +20,6 @@ if !hlexists('ALEWarning')
     highlight link ALEWarning SpellCap
 endif
 
-" Global variables for signs
-let g:ale_sign_error = get(g:, 'ale_sign_error', '>>')
-let g:ale_sign_warning = get(g:, 'ale_sign_warning', '--')
-" An offset which can be set for sign IDs.
-" This ID can be changed depending on what IDs are set for other plugins.
-" The dummy sign will use the ID exactly equal to the offset.
-let g:ale_sign_offset = get(g:, 'ale_sign_offset', 1000000)
-
 " Signs show up on the left for error markers.
 execute 'sign define ALEErrorSign text=' . g:ale_sign_error
 \   . ' texthl=ALEErrorSign'
diff --git a/plugin/ale.vim b/plugin/ale.vim
index c7096dbc..054958ea 100644
--- a/plugin/ale.vim
+++ b/plugin/ale.vim
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@
 " Description: Main entry point for the plugin: sets up prefs and autocommands
 "   Preferences can be set in vimrc files and so on to configure ale
 
+" Sanity Checks
+
 if exists('g:loaded_ale')
     finish
 endif
@@ -9,34 +11,60 @@ let g:loaded_ale = 1
 
 " A flag for detecting if the required features are set.
 if has('nvim')
-    let g:ale_has_required_features = has('timers')
+    let s:ale_has_required_features = has('timers')
 else
-    let g:ale_has_required_features = has('timers') && has('job') && has('channel')
+    let s:ale_has_required_features = has('timers') && has('job') && has('channel')
 endif
 
-if !g:ale_has_required_features
+if !s:ale_has_required_features
     echoerr 'ALE requires NeoVim >= 0.1.5 or Vim 8 with +timers +job +channel'
     echoerr 'Please update your editor appropriately.'
     finish
 endif
 
+" Globals
+
+let g:ale_buffer_loclist_map = {}
+let g:ale_buffer_should_reset_map = {}
+let g:ale_buffer_sign_dummy_map = {}
+
+" User Configuration
+
 " This list configures which linters are enabled for which languages.
 let g:ale_linters = get(g:, 'ale_linters', {})
 
-" This flag can be set to 0 to disable linting when text is changed.
-let g:ale_lint_on_text_changed = get(g:, 'ale_lint_on_text_changed', 1)
-
 " This flag can be set with a number of milliseconds for delaying the
 " execution of a linter when text is changed. The timeout will be set and
 " cleared each time text is changed, so repeated edits won't trigger the
 " jobs for linting until enough time has passed after editing is done.
 let g:ale_lint_delay = get(g:, 'ale_lint_delay', 200)
 
+" This flag can be set to 0 to disable linting when text is changed.
+let g:ale_lint_on_text_changed = get(g:, 'ale_lint_on_text_changed', 1)
+if g:ale_lint_on_text_changed
+    augroup ALERunOnTextChangedGroup
+        autocmd!
+        autocmd TextChanged,TextChangedI * call ale#Queue(g:ale_lint_delay)
+    augroup END
+endif
+
 " This flag can be set to 0 to disable linting when the buffer is entered.
 let g:ale_lint_on_enter = get(g:, 'ale_lint_on_enter', 1)
+if g:ale_lint_on_enter
+    augroup ALERunOnEnterGroup
+        autocmd!
+        autocmd BufEnter,BufRead * call ale#Queue(100)
+    augroup END
+endif
 
 " This flag can be set to 1 to enable linting when a buffer is written.
 let g:ale_lint_on_save = get(g:, 'ale_lint_on_save', 0)
+if g:ale_lint_on_save
+    augroup ALERunOnSaveGroup
+        autocmd!
+        autocmd BufWrite * call ale#Queue(0)
+    augroup END
+endif
 
 " This flag can be set to 0 to disable setting the loclist.
 let g:ale_set_loclist = get(g:, 'ale_set_loclist', 1)
@@ -45,25 +73,18 @@ let g:ale_set_loclist = get(g:, 'ale_set_loclist', 1)
 " This is enabled by default only if the 'signs' feature exists.
 let g:ale_set_signs = get(g:, 'ale_set_signs', has('signs'))
 
-" This flag can be set to 0 to disable echoing when the cursor moves.
-let g:ale_echo_cursor = get(g:, 'ale_echo_cursor', 1)
+" These variables dicatate what sign is used to indicate errors and warnings.
+let g:ale_sign_error = get(g:, 'ale_sign_error', '>>')
+let g:ale_sign_warning = get(g:, 'ale_sign_warning', '--')
 
-" This flag can be set to 0 to disable warnings for trailing whitespace
-let g:ale_warn_about_trailing_whitespace =
-\   get(g:, 'ale_warn_about_trailing_whitespace', 1)
+" This variable sets an offset which can be set for sign IDs.
+" This ID can be changed depending on what IDs are set for other plugins.
+" The dummy sign will use the ID exactly equal to the offset.
+let g:ale_sign_offset = get(g:, 'ale_sign_offset', 1000000)
 
 " This flag can be set to 1 to keep sign gutter always open
 let g:ale_sign_column_always = get(g:, 'ale_sign_column_always', 0)
 
-" String format for statusline
-" Its a list where:
-" * The 1st element is for errors
-" * The 2nd element is for warnings
-" * The 3rd element is when there are no errors
-let g:ale_statusline_format = get(g:, 'ale_statusline_format',
-\   ['%d error(s)', '%d warning(s)', 'OK']
-\)
-
 " String format for the echoed message
 " A %s is mandatory
 " It can contain 2 handlers: %linter%, %severity%
@@ -73,49 +94,41 @@ let g:ale_echo_msg_format = get(g:, 'ale_echo_msg_format', '%s')
 let g:ale_echo_msg_error_str = get(g:, 'ale_echo_msg_error_str', 'Error')
 let g:ale_echo_msg_warning_str = get(g:, 'ale_echo_msg_warning_str', 'Warning')
 
-if g:ale_lint_on_text_changed
-    augroup ALERunOnTextChangedGroup
-        autocmd!
-        autocmd TextChanged,TextChangedI * call ale#Queue(g:ale_lint_delay)
-    augroup END
-endif
-
-if g:ale_lint_on_enter
-    augroup ALERunOnEnterGroup
-        autocmd!
-        autocmd BufEnter,BufRead * call ale#Queue(100)
-    augroup END
-endif
-
-if g:ale_lint_on_save
-    augroup ALERunOnSaveGroup
-        autocmd!
-        autocmd BufWrite * call ale#Queue(0)
-    augroup END
-endif
-
-" Clean up buffers automatically when they are unloaded.
-augroup ALEBufferCleanup
-    autocmd!
-    autocmd BufUnload * call ale#cleanup#Buffer('<abuf>')
-augroup END
-
-" Globals which each part of the plugin should use.
-let g:ale_buffer_loclist_map = {}
-let g:ale_buffer_should_reset_map = {}
-let g:ale_buffer_sign_dummy_map = {}
-
-if g:ale_echo_cursor
+" This flag can be set to 0 to disable echoing when the cursor moves.
+if get(g:, 'ale_echo_cursor', 1)
     augroup ALECursorGroup
         autocmd!
         autocmd CursorMoved,CursorHold * call ale#cursor#EchoCursorWarningWithDelay()
     augroup END
 endif
 
-" Backwards compatibility
+" String format for statusline
+" Its a list where:
+" * The 1st element is for errors
+" * The 2nd element is for warnings
+" * The 3rd element is when there are no errors
+let g:ale_statusline_format = get(g:, 'ale_statusline_format',
+\   ['%d error(s)', '%d warning(s)', 'OK']
+\)
+
+" This flag can be set to 0 to disable warnings for trailing whitespace
+let g:ale_warn_about_trailing_whitespace =
+\   get(g:, 'ale_warn_about_trailing_whitespace', 1)
+
+" Housekeeping
+
+augroup ALECleanup
+    autocmd!
+    " Clean up buffers automatically when they are unloaded.
+    autocmd BufUnload * call ale#cleanup#Buffer('<abuf>')
+augroup END
+
+" Backwards Compatibility
+
 function! ALELint(delay)
     call ale#Queue(a:delay)
 endfunction
+
 function! ALEGetStatusLine()
     call ale#statusline#Status()
 endfunction