Neovim config

My personal Neovim config, Lua-only, from scratch.

Setup

Assumes macOS and Neovim 0.9+.

brew tap homebrew/cask-fonts
brew install neovim ripgrep fzf bat git-delta gnu-sed fd rg lazygit font-fira-code-nerd-font

You'll also need node, golang, zig and zstd to auto-install language servers (zstd is used to compress the Zig language server):

brew install node golang zig zstd

Then:

mkdir ~/.config && cd ~/.config
git clone https://github.com/nickcernis/neovim-config nvim

Optionally set the theme for bat to match Neovim, so that preview colours match:

mkdir -p "$(bat --config-dir)/themes"
cd "$(bat --config-dir)/themes"
curl -O https://raw.githubusercontent.com/folke/tokyonight.nvim/main/extras/sublime/tokyonight_night.tmTheme
bat cache --build
bat --list-themes | grep tokyo # should output "tokyonight_night"
echo '--theme="tokyonight_night"' > "$(bat --config-dir)/config"

Layout

├── README.md                 -> You are here.
├── init.lua                  -> ASCII art and includes.
├── lazy-lock.json            -> Plugin lockfile updated by Lazy.
├── local-plugins/            -> Personal plugins not yet released publicly.
└── lua
    └── config
        ├── autocommands.lua  -> Auto-strip whitespace, file picker on load.
        ├── keymaps.lua       -> Do things when you press things.
        ├── lazy.lua          -> Bootstrap the Lazy plugin manager.
        ├── options.lua       -> General settings.
        └── plugins           -> Plugin configs, loaded automatically by Lazy.
            ├── [plugin1].lua
            ├── [plugin2].lua
            └── [...].lua

Bindings

General

• <space> f p to find files in current project.
• <space> f f to find lines in current file (similar to swiper in Emacs).
• <space> f g to search text in current project (backed by ripgrep).
• <space> e or Ctrl-e to toggle the file tree. (Then a to create, e|r|Ctrl-r to edit, d to delete, ? for help, Ctrl-e to close.)
• <space> f j for the project switcher.
• <space> f b for buffer list, then Ctrl-x to close buffer.
• <space> f y for LSP symbols list.
• <space> f s for git status, left to stage, right to unstage.
• Ctrl-j for word jump targets.
• Ctrl-t for tab jump targets.
• Ctrl-o to go back in jump list (also reopens closed buffers), Ctrl-i to go forward, :FzfLua jumps for a visual view.
• Ctrl-w to close the buffer.
• Ctrl-q to save all and quit.
• Alt-f to find-replace in current buffer (uses Spectre).
• Alt-g to find-replace in current project (uses Spectre).
• Alt-h|Alt-l|Alt-[number] to navigate tabs. Important to set the left option key to Esc+ in iTerm's key prefs (profile settings) for Alt bindings to work on macOS.

Other bindings

I use these in normal mode in place of the default Ctrl-w window commands, since I map Ctrl-w to close buffer:

• <space> w v to split vertically.
• <space> w s to split horizontally.
• <space> w h to move cursor left.
• <space> w l to move cursor right.
• <space> w r to rotate buffers between window.
• <space> w d|x to close the window.
• <space> b d|x to close the buffer.

Additional leader key bindings

• <space> t t to spawn a new Kitty tab using Neovim's current working directory.
• <space> t r to repeat the last ran command in the spawned shell window (great for repeated compilation/runs).
• <space> t g to spawn a new Kitty tab running lazygit, or to switch to it.
• <space> g h to display a GitHub CLI UI.
• <space> h p to preview a git hunk.
• <space> h r to reset a git hunk.

LSP

• K to show LSP hints.
• gl to show LSP issues.
• gd to go to definition and Ctrl-o to return.
• gr to show references and :q to exit.
• F2 to rename current cursor position.
• F4 for code actions on the current cursor position.
• Ctrl-; to format the current buffer or selection if the LSP server provides formatting support.

Commands

• :Lazy to update/install plugins.
• :FzfLua for all FzfLua pickers.
• :Mason to manage LSP servers.
• :LspInfo is sometimes useful, as is :LspInstall.

Plugins

Managed with Lazy, which gives us a lockfile, automatic caching and bytecode compilation, a smart upgrade/install UI with load time reports, and easy plugin config split across files.

Configs in ./lua/config/plugins/ are automatically loaded.

:Lazy summons the plugin UI.

Wishlist

Things to explore:

Git

• https://github.com/wfxr/forgit with https://github.com/ray-x/forgit.nvim.

Formatting

• Format pasted code when it's pasted. https://github.com/ConradIrwin/vim-bracketed-paste

Misc

• Hex editor backed by xxd: https://github.com/RaafatTurki/hex.nvim
• Disable or adjust swap file handling? https://neovim.io/doc/user/recover.html
• Check how file handling works if open buffers are deleted outside of nvim, such as when when switching git branch.
• Explore writing modes, perhaps https://github.com/Pocco81/true-zen.nvim or https://github.com/folke/zen-mode.nvim.
• Look at neural and similar? https://github.com/dense-analysis/neural or https://github.com/zbirenbaum/copilot.lua or https://github.com/Bryley/neoai.nvim
• Task runner for cargo run etc. with jump-to-line for compiler errors, via quickfix lists or other.
• Play with replacer: https://github.com/gabrielpoca/replacer.nvim
• Try tabout: https://github.com/abecodes/tabout.nvim
• Crates and package.json version number helpers: https://github.com/Saecki/crates.nvim
• Explore https://github.com/roobert/search-replace.nvim.

Other notes

Terminal

I use Kitty panes or tabs instead of Neovim's terminal emulation. Long-running terminal processes in Neovim itself reduce editor performance for me. (If I open a toggleterm, then run yes and toggle the terminal closed, Neovim movements and edits lag for me in both iTerm and Kitty.)

Git

I use git and GitHub CLI in the terminal, as well as lazygit in a separate long-running terminal tab.

Inspiration and reference

• Plugin ideas: https://neovimcraft.com/
• More plugin ideas: https://github.com/rockerBOO/awesome-neovim
• New stuff every week: https://this-week-in-neovim.org/
• The semi-official starter config. A little scrappy but worth reading: https://github.com/nvim-lua/kickstart.nvim/blob/master/init.lua
• Opinionated starter distribution using custom plugins: https://nvchad.com/Features
• Less opinionated starter distributions using off-the-shelf plugins: https://astronvim.github.io/ and https://www.lunarvim.org/
• An overview of Neovim's LSP configuration spaghetti: https://roobert.github.io/2022/12/03/Extending-Neovim/