Neovim config

My Neovim config, one file under 1000 lines.

Setup

Assumes macOS and Neovim 0.11+.

Install dependencies:

brew install neovim ripgrep fzf bat git-delta gnu-sed fd rg lazygit zoxide

Optionally backup existing neovim state:

mv ~/.config/nvim ~/.config/nvim-backup
mv ~/.local/share/nvim ~/.local/share/nvim-backup
mv ~/.cache/nvim ~/.cache/nvim-backup

Or just remove it:

rm -rf ~/.config/nvim ~/.local/share/nvim ~/.cache/nvim

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 # also re-run this if you see caching issues after bat upgrades
bat --list-themes | grep tokyo # should output "tokyonight_night"
echo '--theme="tokyonight_night"' > "$(bat --config-dir)/config"

Note: The upstream theme has a very dark lineHighlight color (#00000030) that makes the highlighted line nearly invisible in fzf-lua previews. To fix this, edit ~/.config/bat/themes/tokyonight_night.tmTheme and change line 38 from:

<key>lineHighlight</key>
<string>#00000030</string>

to:

<key>lineHighlight</key>
<string>#283457</string>

Then rebuild the cache with bat cache --build.

Bindings

Search, nav, file switching

• <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><tab> for last buffer. (Repeat to alternate between two files.)
• <space> f b or <space> f t for buffer/'tab' list, then Ctrl-x to close buffer.
• <space> f y for LSP symbols list.
• <space> g s for git status, left to stage, right to unstage.
• <space> f c for recent changes.
• <space> f j for recent jumps.
• <space> f r for recent file browser.
• <space> f <space> for last fuzzy search with entered text retained.
• <space> j to jump by typed word.
• s for flash jump by character (letter targets after first typed character).
• S for flash jump based on treesitter.
• ds or dS to delete until typed character.
• <space> r to find-replace across project (uses Grug Find and Replace).
• <space> f u for undo tree, enter to revert to selected change.
• <space> f z for project switcher (requires zoxide, expects Ghostty to open in new window).

File handling

• <space> e to toggle the file tree ('explore'). (Then a to create, r to rename, d to delete, ? for help, <space> e to close.)
• Ctrl-k to go back in jump list (also reopens closed buffers).
• Ctrl-j to go forward, :FzfLua jumps for a visual view.

Close, quit

• Ctrl-w to close the buffer.
• Ctrl-q to save all and quit.

Window manipulation

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.

Git

• <space> g c for commit list.
• <space> g b for branches, type new branch name and control-a to create from current.
• <space> g s for status (uncommitted files).
• <space> g h for hunks (good to navigate to recently changed location).
• <space> g o to open current line or range in GitHub in your browser.
• <space> g p for a list of GitHub PRs (uses GitHub CLI).
• <space> h p to preview a git hunk.
• <space> h r to reset a git hunk.
• <space> h R to reset the current buffer.
• <space> h s to stage the hunk.
• <space> h S to stage the buffer.

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. (Formatters configured in 'conform' block in init.lua.)

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, and a UI with load times.

:Lazy summons the plugin UI.

Wishlist

Things to explore:

• Maybe try https://github.com/coder/claudecode.nvim
• Format pasted code when it's pasted. https://github.com/ConradIrwin/vim-bracketed-paste
• https://github.com/wfxr/forgit with https://github.com/ray-x/forgit.nvim.
• Disable or adjust swap file handling? https://neovim.io/doc/user/recover.html

Other notes

Terminal

I use 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.)

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
• The semi-official starter config: 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/