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How to setup neovim

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Installing neovim

Linux

cd ~/Downloads
curl -L https://github.com/neovim/neovim/releases/latest/download/nvim.appimage -o nvim
chmod u+x nvim

# doing ./nvim should start a nvim 
./nvim

# which nvim won't work since we haven't added it to path
# adding nvim to path
sudo mv nvim /usr/local/bin
- Don't use apt for installing neovim since the versions are pretty old. - Best part of using app images is that you don't need dependencies everything is packaged into the app image.

Mac

brew install neovim

Zshrc configuration

alias vim='nvim'

# if applications like github try to editor then it will default to nvim
export EDITOR='nvim'

Neovim configuration (lua)

  • We can use modules in lua which this means we will not end up with large configuration files.
  • We use the require function to load the different modules in lua.
  • So the base directory will have a init.lua file which will load all the modules.
  • All the modules must be inside the ~/.config/nvim/lua folder. For example we can have a settings folder inside lua folder. We will need a init.lua file in all the subfolders.

Options

Plugins

  • We will be using packer for our plugins
  • Packer is also written in lua
  • Plugins are just GitHub repositories
  • Plugins will live in ~/.local/share/nvim
  • If you feel there is some problem then delete the ~/.config/nvim/plugin/packer_compiled.lua file
    • Put it in your .gitignore
  • Lazy loading means it will only run if one of the specified commands is run
  • Plugins will be under ~/.local/share/nvim/site/pack/packer - most of them will be in start

ColourSchemes

  • For colour schemes we have to first install them in the plugins and then use them

Miscellaneous

  • :so % after saving the file to source it.
  • echo &ft - to get the file type

LSP (incomplete)

  • LspInstallInfo - a menu will pop up
  • To install something search it in the menu and press i
  • To update u
  • To remove X
  • To which particular one you have active in the current buffer LspInfo
  • Any server must be installed for it to be active
  • More to do
  • null ls video

Telescope

  • find_files
  • live_grep - brew install ripgrep
  • Go to normal mode and mode up and down, go to insert mode to type

Commenting

  • For better commenting use nvim-ts-context-commentstring (generally for webdev languages)

Toggle term

  • When you scroll you go to visual mode, use a/i to go to insert mode

Last updated: 2022-06-01