Neovim - ArchWiki

Jump to content
From ArchWiki

Neovim is a fork of Vim aiming to improve the codebase, allowing for easier implementation of APIs, improved user experience and plugin implementation.

## Installation

Install the neovim package, or neovim-gitAUR for the latest development version, which strongly encourages the use of Lua as its main configuration language. To make the system clipboard work with Neovim, you may need to install xclip (X11) or wl-clipboard (Wayland).

Note: With neovim, some of its features are delegated to external "providers". For Python providers, use python-pynvim. For clipboard providers, see provider-clipboard or the `:help provider-clipboard` neovim command.

It is also possible to install one of many GUIs and other related projects:

- neovim-qt
- neovim-gtkAUR or neovim-gtk-gitAUR
- uivonim-gitAUR
- neovide or neovide-gitAUR
- neoray-gitAUR
- gnvimAUR
- fvimAUR

## Configuration

Nvim's user-specific configuration file is located at `$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/nvim/init.vim`, by default `~/.config/nvim/init.vim`. The system-wide configuration file is located at `$XDG_CONFIG_DIRS/nvim/sysinit.vim`, by default `/etc/xdg/nvim/sysinit.vim`. When the system-wide configuration file does not exist, Nvim checks for `/usr/share/nvim/sysinit.vim`, which is not intended to be edited by users.[1] By default, the former global configuration file does not exist. If you create the former file, you may wish to have it source the latter if you still want the functionality it provides, which is allowing pacman-installed vim packages to work with Nvim.

Nvim is compatible with most of Vim's options; however, there are options specific to Nvim. For a complete list of Nvim options, see Neovim's help file.

Nvim's data directory is located in `~/.local/share/nvim/` and contains swap for open files, the ShaDa (Shared Data) file, and the site directory for plugins.

Starting from Nvim's version 0.5, it is possible to setup Nvim via Lua, by default `~/.config/nvim/init.lua`, the API is still young, but common configurations work out-of-the-box without much more steps. See [2] for suggestions on how to convert your current configuration. At the moment, there is is not much of an advantage when using `init.lua` vs the common `init.vim`, but when correctly done, Lua provides a small improvement in startup times, and it becomes specially useful when using several plugins written in Lua, due to ease of configuration.

### Migrating from Vim

If you wish to migrate your existing Vim configuration to Nvim, simply copy your `~/.vimrc` to `~/.config/nvim/init.vim`. If applicable, copy the contents of `~/.vim/autoload/` to `~/.local/share/nvim/site/autoload/`.

### Shared Configuration between Vim and Nvim

Neovim uses `$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/nvim` instead of `~/.vim` as its main configuration directory and `$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/nvim/init.vim` instead of `~/.vimrc` as its main configuration file.

If you wish to continue using Vim and wish to source your existing Vim configuration in Nvim, see nvim-from-vim or the `:help nvim-from-vim` neovim command.

#### Loading plugins

Vim/Nvim plugins installed from official repositories or AUR get automatically sourced by `/etc/xdg/nvim/sysinit.vim`, so there is no need to take any extra steps. A vast amount of plugins can be found on both places, but the most recommended way to add plugins is by using a plugin manager, most commonly used are vim-plug which works for both Vim and Nvim, and packer which only works on Nvim 0.5 or newer and is written in Lua. Both of them allow for expressive configurations, ranging from github branch to runtime commands.

Most plugins written for vim work without much effort on Nvim, but not every plugin written for Nvim works for Vim, so if your intention is to ensure a compatible configuration, stick to a traditional `init.vim` or `.vimrc`

## Tips and tricks

### Replacing vi and vim with neovim

Setting `$VISUAL` and `$EDITOR` environment variables should be sufficient in most cases.

Some applications may hardcode vi or vim as default editor; to use neovim in their place, install neovim-symlinksAUR or neovim-drop-inAUR.

### Symlinking init.vim to .vimrc

As neovim is mostly compatible with standard vim, you can symlink `nvim/init.vim` to your old `.vimrc` to keep old configuration options:

    $ ln -s ~/.vimrc ~/.config/nvim/init.vim

If you want some lines to be specific to each version, you can use an `if` block in your `.vimrc` file:

    if has('nvim')
        " Neovim specific commands
    else
        " Standard vim specific commands
    endif

### True color support

The `READMEs` of this project explain how to add 24-bits "True Color" support to your syntax highlighting and how to use a color picker to see how it looks in real-time. Comes with the syntax highlighting of the author (if installed) for C++.

### Lastplace cursor support

If you like to keep your last position of cursor to be saved, lastplace.lua is quite useful. It just needs to be placed in `~/.config/nvim/plugin/` or in the system-wide directory `/usr/share/nvim/runtime/plugin/`.

### Language Server Protocol

Neovim contains a built-in Language Server Protocol client and the nvim-lspconfig plugin provides common configurations for it.

Language servers can be installed natively using the following packages:

LSP config | Language | LSP server package
--- | --- | ---
als | Ada/SPARK | ada_language_serverAUR
angularls | Angular |
bashls | BASH | bash-language-server
ccls | C, C++, Objective-C | ccls ccls-gitAUR
clangd | C++ | clang
clojure_lsp | Clojure | clojure-lsp-binAUR
cmake | CMake | cmake-language-serverAUR
codeqlls | CodeQL | codeqlAUR
cssls | CSS, LESS, SASS | vscode-css-languageserver
dartls | Dart | dart
denols | JavaScript, TypeScript | deno
dhall_lsp_server | Dhall | dhall-lsp-server
diagnosticls | General purpose | diagnostic-languageserverAUR
dockerls | Dockerfile | dockerfile-language-serverAUR
efm | General purpose | efm-langserverAUR
elixirls | Elixir | elixir-lsAUR
elmls | Elm | elm-language-serverAUR
erlangls | Erlang | erlang_ls-gitAUR
flow | Flow | flowAUR
fortls | Fortran | fortran-language-serverAUR
fsautocomplete | F# |
gdscript | GDScript | godot
ghcide | Haskell | ghcideAUR
gopls | GOlang | gopls
graphql | GraphQL | graphql-lspAUR
groovyls | Groovy | groovy-language-server-gitAUR
haxe_language_server | Haxe |
hie | Haskell | haskell-ide-engineAUR
hls | Haskell | haskell-language-server
html | HTML | vscode-html-languageserver
intelephense | PHP | nodejs-intelephenseAUR
java_language_server | Java | java-language-serverAUR
jdtls | Java | jdtlsAUR
jedi_language_server | Python | jedi-language-server
jsonls | JSON | vscode-json-languageserver
julials | Julia |
kotlin_language_server | Kotlin | kotlin-language-serverAUR
leanls | Lean |
marksman | Markdown | marksman-binAUR
metals | Scala | metalsAUR
nimls | Nim |
ocamlls | OCaml, Reason |
ocamllsp | OCaml, Reason | ocaml-lsp-gitAUR
omnisharp | OmniSharp | omnisharp-roslynAUR
perlls | Perl | perl-perl-languageserverAUR
phpactor | PHP |
powershell_es | PowerShell |
purescriptls | PureScript | purescript-language-serverAUR
pylsp | Python | python-lsp-server
pyright | Python | pyright
r_language_server | R |
racket_langserver | Racket |
rescriptls | ReScript |
rls | Rust | rls-gitAUR
rnix | nix | rnix-lsp-gitAUR
rome | Rome |
rust_analyzer | Rust | rust-analyzer
scry | Crystal | scry-gitAUR
solargraph | Ruby | ruby-solargraphAUR
sorbet | Ruby |
sourcekit | C, C++, Objective-C | swift-languageAUR
sqlls | SQL | sql-language-serverAUR
sqls | SQL |
stylelint_lsp | stylelint |
sumneko_lua | Lua | lua-language-server
svelte | Svelte | nodejs-svelte-language-serverAUR
svls | SystemVerilog |
terraformls | Terraform | terraform-lsAUR
texlab | (La)TeX | texlab
tflint | Terraform | tflintAUR
tsserver | TypeScript | typescript-language-server
vala_ls | Vala | vala-language-serverAUR
vimls | Vim | vim-language-serverAUR
vls | V |
volar | Vue 3 | volar-server-binAUR
vuels | Vue 2 | nodejs-vlsAUR
yamlls | YAML | yaml-language-server
zls | Zig | zls-binAUR

### Use as a pager

You can use Neovim as a pager. Install either the nvimpagerAUR or the nvimpager-gitAUR package and export the `PAGER` environment variable to `nvimpager`.

## Troubleshooting

### Cursor is not restored to previous state after exit

If the cursor keeps blinking after exiting neovim, see the solution in the neovim FAQ.

## See also

- Github repository
- Github wiki

Categories:

- Text editors
- Console applications