Flouda Vault

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Complete Neovim Configuration Guide: From Setup to Advanced Usage

Neovim is a powerful, extensible text editor that builds upon Vim’s foundation while adding modern features and improved extensibility. This guide will walk you through setting up a complete Neovim configuration from scratch, covering essential concepts, plugin management, and advanced features that will transform your development workflow.

Whether you’re migrating from other editors or starting fresh with Neovim, this guide provides everything you need to create a productive, modern development environment.

Understanding Neovim Fundamentals

Configuration Directory Structure

Neovim uses a specific directory structure for configuration files. The primary configuration directory is ~/.config/nvim, which serves as the root for all customizations.

Key directories and files:

  • ~/.config/nvim/init.lua - Main entry point for configuration
  • ~/.config/nvim/lua/ - Directory for Lua modules (importable by Neovim)
  • ~/.config/nvim/plugin/ - Auto-loaded plugin configurations

To understand Neovim’s runtime paths, use the command :h rtp within Neovim.

Essential Navigation Commands

Before diving into configuration, familiarize yourself with these essential commands:

  • :Ex - Opens file explorer (netrw)
  • % - Creates a new file in file explorer
  • d - Creates a new directory in file explorer
  • :so - Sources the currently open file in Neovim

Lua Module System

Neovim’s Lua integration follows standard Lua conventions:

  • Any directory with an init.lua file is treated as a module
  • Files in ~/.config/nvim/lua/ are importable using require()
  • Configuration is typically organized into logical modules

Plugin Management with Lazy.nvim

Modern Neovim configurations rely heavily on plugins to extend functionality. Lazy.nvim is the current standard for plugin management, offering lazy loading, dependency management, and excellent performance.

Installing Lazy.nvim

Add the following to your ~/.config/nvim/init.lua:

local lazypath = vim.fn.stdpath("data") .. "/lazy/lazy.nvim"
if not vim.loop.fs_stat(lazypath) then
  vim.fn.system({
    "git",
    "clone",
    "--filter=blob:none",
    "https://github.com/folke/lazy.nvim.git",
    "--branch=stable",
    lazypath,
  })
end
vim.opt.rtp:prepend(lazypath)
 
require("lazy").setup("plugins")

This bootstrap code automatically installs Lazy.nvim if it’s not present and sets up the plugin system.

Essential Plugin Ecosystem

Core Plugins for Modern Development

Color Scheme and Appearance

Navigation and Search

Code Intelligence

Language Server Protocol (LSP)

Autocompletion

  • nvim-cmp - Completion engine with multiple sources

User Experience

Plugin Configuration Strategy

Organize plugins into logical groups:

  • Core functionality (file explorer, fuzzy finder)
  • Language support (LSP, completion, syntax highlighting)
  • User interface (themes, status line, notifications)
  • Development tools (Git integration, debugging, testing)

Language Server Protocol (LSP) Setup

LSP provides intelligent code features like auto-completion, go-to-definition, and error checking. Setting up LSP correctly is crucial for a modern development experience.

Understanding LSP Architecture

  1. Language Server - External process that analyzes code
  2. LSP Client - Neovim’s built-in LSP client (vim.lsp)
  3. Configuration - Mapping between file types and language servers

Native LSP Configuration

Neovim’s built-in LSP client (vim.lsp) provides powerful functionality without additional plugins:

-- Basic LSP configuration
local lsp = vim.lsp
local api = vim.api
 
-- Set up common keybindings
local on_attach = function(client, bufnr)
  local opts = { noremap = true, silent = true, buffer = bufnr }
  
  vim.keymap.set('n', 'gD', vim.lsp.buf.declaration, opts)
  vim.keymap.set('n', 'gd', vim.lsp.buf.definition, opts)
  vim.keymap.set('n', 'K', vim.lsp.buf.hover, opts)
  vim.keymap.set('n', 'gi', vim.lsp.buf.implementation, opts)
  vim.keymap.set('n', '<leader>rn', vim.lsp.buf.rename, opts)
  vim.keymap.set('n', '<leader>ca', vim.lsp.buf.code_action, opts)
end

Mason Integration

Mason simplifies LSP server installation and management:

require("mason").setup()
require("mason-lspconfig").setup({
  ensure_installed = { "lua_ls", "pyright", "tsserver" },
  automatic_installation = true,
})

Automated Installation

For users who want to skip manual configuration and get started immediately, the automated Neovim setup utility provides a complete, one-command installation.

Quick Installation

curl -fsSL https://vault.flouda.io/scripts/setup-nvim | bash

This script automatically handles:

  • Dependency installation - All required packages and tools
  • Cross-platform support - Works on Arch Linux and Ubuntu 24.04
  • Source compilation - Builds latest Neovim from source when needed
  • Configuration deployment - Complete custom configuration setup
  • Backup management - Safely preserves existing configurations

Installation Modes

The setup script offers two modes to match your needs:

Full Mode (Default)

curl -fsSL https://vault.flouda.io/scripts/setup-nvim | bash

Installs the complete development environment with all features, latest Node.js, and full plugin set.

Minimal Mode

curl -fsSL https://vault.flouda.io/scripts/setup-nvim | bash -s -- --minimal

Creates a lightweight editor with essential functionality and reduced resource usage.

For detailed information about the installation process, troubleshooting, and advanced options, see the complete setup guide.

Configuration Tips and Best Practices

Search and Replace

In Neovim, use \r to replace characters with newline characters in search and replace operations:

:%s/old_text/new_text\r/g

Modular Configuration

Organize your configuration into logical modules:

~/.config/nvim/
├── init.lua
├── lua/
│   ├── core/
│   │   ├── options.lua
│   │   ├── keymaps.lua
│   │   └── autocmds.lua
│   ├── plugins/
│   │   ├── init.lua
│   │   ├── lsp.lua
│   │   ├── completion.lua
│   │   └── ui.lua
│   └── utils/
│       └── helpers.lua

Performance Optimization

  • Use lazy loading for plugins that aren’t immediately needed
  • Minimize startup time by deferring non-essential configurations
  • Profile your configuration with :Lazy profile to identify bottlenecks

Version Control

Keep your Neovim configuration in version control:

  • Use Git to track changes and synchronize across machines
  • Include plugin lockfiles for reproducible environments
  • Document your configuration choices and customizations

Advanced Configuration Concepts

Custom Commands and Autocommands

Create custom commands for frequently used operations:

vim.api.nvim_create_user_command('Config', function()
  vim.cmd('edit ~/.config/nvim/init.lua')
end, { desc = 'Edit Neovim configuration' })

Filetype-Specific Settings

Configure different settings for different file types:

vim.api.nvim_create_autocmd('FileType', {
  pattern = 'python',
  callback = function()
    vim.opt_local.tabstop = 4
    vim.opt_local.shiftwidth = 4
    vim.opt_local.expandtab = true
  end,
})

Custom Keybindings

Create intuitive keybindings for your workflow:

-- Leader key shortcuts
vim.g.mapleader = ' '
vim.keymap.set('n', '<leader>ff', '<cmd>Telescope find_files<CR>')
vim.keymap.set('n', '<leader>fg', '<cmd>Telescope live_grep<CR>')
vim.keymap.set('n', '<leader>fb', '<cmd>Telescope buffers<CR>')

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Plugin Loading Problems

If plugins aren’t loading correctly:

  1. Check :Lazy for plugin status
  2. Verify plugin configuration syntax
  3. Review error messages with :messages
  4. Ensure dependencies are properly specified

LSP Configuration Issues

Common LSP problems and solutions:

  • Server not starting: Check Mason installation with :Mason
  • No completion: Verify nvim-cmp configuration
  • Incorrect keybindings: Ensure on_attach function is properly configured

Performance Issues

If Neovim feels slow:

  • Profile startup time with nvim --startuptime startup.log
  • Check for plugins that load synchronously
  • Review treesitter configuration for large files

References and Resources

Questions Answered in This Document

Q: What is the main configuration file for Neovim? A: The main configuration file is ~/.config/nvim/init.lua, which serves as the entry point for all Neovim customizations.

Q: How do I install and manage plugins in Neovim? A: Use Lazy.nvim as a plugin manager. It provides lazy loading, dependency management, and excellent performance for modern Neovim configurations.

Q: What is LSP and why is it important? A: Language Server Protocol (LSP) provides intelligent code features like auto-completion, go-to-definition, and error checking. It’s essential for modern development workflows.

Q: How do I set up autocompletion in Neovim? A: Use nvim-cmp as the completion engine, configure it with various sources, and integrate it with your LSP setup for intelligent code completion.

Q: What’s the difference between Vim and Neovim? A: Neovim builds upon Vim’s foundation while adding modern features like better extensibility, built-in LSP support, Lua configuration, and improved performance.

Q: How do I organize my Neovim configuration? A: Organize configuration into logical modules under ~/.config/nvim/lua/, separating core settings, plugin configurations, and utility functions.

Q: Can I use my existing Vim configuration with Neovim? A: Yes, Neovim is largely compatible with Vim configurations, but you’ll get better performance and features by migrating to Lua-based configuration.

Q: How do I troubleshoot plugin issues? A: Check :Lazy for plugin status, review :messages for errors, verify configuration syntax, and ensure all dependencies are properly installed.

Q: What are the essential plugins for a modern Neovim setup? A: Essential plugins include a plugin manager (Lazy.nvim), file explorer (neo-tree), fuzzy finder (telescope), LSP support (mason, nvim-lspconfig), and completion (nvim-cmp).

Q: How do I quickly install a complete Neovim configuration? A: Use the automated installation script: curl -fsSL https://vault.flouda.io/scripts/setup-nvim | bash for Arch Linux and Ubuntu 24.04.

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