nvim.nix/README.md
2024-03-06 02:24:31 +01:00

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<p>❄️</p>
<p>
<strong>
A dead simple <a href="https://nixos.org/">Nix</a> flake template repository</br>
for <a href="https://neovim.io/">Neovim</a>
</strong>
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[![Neovim][neovim-shield]][neovim-url]
[![Nix][nix-shield]][nix-url]
[![Lua][lua-shield]][lua-url]
[![GPL2 License][license-shield]][license-url]
[![Issues][issues-shield]][issues-url]
![](https://github.com/mrcjkb/kickstart-nix.nvim/assets/12857160/84faa268-82de-4401-acf3-efddc26dd58a)
If Nix and Neovim have one thing in common,
it's that many new users don't know where to get started.
Most Nix-based Neovim setups assume deep expertise in both realms,
abstracting away Neovim's core functionalities
as well as the Nix internals used to build a Neovim config.
Frameworks and module-based DSLs are opinionated and difficult to diverge from
with one's own modifications.
`kickstart-nix.nvim` is different:
It's geared for users of all levels,
making the migration of Neovim configurations to Nix straightforward.
This project aims to be as simple as possible, while allowing
for maximum flexibility.
> [!NOTE]
>
> Similar to [`kickstart.nvim`](https://github.com/nvim-lua/kickstart.nvim),
> this repository is meant to be used by **you** to begin your
> **Nix**/Neovim journey; remove the things you don't use and add what you miss.
## Quick Links
- [Philosophy](#philosophy)
- [Features](#features)
- [Test drive](#test-drive)
- [Usage](#usage)
- [Installation](#installation)
- [Design](#design)
- [Pre-configured plugins](#pre-configured-plugins)
- [Syncing updates](#syncing-updates)
- [Alternative / similar projects](#alternative--similar-projects)
## Philosophy
- KISS principle with sane defaults.
- Manage plugins + external dependencies using Nix
(managing plugins shouldn't be the responsibility of a plugin).
- Configuration entirely in Lua[^1] (Vimscript is also possible).
This makes it easy to migrate from non-nix dotfiles.
- Use Neovim's built-in loading mechanisms. See:
- [`:h initialization`](https://neovim.io/doc/user/starting.html#initialization)
- [`:h runtimepath`](https://neovim.io/doc/user/options.html#'runtimepath')
- [`:h packadd`](https://neovim.io/doc/user/repeat.html#%3Apackadd)
- Use Neovim's built-in LSP client, with Nix managing language servers.
## Features
- Use either nixpkgs or flake inputs as plugin sources.
- Usable on any device with Neovim and Nix installed.
- Ability to create multiple derivations with different sets of plugins,
and simple regex filters to exclude config files.
- Uses Nix to generate a `.luarc.json` in the devShell's `shellHook`.
This sets up lua-language-server to recognize all plugins
and the Neovim API.
[^1]: The absence of a Nix module DSL for Neovim configuration is deliberate.
If you were to copy the `nvim` directory to `$XDG_CONFIG_HOME`,
and install the plugins, it would work out of the box.
## Test drive
If you have Nix installed (with [flakes](https://nixos.wiki/wiki/Flakes) enabled),
you can test drive this by running:
```console
nix run "github:mrcjkb/kickstart-nix.nvim"
```
## Usage
1. Click on [Use this template](https://github.com/mrcjkb/kickstart-nix.nvim/generate)
to start a repo based on this template. **Do _not_ fork it**.
1. Add/remove plugins to/from the [Neovim overlay](./nix/neovim-overlay.nix).
1. Add/remove plugin configs to/from the `nvim/plugin` directory.
1. Modify as you wish (you will probably want to add a color theme, ...).
See: [Design](#design).
1. You can create more than one package using the `mkNeovim` function by
- Passing different plugin lists.
- Adding `ignoreConfigRegexes` (e.g. `= [ "^ftplugin/.*.lua" ]`).
> [!TIP]
>
> The nix and lua files contain comments explaining
> what everything does in detail.
## Installation
### NixOS (with flakes)
1. Add your flake to you NixOS flake inputs.
1. Add the overlay provided by this flake.
```nix
nixpkgs.overlays = [
# replace <kickstart-nix-nvim> with the name you chose
<kickstart-nix-nvim>.overlays.default
];
```
You can then add the overlay's output(s) to the `systemPackages`:
```nix
environment.systemPackages = with pkgs; [
nvim-pkg # The default package added by the overlay
];
```
### Non-NixOS
With Nix installed (flakes enabled), from the repo root:
```console
nix profile install .#nvim
```
## Design
Directory structure:
```sh
── flake.nix
── nvim # Neovim configs (lua), equivalent to ~/.config/nvim
── nix # Nix configs
```
### Neovim configs
- Set options in `init.lua`.
- Source autocommands, user commands, keymaps,
and configure plugins in individual files within the `plugin` directory.
- Filetype-specific scripts (e.g. start LSP clients) in the `ftplugin` directory.
- Library modules in the `lua/user` directory.
Directory structure:
```sh
── nvim
├── ftplugin # Sourced when opening a file type
│ └── <filetype>.lua
├── init.lua # Always sourced
├── lua # Shared library modules
│ └── user
│ └── <lib>.lua
├── plugin # Automatically sourced at startup
│ ├── autocommands.lua
│ ├── commands.lua
│ ├── keymaps.lua
│ ├── plugins.lua # Plugins that require a `setup` call
│ └── <plugin-config>.lua # Plugin configurations
└── after # Empty in this template
├── plugin # Sourced at the very end of startup (rarely needed)
└── ftplugin # Sourced when opening a filetype, after sourcing ftplugin scripts
```
> [!IMPORTANT]
>
> - Configuration variables (e.g. `vim.g.<plugin_config>`) should go in `nvim/init.lua`
> or a module that is `require`d in `init.lua`.
> - Configurations for plugins that require explicit initialization
> (e.g. via a call to a `setup()` function) should go in `nvim/plugin/<plugin>.lua`
> or `nvim/plugin/plugins.lua`.
> - See [Initialization order](#initialization-order) for details.
### Nix
You can declare Neovim derivations in `nix/neovim-overlay.nix`.
There are two ways to add plugins:
- The traditional way, using `nixpkgs` as the source.
- By adding plugins as flake inputs (if you like living on the bleeding-edge).
Plugins added as flake inputs must be built in `nix/plugin-overlay.nix`.
Directory structure:
```sh
── flake.nix
── nix
├── mkNeovim.nix # Function for creating the Neovim derivation
└── neovim-overlay.nix # Overlay that adds Neovim derivation
```
### Initialization order
This derivation creates an `init.lua` as follows:
1. Add `nvim/lua` to the `runtimepath`.
1. Add the content of `nvim/init.lua`.
1. Add `nvim/*` to the `runtimepath`.
1. Add `nvim/after` to the `runtimepath`.
This means that modules in `nvim/lua` can be `require`d in `init.lua` and `nvim/*/*.lua`.
Modules in `nvim/plugin/` are sourced automatically, as if they were plugins.
Because they are added to the runtime path at the end of the resulting `init.lua`,
Neovim sources them _after_ loading plugins.
## Pre-configured plugins
This configuration comes with [a few plugins pre-configured](./nix/neovim-overlay.nix).
You can add or remove plugins by
- Adding/Removing them in the [Nix list](./nix/neovim-overlay.nix).
- Adding/Removing the config in `nvim/plugin/<plugin>.lua`.
## Syncing updates
If you have used this template and would like to fetch updates
that were added later...
Add this template as a remote:
```console
git remote add upstream git@github.com:mrcjkb/kickstart-nix.nvim.git
```
Fetch and merge changes:
```console
git fetch upstream
git merge upstream/main --allow-unrelated-histories
```
## Alternative / similar projects
- [`kickstart.nvim`](https://github.com/nvim-lua/kickstart.nvim):
Single-file Neovim configuration template with a similar philosophy to this project.
Does not use Nix to manage plugins.
- [`neovim-flake`](https://github.com/jordanisaacs/neovim-flake):
Configured using a Nix module DSL.
- [`NixVim`](https://github.com/nix-community/nixvim):
A Neovim distribution configured using a NixOS module.
- [`nixCats-nvim`](https://github.com/BirdeeHub/nixCats-nvim):
A project that organises plugins into categories.
It also separates lua and nix configuration.
- [`lazy-nix-helper.nvim`](https://github.com/b-src/lazy-nix-helper.nvim):
For lazy.nvim users who would like to manage plugins with Nix,
but load them with lazy.nvim.
> [!NOTE]
>
> When comparing with projects in the "non-Nix world", this
> repository would be more comparable to `kickstart.nvim` (hence the name),
> while the philosophies of `neovim-flake` and `NixVim` are more in line with
> a Neovim distribution like [`LunarVim`](https://www.lunarvim.org/)
> or [`LazyVim`](https://www.lazyvim.org/)
> (though they are more minimal by default).
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