Native Neovim config idioms and conventions — use whenever writing, reviewing, or modifying any Neovim configuration that uses Neovim's built-in conventions WITHOUT a plugin manager framework (no lazy.nvim, packer, etc.). Covers directory structure, vim.pack plugin management, lsp/ auto-discovery, plugin/ loading order, keymaps, and standard paths. Trigger on any task involving init.lua, plugin/*.lua, lsp/*.lua, vim.pack.add(), vim.lsp.enable(), or "native neovim config" — even if the user ju...
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---
name: nvim-config
description: >
Native Neovim config idioms and conventions — use whenever writing, reviewing,
or modifying any Neovim configuration that uses Neovim's built-in conventions
WITHOUT a plugin manager framework (no lazy.nvim, packer, etc.). Covers
directory structure, vim.pack plugin management, lsp/ auto-discovery, plugin/
loading order, keymaps, and standard paths. Trigger on any task involving
init.lua, plugin/*.lua, lsp/*.lua, vim.pack.add(), vim.lsp.enable(), or
"native neovim config" — even if the user just says "add a plugin" or
"configure LSP" in a native-style config.
---
# Native Neovim config
Conventions for Neovim configs built on `vim.pack`, `lsp/` and `plugin/` with no
plugin manager framework. Requires Neovim >= v0.12.0.
References — read the one the task needs:
| File | Covers |
| -------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `references/loading-patterns.md` | `vim.pack.add`'s `load` option, the three loading patterns, build hooks, profiling |
| `references/plugin-files.md` | File skeleton per pattern, `_G.Config` sharing, `do/end` blocks, ftplugin, option interfaces |
| `references/startup.md` | `:h initialization` step table, runtime directories, `after/`, exrc, help tags, standard paths |
## This config's location
The native config lives at **`~/.dotfiles/stow/shared/.config/nvim-fredrik/`**
inside the dotfiles repo. `dotfiles-stow` links it into place as a whole
directory, so new files show up without a restow:
```
~/.dotfiles/stow/shared/.config/nvim-fredrik/ <- actual files (edit here)
~/.config/nvim-fredrik -> ~/.dotfiles/stow/shared/.config/nvim-fredrik
```
Launch it with `NVIM_APPNAME=nvim-fredrik nvim`. Neovim itself comes from
nixpkgs-unstable via home-manager (`nix/shared/home/common.nix`) -- binary at
`~/.nix-profile/bin/nvim`.
## Architecture
No framework -- each directory has a single responsibility:
| Layer | Directory | Role |
| ------------------- | ----------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **options** | `lua/options.lua` | All `vim.opt` settings, required from `init.lua` |
| **utility** | `lua/` | Shared Lua modules: `lazyload.lua`, `merge.lua`, `fold.lua`, `toggle.lua`, pickers, etc. |
| **plugins** | `plugin/` | Self-contained plugin files: install + setup + keymaps |
| **lang plugins** | `plugin/lang/` | Per-language plugin installs, custom filetypes, autocmds, and setup |
| **editor settings** | `ftplugin/` | Per-filetype `vim.opt_local` (indent, wrap, conceal) |
| **server config** | `after/lsp/` | All LSP server config tables (in after/ to override package defaults) |
```
~/.config/nvim-fredrik/
init.lua -- leader keys, require("options"), diagnostics, keymaps
lua/
lazyload.lua -- VimEnter/UIEnter deferred setup queues
merge.lua -- deep merge helper (appends+deduplicates lists, recurses dicts)
options.lua -- all vim.opt settings
dev.lua -- local dev plugin loader
... -- other utility modules (fold, toggle, pickers, icons, etc.)
lsp/ -- (unused; nvim-lspconfig provides base configs)
parser/ -- treesitter parser .so files (managed by nvim-treesitter)
colors/ -- custom colorschemes (loaded by :colorscheme)
snippets/ -- custom snippet files (loaded by blink.cmp)
ftplugin/ -- per-filetype editor settings (vim.opt_local)
plugin/
lang/ -- per-language plugins, custom filetypes, autocmds
blink.lua -- completion (VimEnter)
conform.lua -- formatting (VimEnter)
dap.lua -- debugging (deferred to first use)
lint.lua -- linting (VimEnter)
lsp.lua -- LSP enable + LspAttach keymaps (VimEnter)
lualine.lua -- statusline (VimEnter, sync)
mason.lua -- tool installation (VimEnter)
neotest.lua -- testing (deferred to first use)
<name>.lua -- other feature plugins (snacks, treesitter, oil, etc.)
after/
lsp/ -- all LSP server configs (overrides package defaults)
queries/<lang>/ -- treesitter query extensions (injections.scm, etc.)
syntax/<ft>.vim -- legacy syntax overrides/extensions
```
Notes on the layers:
- **`lua/lazyload.lua`** provides `on_vim_enter(fn, opts?)` and `on_ui_enter(fn,
opts?)` for queuing setup functions. Default is async (via `vim.schedule()`);
`{ sync = true }` runs synchronously. Also provides `on_override(fn)` for
project-local overrides (runs after all VimEnter callbacks). Only lualine uses
`{ sync = true }`.
- **`lua/merge.lua`** deep-merges: appends and deduplicates lists, recurses into
dicts, overwrites scalars. `vim.NIL` as a value removes a key.
- **`lua/dev.lua`** loads a plugin from a local clone if it exists, otherwise
falls back to `vim.pack.add()`.
- **`plugin/`** files are self-contained: `vim.pack.add()` -> setup -> keymaps.
Sourced alphabetically at step 11; subdirectories included via the `**` glob.
- **`plugin/lang/`** is one file per language, only for languages needing
genuinely language-specific wiring: plugins, custom filetypes
(`vim.filetype.add`), build hooks, autocmds. Tool config (servers, formatters,
linters) lives inline in the core plugin files; per-filetype editor settings
live in `ftplugin/`.
## vim.pack
```lua
vim.pack.add({
"https://github.com/user/repo", -- string form
{ src = "https://github.com/user/repo" }, -- table form
{ src = "https://github.com/user/repo", name = "repo" }, -- custom name
{ src = "https://github.com/user/repo", version = "main" }, -- branch/tag/commit
{ src = "https://github.com/user/repo", version = vim.version.range("1.*") }, -- semver range
})
vim.pack.update() -- interactive update with confirmation buffer
vim.pack.update({"name"}, { force = true }) -- update specific plugin, skip confirm
vim.pack.del({"name"}) -- remove from disk
vim.pack.get() -- list all managed plugins
```
Install location is `stdpath("data") .. "/site/pack/core/opt/<name>"`; the
lockfile is `$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/nvim/nvim-pack-lock.json`, committed to VCS.
**No URL shorthand helpers** in this config. The upstream docs suggest a `local
gh = function(x) ... end`, but since `vim.pack.add()` is scattered across many
`plugin/` files (one per plugin), a central helper adds no value. Use full URLs.
The `load` option decides which of the three loading patterns a file uses — see
`references/loading-patterns.md`.
## after/lsp/ config files
Each file returns a `vim.lsp.Config` table; the filename (without `.lua`)
becomes the server name. Placed in `after/lsp/` to override base configs shipped
by packages. No `setup()` call needed.
```lua
-- after/lsp/gopls.lua
---@type vim.lsp.Config
return {
cmd = { "gopls" },
filetypes = { "go", "gomod", "gowork", "gosum" },
root_markers = { "go.work", "go.mod", ".git" },
settings = {
gopls = {
analyses = { unusedparams = true },
staticcheck = true,
},
},
}
```
Servers are enabled in `plugin/lsp.lua` via `vim.lsp.enable(servers)`. To
disable one: `vim.lsp.enable("gopls", false)`.
## Adding a new language
1. Add LSP server to the `servers` list in `plugin/lsp.lua`
2. Add mason tools to the `ensure_installed` list in `plugin/mason.lua`
3. Add formatters to `formatters_by_ft` in `plugin/conform.lua`
4. Add linters to `linters_by_ft` in `plugin/lint.lua`
5. Testing/debugging/coverage/running: `plugin/neotest.lua`, `plugin/dap.lua`,
`plugin/nvim_coverage.lua`, `plugin/code_runner.lua`
6. _(if needed)_ `ftplugin/<ft>.lua` -- editor settings (`vim.opt_local`),
unless Neovim's built-in ftplugin already covers them
7. _(if needed)_ `plugin/lang/<ft>.lua` -- language-specific plugins, custom
filetypes, autocmds
8. _(optional)_ `after/lsp/<server>.lua` -- override nvim-lspconfig base config