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https://github.com/mrcjkb/kickstart-nix.nvim
❄️ A dead simple Nix flake template repository for Neovim derivations [maintainer=@mrcjkb]
https://github.com/mrcjkb/kickstart-nix.nvim
flakes neovim nix nixos nvim vim
Last synced: 2 months ago
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❄️ A dead simple Nix flake template repository for Neovim derivations [maintainer=@mrcjkb]
- Host: GitHub
- URL: https://github.com/mrcjkb/kickstart-nix.nvim
- Owner: nix-community
- License: gpl-2.0
- Created: 2023-10-05T23:52:46.000Z (about 1 year ago)
- Default Branch: main
- Last Pushed: 2024-05-12T21:31:31.000Z (6 months ago)
- Last Synced: 2024-05-22T13:22:18.082Z (6 months ago)
- Topics: flakes, neovim, nix, nixos, nvim, vim
- Language: Lua
- Homepage:
- Size: 107 KB
- Stars: 127
- Watchers: 3
- Forks: 5
- Open Issues: 0
-
Metadata Files:
- Readme: README.md
- Funding: .github/FUNDING.yml
- License: LICENSE
Awesome Lists containing this project
README
❄️
A dead simple Nix flake template repository
for Neovim
[![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]
## :grey_question: Why kickstart-nix.nvim
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.
## :milky_way: 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.
[^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.
## :star2: Features
- Use either nixpkgs or flake inputs as plugin sources.
- Usable on any device with Neovim and Nix installed.
- 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.
## :bicyclist: Test drive
If you have Nix installed (with [flakes](https://wiki.nixos.org/wiki/Flakes) enabled),
you can test drive this by running:
```console
nix run "github:nix-community/kickstart-nix.nvim"
```
## :books: Usage
1. Click on [Use this template](https://github.com/nix-community/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](#robot-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.
## :zap: Installation
### :snowflake: NixOS (with flakes)
1. Add your flake to you NixOS flake inputs.
1. Add the overlay provided by this flake.
```nix
nixpkgs.overlays = [
# replace with the name you chose
.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
];
```
> [!IMPORTANT]
>
> This flake uses `nixpkgs.wrapNeovimUnstable`, which has an
> unstable signature. If you set `nixpkgs.follows = "nixpkgs";`
> when importing this into your flake.nix, it may break.
> Especially if your nixpkgs input pins a different branch.
### :penguin: Non-NixOS
With Nix installed (flakes enabled), from the repo root:
```console
nix profile install .#nvim
```
## :robot: Design
Directory structure:
```sh
── flake.nix
── nvim # Neovim configs (lua), equivalent to ~/.config/nvim
── nix # Nix configs
```
### :open_file_folder: 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
│ └── .lua
├── init.lua # Always sourced
├── lua # Shared library modules
│ └── user
│ └── .lua
├── plugin # Automatically sourced at startup
│ ├── autocommands.lua
│ ├── commands.lua
│ ├── keymaps.lua
│ ├── plugins.lua # Plugins that require a `setup` call
│ └── .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.`) 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/.lua`
> or `nvim/plugin/plugins.lua`.
> - See [Initialization order](#initialization-order) for details.
### :open_file_folder: 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
```
### :mag: 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.
## :electric_plug: 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/.lua`.
## :anchor: 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 [email protected]:nix-community/kickstart-nix.nvim.git
```
Fetch and merge changes:
```console
git fetch upstream
git merge upstream/main --allow-unrelated-histories
```
## :pencil: Editing your config
When your neovim setup is a nix derivation, editing your config
demands a different workflow than you are used to without nix.
Here is how I usually do it:
- Perform modifications and stage any new files[^2].
- Run `nix run /path/to/neovim/#nvim`
or `nix run /path/to/neovim/#nvim -- `
[^2]: When adding new files, nix flakes won't pick them up unless they
have been committed or staged.
This requires a rebuild of the `nvim` derivation, but has the advantage
that if anything breaks, it's only broken during your test run.
If you want an impure, but faster feedback loop,
you can use `$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/$NVIM_APPNAME`[^3], where `$NVIM_APPNAME`
defaults to `nvim` if the `appName` attribute is not set
in the `mkNeovim` function.
[^3]: Assuming Linux. Refer to `:h initialization` for Darwin.
This has one caveat: The wrapper which nix generates for the derivation
calls `nvim` with `-u /nix/store/path/to/generated-init.lua`.
So it won't source a local `init.lua` file.
To work around this, you can put scripts in the `plugin` or `after/plugin` directory.
> [!TIP]
>
> If you are starting out, and want to test things without having to
> stage or commit new files for changes to take effect,
> you can remove the `.git` directory and re-initialize it (`git init`)
> when you are done.
## :link: 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 module system for Neovim, with a focus on plugin configs.
- [`nixCats-nvim`](https://github.com/BirdeeHub/nixCats-nvim):
A project that organises plugins into categories.
It also separates lua and nix configuration.
- [`lz.n`](https://github.com/nvim-neorocks/lz.n):
A plugin-manager agnostic Lua library for lazy-loading plugins.
Can be used with Nix.
> [!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 far more minimal by default).
[neovim-shield]: https://img.shields.io/badge/NeoVim-%2357A143.svg?&style=for-the-badge&logo=neovim&logoColor=white
[neovim-url]: https://neovim.io/
[nix-shield]: https://img.shields.io/badge/nix-0175C2?style=for-the-badge&logo=NixOS&logoColor=white
[nix-url]: https://nixos.org/
[lua-shield]: https://img.shields.io/badge/lua-%232C2D72.svg?style=for-the-badge&logo=lua&logoColor=white
[lua-url]: https://www.lua.org/
[license-shield]: https://img.shields.io/github/license/nix-community/kickstart-nix.nvim.svg?style=for-the-badge
[license-url]: https://github.com/nix-community/kickstart-nix.nvim/blob/master/LICENSE
[issues-shield]: https://img.shields.io/github/issues/nix-community/kickstart-nix.nvim.svg?style=for-the-badge
[issues-url]: https://github.com/nix-community/kickstart-nix.nvim/issues
[license-shield]: https://img.shields.io/github/license/nix-community/kickstart-nix.nvim.svg?style=for-the-badge
[license-url]: https://github.com/nix-community/kickstart-nix.nvim/blob/master/LICENSE