NvChad

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Sources:

  1. NvChad
  2. NvChad --- Rocky Linux
  3. Dreams of Code's NvChad playlist
  4. BrunoKrugel's Github repo

Note: This article will only focus on NvChad itself. If you want to simply copy my computer configs (ALL OF THEM), you can refer to How to Set Up on A New Machine.

How to install

--> NvChad Installation Doc

  1. Install NvChad

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    git clone https://github.com/NvChad/NvChad ~/.config/nvim --depth 1 && nvim

  2. Set environment variable in ~/.zshrc for convience:

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    export NVIM_CUSTOM_HOME="$DOT_FILE_HOME/nvchad_custom"

  3. Install NvChad. Detete its default custom file. Use a symbol link, which is to my custom file in the dotfile, to replace it.

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    ln -s  $NVIM_CUSTOM_HOME/ ~/.config/nvim/lua/custom

Components

Treesitter

Nvim-treesitter plugin is used to suport syntax highlighting in NvChad. It can be used for various things such as auto indent etc too.

  • For knowing correct parser names, do check nvim-treesitter docs

  • You can also get a list of all available languages and their installation status with :TSInstallInfo

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    TSInstallInfo

  • To install parsers:

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    TSInstall <parser>

  • Example :

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TSInstall lua html

But this may be tedious when you have so many parsers to install and you'd have to repeat this step if you're re-installing nvchad with your old custom settings.

Telescope

FInd finds in current peoject (aka directory):

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<leader> + ff

FInd finds in current buffer:

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<leader> + fz

FInd finds in all buffers:

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<leader> + fb

Functionalitoes

  • Cheet sheet:

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    <Ctrl> + ch

Window Management

window --> buffer

tab --> buffer

  • Nagivate windows:

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    <Ctrl> + [hjkl]

  • Navigate tabs:

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    <Tab>

  • Close current buffer:

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    <leader> + x

  • Split windows:

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    :vsp

    (vertical split)

Terminal

  • Open terminal horizontally:

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    <leader> + h

  • vertically

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    <leader> + v

LSP

neovim/nvim-lspconfig

In custom/plugins.lua:

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-- In order to modify the `lspconfig` configuration:
{
  "neovim/nvim-lspconfig",
   config = function()
      require "plugins.configs.lspconfig"
      require "custom.configs.lspconfig"
   end,
},

This controls the behavior of LSP.

The file plugins/configs/lspconfi.lua is thr system config, we shouldn't change it. What we need to modify is custom/configs/lspconfig.lua. We can see its content:

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local on_attach = require("plugins.configs.lspconfig").on_attach
local capabilities = require("plugins.configs.lspconfig").capabilities

local lspconfig = require("lspconfig")

-- if you just want default config for the servers then put them in a table
local servers = { "html", "cssls", "tsserver", "clangd", "pyright" }

-- Add attach and capabilities to every lspconfig[<lsp_server>]
for _, lsp in ipairs(servers) do
  lspconfig[lsp].setup {
    on_attach = on_attach,
    capabilities = capabilities,
  }
end

It's clear that the function for loop for _, lsp in ipairs(servers) do ... end add the on_attach and capabilities attributes to every lsp server defined in the list servers.

So if we have a new lsp server, it has to be added to the servers list.

Mason.nvim

The mason.nvim plugin is used to install LSP servers, formatters, linters, and debug adapters.

Note: Packages are installed in Neovim's data directory (:h standard-path) by default. In Unix, it's under ~/.local/share/nvim

You can mannualy install lsp packages using :Mason, that will open a window.

However, It's better to list all your required packages in the config file so they automatically install when running MasonInstallAll command.

As you can see in the custom/plugins.lua:

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-- override plugin configs
{
  "williamboman/mason.nvim",
  opts = overrides.mason
},

It reads the mason part of the override config file custom/configs/overrides.lua:

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M.mason = {
  ensure_installed = {
    -- lua stuff
    "lua-language-server",
    "stylua",

    -- web dev stuff
    "css-lsp",
    "html-lsp",
    "typescript-language-server",
    "deno",
    "prettier",

    -- c/cpp stuff
    "clangd",
    "clang-format",

    -- python stuff
    "pyright",
  },
}

Format & Lint

It is recommended that you install null-ls to manage formatting & linting. It hae s been installed as a dependency of neovim/nvim-lspconfig.

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 -- In "custom/plugins.lua"
{
   "neovim/nvim-lspconfig",
   dependencies = {
     -- format & linting
     {
       "jose-elias-alvarez/null-ls.nvim",
       config = function()
         require "custom.configs.null-ls" -- null-ls.nvim!!!
       end,
     },
   },
   -- .....
 },

As before, if we want to customize, we need to modify file custom.configs.null-ls.

DAP

All custimzation should be made in the custom file.

There are 2 important files in custom dir which extend NvChad:

  • custom/chadrc.lua meant to override that table in default_config.lua file
  • custom/init.lua runs in the main init.lua, its meant to have vim options, globals, autocmds, commands etc.

The download of nvim-dap-ui may be slow. If you didn't see the UI when debugging, please install this plugin mannually.

Customization

The config dir is ~/.config/nvim/lua, with total structure

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.
├── LICENSE
├── init.lua
├── lazy-lock.json
└── lua
    ├── core
    │   ├── bootstrap.lua
    │   ├── default_config.lua
    │   ├── init.lua
    │   ├── mappings.lua
    │   └── utils.lua
    ├── custom
    │   ├── README.md
    │   ├── chadrc.lua
    │   ├── configs
    │   ├── highlights.lua
    │   ├── init.lua
    │   ├── mappings.lua
    │   └── plugins.lua
    └── plugins
        ├── configs
        └── init.lua
  • init.lua - runs whole config
  • core/default_config - returns a table of default options in NvChad.
  • core/mappings - default mappings
  • core/init - default globals, nvim options, commands, autocmds
  • core/utils - helpful functions

How to add LSP server

  1. First, to install a lsp server, we need to add lsp config in the mason part of custom/configs/overrides.lua. For instance, we add a lsp server "pyright" to it.

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    M.mason = {
      ensure_installed = {
        -- Other servers
    		-- ....
    		
        -- python stuff
        "pyright",
      },
    }

  2. Next, we need to add this server to the servers list in custom/configs/lspconfig.lua. For instance, since we already have a pyright server, we add it in the list:

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    -- In "custom/configs/lspconfig.lua"
    local servers = { "html", "cssls", "tsserver", "clangd", "pyright" }

  3. config this server so that it can apply to python files. In we h

Other Plugins

  • olimorris/persisted.nvim
  • Zeioth/compiler.nvim
  • akinsho/toggleterm.nvim
  • nvim-neotest/neotest
  • folke/noice.nvim: colorful floating notice message

CPP

By default, clang-format is K&R style. You can change the format by putting a .clang-format file in the project.

For instance, if you want to use Google clang style:

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clang-format --style Google --dump-config > .clang-format

Then save and format.

Plugins

Project Manager

The following table shows all available operations

Key Operation
<CR> Opens the project under the cursor
<C-a> Adds a project through an interactive procedure
<C-d> Delete a project
<C-e> Change project settings
<C-q> Close buffer

To add your first project you will need to use the combination Ctrl + a which will open an interactive menu in the statusline.

Run

  1. <leader> + db
  2. <leader> + dr

Don't need to <leader> +dus

Rust

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RustDebuggales