Configure Nvim with Lua: Finish my IDE, git, project (9)

5 min read, Published on Oct 14, 2022
Vim/Nvim
Lua

In others articles we saw how to configure Neovim from basic configuration to autocompletion. Today, we going to see how configure for git features and other features like IDEs. To configure our Neovim we move to the nvim folder:

  cd .config/nvim

Install and configure gitsigns.nvim and diffview.nvim

An important plugin, with 2.1k stars is gitsigns.nvim, this plugin have this features:

  • Signs for added, removed, and changed lines
  • Asynchronous using luv
  • Preview diffs of hunks (with word diff)
  • Customisable (signs, highlights, mappings, etc)
  • Status bar integration
  • Git blame a specific line using virtual text.
  • Automatically follow files moved in the index.

Other important plugin, with 1.5k stars is diffview.nvim.

  1. The first step: we add the plugins gitsigns.nvim and diffview.nvim to the plugins.lua file, with others plugins.
  nvim lua/configs/plugins.lua
  1. We add this and save it:
  -- ...others configs...
  return packer.startup(function(use)
    -- ...others plugins...

    -- Git
    use 'lewis6991/gitsigns.nvim'
    use { 'sindrets/diffview.nvim', requires = 'nvim-lua/plenary.nvim' }

    -- ...others configs...
  end)
  1. Install the packages:
  :PackerInstall
  1. Later, we create the gitsigns file.
  nvim lua/configs/gitsigns.lua
  1. We add this code and save it:
  local ok, gitsigns = pcall(require, 'gitsigns')

  if not ok then
    return
  end

  gitsigns.setup {
    signs = {
      add = { hl = "GitSignsAdd", text = "+", numhl = "GitSignsAddNr", linehl = "GitSignsAddLn" },
      change = { hl = "GitSignsChange", text = "~", numhl = "GitSignsChangeNr", linehl = "GitSignsChangeLn" },
      delete = { hl = "GitSignsDelete", text = "-", numhl = "GitSignsDeleteNr", linehl = "GitSignsDeleteLn" },
      topdelete = { hl = "GitSignsDelete", text = "契", numhl = "GitSignsDeleteNr", linehl = "GitSignsDeleteLn" },
      changedelete = { hl = "GitSignsChange", text = "▎", numhl = "GitSignsChangeNr", linehl = "GitSignsChangeLn" },
    },
    signcolumn = true, -- Toggle with `:Gitsigns toggle_signs`
    numhl = false, -- Toggle with `:Gitsigns toggle_numhl`
    linehl = false, -- Toggle with `:Gitsigns toggle_linehl`
    word_diff = false, -- Toggle with `:Gitsigns toggle_word_diff`
    watch_gitdir = {
      interval = 1000,
      follow_files = true,
    },
    attach_to_untracked = true,
    current_line_blame = true, -- Toggle with `:Gitsigns toggle_current_line_blame`
    current_line_blame_opts = {
      virt_text = true,
      virt_text_pos = "eol", -- 'eol' | 'overlay' | 'right_align'
      delay = 1000,
      ignore_whitespace = false,
    },
    current_line_blame_formatter_opts = {
      relative_time = false,
    },
    sign_priority = 6,
    update_debounce = 100,
    status_formatter = nil, -- Use default
    max_file_length = 40000,
    preview_config = {
      -- Options passed to nvim_open_win
      border = "single",
      style = "minimal",
      relative = "cursor",
      row = 0,
      col = 1,
    },
    yadm = {
      enable = false,
    },
  }
  1. Later, we create the diffview file.
  nvim lua/configs/diffview.lua
  1. We add this code and save it:
  local ok, diffview = pcall(require, 'diffview')

  if not ok then
    return
  end

  diffview.setup({})
  1. To use these settings, we need to call the gitsigns and diffview files in the main file (init.lua)
  nvim init.lua
  • Add this:
  -- ...
  require('configs.gitsigns')
  require('configs.diffview')

You can see now if you have changes in your files, if your add new lines, if your delete, etc. With diffview.nvim you can see the diff with other commits and opening a diff view during a merge or a rebase will list the conflicted files in their own section. Get started by opening file history for:

  • The current branch: :DiffviewFileHistory
  • The current file: :DiffviewFileHistory %
  • For more info, see :h :DiffviewFileHistory.

In the documentation, you can read more.

Install and configure alpha-nvim and project.nvim

On the other hand, we need to configure a plugin to load the projects, also we need configure a visual interface for the first actions when opening the Neovim. For this, we going to install and configure alpha-nvim, a fast and fully programmable greeter for neovim and project.nvim, that provides superior project management.

  1. The first step: we add the plugin nvim-lspconfig to the plugins.lua file.
  nvim lua/configs/plugins.lua
  1. We add this and save it:
  -- ...others configs...
  return packer.startup(function(use)
    -- ...others plugins...

    -- Project
    use "ahmedkhalf/project.nvim"
    use 'goolord/alpha-nvim'

    -- ...others configs...
  end)
  1. Install the packages:
  :PackerInstall
  1. Later, we create the project file.
  nvim lua/configs/project.lua
  1. We add this code and save it:
  local ok, project = pcall(require, 'project_nvim')
  if not ok then
    return
  end

  project.setup({})

  local ok_telescope, telescope = pcall(require, 'telescope')
  if not ok_telescope then
    return
  end

  telescope.load_extension('projects')
  1. Later, we create the alpha file.
  nvim lua/configs/alpha.lua
  1. We add this code and save it:
  local ok, alpha = pcall(require, 'alpha')

  if not ok then
    return
  end

  local ok_dashboard, dashboard = pcall(require, 'alpha.themes.dashboard')

  if not ok_dashboard then
    return
  end

  -- Set header
  dashboard.section.header.val = {
      "                                                     ",
      "  ███╗   ██╗███████╗ ██████╗ ██╗   ██╗██╗███╗   ███╗ ",
      "  ████╗  ██║██╔════╝██╔═══██╗██║   ██║██║████╗ ████║ ",
      "  ██╔██╗ ██║█████╗  ██║   ██║██║   ██║██║██╔████╔██║ ",
      "  ██║╚██╗██║██╔══╝  ██║   ██║╚██╗ ██╔╝██║██║╚██╔╝██║ ",
      "  ██║ ╚████║███████╗╚██████╔╝ ╚████╔╝ ██║██║ ╚═╝ ██║ ",
      "  ╚═╝  ╚═══╝╚══════╝ ╚═════╝   ╚═══╝  ╚═╝╚═╝     ╚═╝ ",
      "                                                     "
  }

  -- Set menu
  dashboard.section.buttons.val = {
    dashboard.button("a", "  > New file" , ":ene <BAR> startinsert <CR>"),
    dashboard.button("ff", "  > Find file", ":Telescope find_files<CR>"),
    dashboard.button("r", "  Recently used files", ":Telescope oldfiles <CR>"),
    dashboard.button("fg", "  Find text", ":Telescope live_grep <CR>"),
    dashboard.button("p", "  Find project", ":Telescope projects <CR>"),
    dashboard.button("c", "  Settings", ":e ~/.config/nvim/init.lua <CR>"),
    dashboard.button("q", "  Quit Neovim", ":qa<CR>"),
  }

  -- Send config to alpha
  alpha.setup(dashboard.opts)

  -- Disable folding on alpha buffer
  vim.cmd([[
      autocmd FileType alpha setlocal nofoldenable
  ]])
  1. To use these settings, we need to call the project and alpha files in the main file (init.lua)
  nvim init.lua
  • Add this:
  -- ...
  require('configs.project')
  require('configs.alpha')

And that’s it!! You can use a greeter for your IDE, manage your projects and you can see the signs in the files changes.

Directory

We have the directory of folders like this:

nvim
├─ init.lua
└─ lua
  └─ configs
    └─ options
    |   └─ init.lua
    └─ keymaps.lua
    └─ plugins.lua
    └─ impatient.lua
    └─ colorscheme.lua
    └─ nvim-tree.lua
    └─ lualine.lua
    └─ bufferline.lua
    └─ telescope.lua
    └─ cmp.lua
    └─ lsp.lua
    └─ treesitter.lua
    └─ gitsigns.lua
    └─ diffview.lua
    └─ project.lua
    └─ alpha.lua

Conclusion

In this article we learned how to install and configure the plugins for manage the projects and the gitsigns features.

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