Vimlink - My Vim and Neovim Setups

Copyright (c) 2015-2026, Augusto Damasceno.
All rights reserved.
SPDX-License-Identifier: BSD-2-Clause

Contact

augustodamasceno@protonmail.com

Vim

Neovim

Installation

Unix-like systems only.

By default install.sh sets up both Vim and Neovim.
Pass --vim or --neovim to install only one:

# Install both (default)
bash install.sh

# Install only Vim
bash install.sh --vim

# Install only Neovim
bash install.sh --neovim

• An English dictionary from Hunspell English Dictionaries
  (MIT-like license; BSD license for the affix file) is shared by both setups.
• Vim: backs up your existing .vimrc and installs the new one.
• Neovim: backs up your existing init.lua, copies nvim/init.lua to
  ~/.config/nvim/init.lua, and bootstraps lazy.nvim
  on the first launch.

Files

# Shared
~/.dic/en_US.dic

# Vim
~/.vimrc
~/.vimrc_backup_*

# Neovim
~/.config/nvim/init.lua
~/.config/nvim/init.lua.backup_*
~/.local/share/nvim/lazy/          # lazy.nvim + all plugins

Vim Dependencies

install.sh automatically installs all dependencies listed below. For manual installation instructions of any individual package, see notes.md.

Dependency	Description
vim-nox	Vim build compiled with Python 3 support, required by YouCompleteMe
wget	Downloads vim-plug and the English dictionary
unzip	Extracts the downloaded dictionary archive
python3	Runtime for YouCompleteMe and its build system
python3-dev	Python 3 C headers needed to compile the YouCompleteMe native extension
cmake	Build system used to compile the ycmd server
build-essential	GCC/G++ compiler and make, required to build ycmd
clangd	Language server providing C and C++ completions via YouCompleteMe
Exuberant Ctags	Generates tag files for code navigation (:tags command)
vim-plug	Vim plugin manager, fetches and manages all Vim plugins
YouCompleteMe	Fast code completion engine for C, C++ and Python

Vim Features and commands

• See line numbers
• Highlight syntax
• Tabs are four columns wide
• Each indentation level is one tab
• Do not change tab for spaces
• Equal size windows
• English Dictionary completion
• Colors optimized for dark background
• Backspace works over indentation, line breaks and insert start
• Linter status shown in the status line (errors and warnings count)
• ALE lints on save, not on buffer enter
• Commands
  • ctabs : convert tabs into 4 spaces
  • Rbeg <NUM-CHARS> <REPLACE-WITH> : Replace beginning characters of a selection
  • tags : Show/Hide Tags
  • Ycmoff : Enable/Disable YouCompleteMe
  • Control + b : change buffer files
  • Control + e : Go to the next error
  • Control + i : Indent all lines
  • Control + t : Open NERDTree file explorer
• Plugins
  • vim-scripts/vim-asm: Adds support for assembly language syntax highlighting and features in Vim.
  • dense-analysis/ale: ALE (Asynchronous Lint Engine) is a plugin for real-time syntax checking and linting.
  • majutsushi/tagbar: Tagbar provides an overview of the structure of code files, displaying tags in a sidebar.
  • preservim/nerdtree: NERDTree is a file explorer tool that adds a navigable tree structure for files and directories.
  • ycm-core/YouCompleteMe: YouCompleteMe is a fast, powerful code completion engine for Vim.
  • itchyny/lightline.vim: Lightline is a lightweight status line/tabline for Vim, offering a visually appealing and informative status bar.
  • nathanaelkane/vim-indent-guides: Vim Indent Guides visually displays text indentation levels with subtly highlighted guides.

Neovim Dependencies

install.sh automatically installs all dependencies listed below. For manual installation instructions of any individual package, see notes.md.

Dependency	Description
neovim ≥ 0.10	Neovim runtime
git	Required by lazy.nvim to clone plugins
wget / curl	Downloads the English dictionary
unzip	Extracts the dictionary archive
Node.js	Required by the GitHub Copilot plugin
ripgrep	Fast grep backend for Telescope live_grep
clangd	Language server for C and C++
pyright	Language server for Python
cmake-language-server	Language server for CMake files
black	Python formatter used by conform.nvim
clang-format	C/C++ formatter used by conform.nvim
debugpy	Python debug adapter for nvim-dap
gdb	C/C++ debugger for nvim-dap
lazy.nvim	Plugin manager — self-bootstrapped from init.lua on first launch

Neovim Features and Commands

• Line numbers
• Syntax highlighting via Treesitter (C, C++, Python, Lua, Bash, CMake, Make)
• 4-column tabs, no tab-to-space conversion
• Dark background optimised colours
• English dictionary word completion (<C-x><C-k>)
• LSP-powered completions, diagnostics and formatting (clangd, pyright, cmake-language-server)
• Format on save (clang-format for C/C++, black for Python, stylua for Lua)
• Git signs in the gutter (added / changed / removed hunks)
• Automatic bracket and quote pairing
• Visual indent guides
• True-colour terminal rendering
• DAP UI opens and closes automatically with debug sessions
• Commands
  • Ctabs : convert tabs to 4 spaces
  • <C-b> : next buffer
  • <C-e> : go to next diagnostic
  • <C-i> : re-indent all lines
  • <C-h> / <C-j> / <C-k> / <C-l> : window navigation (left / down / up / right)
  • CMakeBuild / CMakeRun / CMakeDebug / CMakeClean / CMakeGenerate : cmake-tools build, run, debug, clean, generate
• Keymaps (leader key: <Space>)
  • <leader>ff : find files (Telescope)
  • <leader>fg : live grep (Telescope)
  • <leader>fb : browse buffers (Telescope)
  • <leader>fh : help tags (Telescope)
  • <leader>fd : search diagnostics (Telescope)
  • <leader>xx : toggle diagnostics list (Trouble)
  • <leader>xX : toggle buffer diagnostics (Trouble)
  • <leader>ha : add file to Harpoon list
  • <leader>hh : toggle Harpoon quick menu
  • <leader>h1–<leader>h4 : jump to Harpoon file 1–4
  • <leader>db : toggle breakpoint (nvim-dap)
  • <leader>dc : continue (nvim-dap)
  • <leader>ds : step over (nvim-dap)
  • <leader>di : step into (nvim-dap)
  • <leader>do : step out (nvim-dap)
  • <leader>du : toggle DAP UI (nvim-dap-ui)
  • <leader>rn : rename symbol (LSP)
  • <leader>ca : code action (LSP)
  • <leader>f : format buffer (LSP)
  • <leader>gs : stage hunk (Gitsigns)
  • <leader>gu : undo staged hunk (Gitsigns)
  • <leader>gp : preview hunk (Gitsigns)
  • <leader>gb : blame line (Gitsigns)
  • ]c / [c : next / previous git hunk (Gitsigns)
  • <C-Space> : trigger completion
  • <CR> : confirm completion
  • <Tab> / <S-Tab> : next / previous completion item
  • gd : go to definition (LSP)
  • gD : go to declaration (LSP)
  • gr : go to references (LSP)
  • gi : go to implementation (LSP)
  • K : hover documentation (LSP)
  • - : open Oil file manager
  • <M-CR> : accept Copilot suggestion
  • <M-]> / <M-[> : next / previous Copilot suggestion
  • <C-]> : dismiss Copilot suggestion
• Plugins
  • folke/lazy.nvim: Fast, feature-rich plugin manager for Neovim.
  • nvim-lua/plenary.nvim: Lua utility library required by Telescope, Harpoon, and cmake-tools.
  • nvim-tree/nvim-web-devicons: File-type icon support used by lualine and Oil.
  • nvim-treesitter/nvim-treesitter: Incremental parsing for accurate syntax highlighting and code analysis.
  • neovim/nvim-lspconfig: Pre-configured LSP client setup for common language servers.
  • hrsh7th/nvim-cmp: Completion engine with LSP, buffer, and path sources.
  • hrsh7th/cmp-nvim-lsp: LSP completion source for nvim-cmp.
  • hrsh7th/cmp-buffer: Buffer text completion source for nvim-cmp.
  • hrsh7th/cmp-path: Filesystem path completion source for nvim-cmp.
  • hrsh7th/cmp-nvim-lsp-signature-help: Signature-help source for nvim-cmp.
  • p00f/clangd_extensions.nvim: Enhanced clangd features (inlay hints, type hierarchy).
  • mfussenegger/nvim-dap: Debug Adapter Protocol client for interactive debugging.
  • rcarriga/nvim-dap-ui: Graphical UI panels for nvim-dap (variables, watches, call stack).
  • nvim-neotest/nvim-nio: Async I/O library required by nvim-dap-ui.
  • stevearc/oil.nvim: File manager that lets you edit directories like text buffers.
  • ThePrimeagen/harpoon: Quick-access bookmarks for up to four frequently used files.
  • Civitasv/cmake-tools.nvim: CMake workflow integration — build, run, debug from Neovim.
  • folke/trouble.nvim: Structured list of diagnostics, references, quickfix, and location lists.
  • zbirenbaum/copilot.lua: Lua-native GitHub Copilot integration with inline suggestions.
  • nvim-telescope/telescope.nvim: Extensible fuzzy finder for files, grep, buffers, and more.
  • lewis6991/gitsigns.nvim: Inline git hunk indicators and stage/blame shortcuts.
  • nvim-lualine/lualine.nvim: Lightweight, configurable status line.
  • windwp/nvim-autopairs: Automatic bracket/quote pairing.
  • lukas-reineke/indent-blankline.nvim: Visual indent guides.
  • stevearc/conform.nvim: Fast formatter dispatcher (clang-format, black, stylua).

Cheat Sheets and references in the file notes.md