⚡ nvim

A minimal, fast, opinionated Neovim config built on LazyVim
Tuned for C++ / Python / Rust development — with a personality.

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📸 Overview

This is a production-ready personal Neovim config on top of LazyVim's solid foundation — not a framework, not a distribution. Just a carefully curated setup that stays out of your way while you code.

The design goal is simple: fast startup, predictable behavior, and a workflow that feels modern without abandoning Vim's core strengths. Every plugin earns its place. Every keymap has a reason.

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✨ Features

• 🚀 One-key multi-language runner — F5 compiles and runs C++, Python, or Rust in a persistent bottom terminal, with smart process management (interrupt → recompile, auto-restart on crash)
• ⚡ SnipRun integration — run small code snippets or selections instantly inside the editor (inline / floating) via <leader>r, ideal for quick logic testing without leaving the buffer
• 🗂 Buffer-centric navigation — Bufferline with ordinal numbers and <leader>t1–9 direct jumps, matching the muscle memory of browser tab navigation
• 🎨 Catppuccin Mocha with transparent background and a custom blue cursor tied to the palette
• 🔥 Animated fire cursor via smear-cursor.nvim — because why not
• 💬 Self-roast dashboard — 220 rotating programmer quotes on startup. Motivational in the only honest way
• 🧠 Smart insert-mode escape (jk) that detects when you're mid-word and doesn't interrupt normal typing
• ⬆️ Jump-past-closing-bracket in insert mode (<C-l>) — skip ), }, ], " without reaching for Escape or arrow keys
• 📐 Mode-aware cursor shapes — block in Normal, beam in Insert, underline in Replace
• 🔢 Relative line numbers that switch to absolute in Insert mode automatically
• 🔍 Clang-tidy linting on every C/C++ write
• 🧩 Minimal plugin footprint — ~33 total plugins, mostly LazyVim defaults, zero bloat

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🧠 Philosophy

Extend LazyVim. Don't fight it.

This config treats LazyVim as infrastructure, not a starting point to tear down. Plugins are overridden via opts merging, not reimplemented. The plugin set is deliberately small — if something doesn't directly improve the edit→run→debug loop, it probably isn't here.

Priorities, in order:

1. Speed — fast startup, responsive editing
2. Correctness — behavior should be predictable and consistent
3. Ergonomics — common actions should be effortless
4. Aesthetics — the environment should feel good to be in

What this config is not:

• A showcase of every Neovim feature
• A port of VS Code
• A config that changes every week

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⌨️ Key Bindings

Leader key: <Space>

🏃 Run & Terminal

Key	Mode	Action
<F5>	Normal / Insert / Terminal	Compile & run current file (C++ / Python / Rust)
<leader>k	Normal / Insert / Terminal	Toggle focus between code and terminal

🗂 Buffer Navigation

Key	Mode	Action
<leader>t1 – <leader>t9	Normal	Jump to buffer by ordinal position
<leader>tt	Normal	New buffer tab
<leader>tc	Normal	Smart close current buffer
<leader>to	Normal	Close all other buffers
<S-h> / <S-l>	Normal	Previous / Next buffer (LazyVim default)

✏️ Insert Mode Helpers

Key	Mode	Action
jk	Insert	Escape to Normal (skips if mid-word)
<C-l>	Insert	Jump past next closing bracket or quote

🔍 Search & Navigation (LazyVim defaults, included for reference)

Key	Action
<leader>/	Search in current buffer
<leader>ff	Find files
<leader>fg	Live grep
<leader>fb	Browse open buffers
<leader>fr	Recent files

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📂 Structure

nvim/
├── init.lua                    # Bootstrap only — requires config.lazy
├── lazyvim.json                # LazyVim extras (currently none)
├── lazy-lock.json              # Locked plugin versions
└── lua/
    ├── config/
    │   ├── lazy.lua            # Plugin manager setup & performance opts
    │   ├── options.lua         # Editor options, cursor shape, colorscheme hook
    │   ├── keymaps.lua         # All custom keymaps + F5 runner logic
    │   ├── autocmds.lua        # Custom autocommands
    │   └── quotes.lua          # 220 fun programmer quotes for the dashboard
    └── plugins/
        ├── colorscheme.lua     # Catppuccin Mocha (transparent) + Tokyonight fallback
        ├── dashboard.lua       # Snacks dashboard with custom header + random quote
        ├── bufferline.lua      # Ordinal buffer numbers
        ├── ui.lua              # Smear-cursor with fire style
        ├── lsp.lua             # Clangd, Pyright, Rust-analyzer
        ├── lint.lua            # Clang-tidy for C/C++
        └── render-markdown.lua # Markdown rendering in-buffer

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🔌 Plugins

Added by this config

Plugin	Purpose
catppuccin/nvim	Colorscheme — Mocha flavour, transparent background
folke/tokyonight.nvim	Kept lazy as a fallback colorscheme
sphamba/smear-cursor.nvim	Animated cursor trail (fire style)
mfussenegger/nvim-lint	Linting engine — runs clang-tidy on C/C++ files
MeanderingProgrammer/render-markdown.nvim	Renders Markdown with syntax, tables, and formatting inline

Key LazyVim defaults (inherited)

Plugin	Purpose
akinsho/bufferline.nvim	Buffer tab bar with ordinal numbering
folke/snacks.nvim	Dashboard, file picker, buffer deletion, and more
neovim/nvim-lspconfig	LSP client configuration
mason-org/mason.nvim	LSP / linter installer
nvim-treesitter	Syntax highlighting and text objects
blink.cmp	Fast completion engine
conform.nvim	Code formatting on save
flash.nvim	Lightning-fast cursor jumping
gitsigns.nvim	Git change indicators in the gutter
trouble.nvim	Diagnostics panel
grug-far.nvim	Project-wide find and replace
mini.pairs	Auto-close brackets and quotes
mini.ai	Extended text objects (a, i)
noice.nvim	Replaced command line and notification UI
which-key.nvim	Keymap popup guide
persistence.nvim	Session save and restore
todo-comments.nvim	Highlight and search TODO/FIXME/HACK comments

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⚡ Performance

• Startup time kept low by disabling unused built-in plugins: gzip, tarPlugin, tohtml, tutor, zipPlugin
• Smear-cursor loads on VeryLazy — deferred until after startup is complete
• Render-markdown is filetype-gated (ft = { "markdown" }) — zero cost unless you open a .md file
• Plugin updates are checked silently in the background (checker.notify = false) — no popup noise on startup
• All plugins pinned via lazy-lock.json — reproducible installs, no surprise breakage from upstream changes
• version = false across all plugins — always tracks latest git commit, not semver tags

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🧩 Custom Features

F5 — Persistent Multi-Language Runner

Press <F5> from any C++, Python, or Rust file. The runner:

1. Saves the current file
2. Opens a persistent 12-line terminal split at the bottom (or reuses the existing one)
3. Sends an interrupt (Ctrl-C) to stop any running process
4. Compiles and runs:
   • C++: g++ file.cpp -o out && ./out
   • Python: python3 file.py
   • Rust: cargo run if a Cargo.toml exists, otherwise rustc directly
5. Returns focus to the code window automatically

The terminal is persistent across runs — it stays open and reuses the same window. If the terminal process dies unexpectedly, the runner detects this and restarts it cleanly.

Works from Normal, Insert, and Terminal mode. Filenames with spaces or special characters are shell-escaped safely.

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SnipRun — Quick Code Execution

• <leader>r → run current line or selection
• Output inside Neovim (inline / floating)
• For quick logic checks — not full programs
• No interactive input (cin, scanf)
• Not for multi-file execution
• Test a loop, condition, or small snippet instantly
• Avoid recompiling the entire program

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Smart Insert Escape (jk)

The jk → <Esc> mapping includes word-boundary detection. If the character immediately before the cursor is a letter (i.e., you're mid-word), jk types literally. Only triggers escape at word boundaries.

This means typing object, reject, jacket in insert mode works normally without misfiring.

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Jump Past Closing Pair (<C-l>)

In insert mode, if the cursor is sitting just before ), }, ], ", or ', pressing <C-l> moves the cursor past it instead of inserting a literal character. Pairs naturally with mini.pairs auto-closing — type the open bracket, write content, <C-l> to exit.

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Mode-Aware Cursor Shapes

Normal / Visual  →  Block cursor  (█)
Insert           →  Beam cursor   (|)
Replace          →  Underline     (_)

Cursor color is pinned to Catppuccin blue (#89b4fa) and re-applied automatically after every colorscheme load so it survives :colorscheme resets.

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Self-Roast Dashboard

The startup dashboard picks one of 220 programmer quotes at random on every launch. They range from gently ironic to brutally honest. No inspirational nonsense.

Your code works best when you don't touch it.

Quote selection uses vim.uv.hrtime() as the random seed — no repeated sequences across sessions.

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🚀 Installation

Requirements:

• Neovim ≥ 0.10
• Git
• A Nerd Font (for icons)
• g++ (for C++ runner)
• python3 (for Python runner)
• cargo / rustc (for Rust runner)
• clangd and clang-tidy (auto-installed via Mason)
• node ≥ 16 (required by Mason for some LSP servers)

Install:

# Back up existing config if you have one
mv ~/.config/nvim ~/.config/nvim.bak

# Clone this config
git clone https://github.com/singh-prithvi/nvim-config ~/.config/nvim

# Launch Neovim — lazy.nvim bootstraps automatically
nvim

On first launch, LazyVim will install all plugins. Mason will then install the language servers (clangd, pyright, rust-analyzer) in the background.

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🛠 Requirements Summary

Dependency	Version	Purpose
Neovim	≥ 0.10	Required
Git	any	Plugin management
Nerd Font	any	Icons and glyphs
Node.js	≥ 16	Mason LSP installer
g++	any	C++ compilation (F5 runner)
python3	any	Python execution (F5 runner)
cargo / rustc	any	Rust compilation (F5 runner)
clangd	any	C/C++ LSP (auto-installed by Mason)
clang-tidy	any	C/C++ linting (auto-installed by Mason)

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Built on LazyVim by @folke