Dotfiles

This is a chezmoi source repository for personal dotfiles.

At the moment it manages:

• dot_config/nvim/init.lua -> ~/.config/nvim/init.lua
• dot_config/nvim/lua/plugins.lua -> ~/.config/nvim/lua/plugins.lua
• dot_config/nvim/lua/lsp.lua -> ~/.config/nvim/lua/lsp.lua
• dot_config/nvim/lua/cpp.lua -> ~/.config/nvim/lua/cpp.lua
• dot_config/nvim/lua/terraform.lua -> ~/.config/nvim/lua/terraform.lua
• dot_config/nvim/lua/local.lua.tmpl -> ~/.config/nvim/lua/local.lua
• dot_config/nvim/nvim-pack-lock.json -> ~/.config/nvim/nvim-pack-lock.json
• dot_tmux.conf -> ~/.tmux.conf

The local.lua.tmpl file is rendered by chezmoi and sets a platform-specific C++ compiler value. It is also the place for host-local database connection settings through vim.g.dbs.

Prerequisites

Install the core tools before applying the dotfiles:

brew install chezmoi neovim tmux git

For the C++ Neovim setup, install clangd and clang-format so LSP and formatting work:

brew install llvm clang-format

For Telescope search performance, install ripgrep. It is used for live grep and fast file discovery:

brew install ripgrep

For Terraform and HCL LSP support, install terraform-ls:

brew install terraform-ls

JSON formatting uses jq, and XML formatting uses xmllint:

brew install jq libxml2

Nerd Font

Install and select a Nerd Font in your terminal if you want file icons in nvim-tree and the statusline:

brew install --cask font-meslo-lg-nerd-font

The native Telescope sorter also needs make and a C compiler. On macOS, install the Xcode Command Line Tools if those are missing:

xcode-select --install

nvim-treesitter uses the tree-sitter CLI to build language parsers:

brew install tree-sitter-cli

blink.cmp can build its native fuzzy matcher when cargo and rustup are available. Without Rust it falls back to the Lua matcher and warns once:

brew install rustup
rustup-init

On non-macOS systems, use the equivalent package manager packages for chezmoi, neovim, tmux, git, clangd, clang-format, terraform-ls, tree-sitter-cli, ripgrep, jq, xmllint, make, and a C compiler.

First-Time Setup

Initialize chezmoi from this repository:

chezmoi init git@github.com:sushengloong/dotfiles.git

Review the changes before writing anything into $HOME:

chezmoi diff

Apply the dotfiles:

chezmoi apply

Or initialize and apply in one command:

chezmoi init --apply git@github.com:sushengloong/dotfiles.git

Daily Workflow

Check what chezmoi would change:

chezmoi status
chezmoi diff

Apply pending changes:

chezmoi apply

Edit a managed file through chezmoi:

chezmoi edit ~/.config/nvim/init.lua
chezmoi diff
chezmoi apply

Add or refresh a file from $HOME into the source repository:

chezmoi add ~/.config/nvim/init.lua
chezmoi add ~/.config/nvim/lua/cpp.lua

Update from the remote repository and apply changes:

chezmoi update

Open the chezmoi source repository:

cd "$(chezmoi source-path)"
git status

Neovim Notes

This configuration uses Neovim's native Lua config and avoids plugin manager frameworks such as lazy.nvim or Mason.

Optional plugins are installed with vim.pack when that API is available:

• nvim-treesitter/nvim-treesitter
• stevearc/conform.nvim
• saghen/blink.lib
• saghen/blink.cmp
• nvim-lua/plenary.nvim
• nvim-telescope/telescope.nvim
• nvim-telescope/telescope-fzf-native.nvim
• folke/tokyonight.nvim
• nvim-tree/nvim-web-devicons
• nvim-tree/nvim-tree.lua
• tpope/vim-fugitive
• tpope/vim-dadbod
• kristijanhusak/vim-dadbod-ui
• kristijanhusak/vim-dadbod-completion
• lewis6991/gitsigns.nvim
• nvim-lualine/lualine.nvim

Telescope uses telescope-fzf-native.nvim as its sorter because it is implemented in C and is materially faster than the default Lua sorter on larger lists. The config builds it with make after install or update when the compiled library is missing.

Telescope file search and live grep include hidden files while excluding .git/ and build/.

blink.cmp provides completion with Super-Tab navigation, a rounded menu, automatically displayed documentation, LSP signatures, and LSP, path, snippet, and buffer sources. SQL-family buffers also receive vim-dadbod completion. Its optional Rust fuzzy matcher is built after plugin installation or update.

The active colorscheme is tokyonight-night. It was chosen for C++ because it has mature Tree-sitter, LSP, diagnostics, Telescope, and terminal color support. The config increases foreground, diagnostic, and line-number contrast, and disables italics for steadier terminal rendering inside tmux.

Editor defaults include soft wrapping at word boundaries, persistent undo history, split live-substitute previews, visible-line movement with j/k, search-highlight clearing with <Esc>, and brief highlighting after a yank. JSON, XML, YAML, Python, C#, and SQL-family buffers use Tree-sitter expression folding and open fully expanded. Use za to toggle the fold under the cursor, zc/zo to close/open it, and zM/zR to close/open all folds.

The C++ configuration starts clangd for C, C++, Objective-C, Objective-C++, and CUDA buffers. Project roots are detected from:

• compile_commands.json
• .clangd
• .git
• CMakeLists.txt

The Terraform configuration starts terraform-ls serve for Terraform, Terraform variables, and HCL buffers when the executable is installed. Project roots are detected from .terraform, .terraform.lock.hcl, or .git.

Useful Neovim commands and keymaps:

:LspStatus     Show attached LSP clients for the current buffer
<Esc>          Clear search highlighting
j / k          Move by visible line, or real line when given a count
gd             Go to definition
gD             Go to declaration
gr             List references
gi             Go to implementation
K              Show hover documentation
<leader>rn     Rename symbol
<leader>ca     Code action
<leader>e      Show diagnostics
[d / ]d        Previous / next diagnostic
<leader>cf     Format buffer with conform or LSP fallback
<leader>ff     Find files
<leader>fg     Live grep
<leader>fw     Live grep for word under cursor or visual selection
<leader>fb     Find buffers
<leader>fh     Find help
<leader>fr     Find recent files
<leader>fd     Find diagnostics
<leader>fk     Find keymaps
<leader>n      Toggle nvim-tree
<leader>fn     Reveal current file in nvim-tree
]c / [c        Next / previous git hunk
<leader>gb     Git blame current file
<leader>go     Open current line or visual selection on the git remote
<leader>yp     Copy the current file's absolute path
<leader>yr     Copy the current file's cwd-relative path
<leader>yn     Copy the current filename
<leader>db     Toggle the database UI
<leader>df     Find the current database buffer in the database UI
<leader>cr     Build and run the current C/C++ file in a tmux pane
:CppRun        Build and run the current C/C++ file in a tmux pane
:CppIncludePath Show compiler include directories used for gf

<leader>cr and :CppRun create or reuse a tmux pane below Neovim, compile the current file, and run the binary without moving focus out of Neovim. By default, the binary is written under build/nvim-run/ in the detected project root.

For C/C++ buffers, gf uses include directories discovered from the active compiler, so standard headers like vector and iostream can be opened without hardcoded system paths.

The default C++ build command is equivalent to:

clang++ -std=c++20 -Wall -Wextra -g current_file.cpp -o build/nvim-run/current_file

Override the command in dot_config/nvim/lua/local.lua.tmpl if a project should use CMake or a custom binary name:

vim.g.cpp_run_command = "cmake --build build && ./build/my_program"

Database (vim-dadbod)

The database UI is installed without repository credentials. Define named connections in the rendered local.lua through vim.g.dbs, for example:

vim.g.dbs = {
  local_postgres = os.getenv("DATABASE_URL"),
}

<leader>db toggles the database UI and <leader>df reveals the database buffer associated with the current query.

Tmux Notes

The tmux config is tuned for Neovim sessions:

• prefix remapped from Ctrl-b to Ctrl-a
• tmux-256color with true color enabled for common terminal types
• extended key handling for terminal Neovim
• focus events for Neovim autocmds
• low escape timeout for modal editing
• mouse support and vi copy mode
• large scrollback for build and test output
• new panes and windows inherit the current project directory
• automatic window names show the foreground command or current directory
• pane movement with Ctrl-a h, Ctrl-a j, Ctrl-a k, and Ctrl-a l
• optional prefix-free pane movement with Alt-h, Alt-j, Alt-k, and Alt-l
• repeatable Ctrl-a < / Ctrl-a > bindings move the current window in the window list
• repeatable Ctrl-a H/J/K/L bindings resize panes in five-cell steps

Start a C++ project session:

tmux new-session -s cpp -c ~/src/project

Inside the session, open Neovim in one pane:

nvim .

Create a build pane in the same project directory:

tmux split-window -h -c "#{pane_current_path}"
cmake --build build

Detach and reattach:

tmux detach-client
tmux attach-session -t cpp

Move between panes:

Ctrl-a j    Move to pane below
Ctrl-a k    Move to pane above
Ctrl-a h    Move to pane on the left
Ctrl-a l    Move to pane on the right
Ctrl-a ↓    Move to pane below
Ctrl-a ↑    Move to pane above
Ctrl-a o    Cycle panes
Ctrl-a H    Resize pane left by 5 cells
Ctrl-a J    Resize pane down by 5 cells
Ctrl-a K    Resize pane up by 5 cells
Ctrl-a L    Resize pane right by 5 cells

Reload tmux config after changes:

tmux source-file ~/.tmux.conf

Template Check

Render the platform-specific local Neovim template without applying it:

chezmoi execute-template < dot_config/nvim/lua/local.lua.tmpl

On macOS, this should render:

vim.g.cpp_compiler = "clang++"

On Linux, this should render:

vim.g.cpp_compiler = "g++"

Troubleshooting

List managed files:

chezmoi managed

Show the target path for a source file:

chezmoi target-path dot_config/nvim/init.lua

Re-apply only the Neovim config:

chezmoi apply ~/.config/nvim

Re-apply only the tmux config:

chezmoi apply ~/.tmux.conf

If Neovim opens but C++ LSP does not attach, confirm clangd is available:

which clangd
clangd --version

Inside tmux, confirm the terminal type is the tmux terminfo entry:

echo "$TERM"

It should print:

tmux-256color