Making a beautiful Neovim Config from scratch (BONUS: Godot Support)

Introduction

In this tutorial, we will create a beautiful Neovim configuration from scratch, tailored for game development with Godot 3 and Godot 4. This guide will cover auto-formatting and auto-completion features that enhance your coding efficiency while ensuring an aesthetically pleasing setup.

Step 1: Install Neovim

1. Download Neovim

   • Visit the Neovim releases page and download the latest version suitable for your operating system.

2. Install Neovim

   • Follow the installation instructions specific to your OS:
     • Windows: Use the installer or unzip the archive into a folder and add it to your PATH.
     • macOS: Use Homebrew with the command:

       brew install neovim
       

     • Linux: Use your package manager, for example:

       sudo apt install neovim
       

Step 2: Set Up Your Configuration Directory

1. Create the Configuration Folder

   • Open your terminal and run:

     mkdir -p ~/.config/nvim
     

2. Create the Init File

   • Create a new file named init.vim:

     touch ~/.config/nvim/init.vim
     

Step 3: Install a Plugin Manager

1. Choose a Plugin Manager

   • Use a popular plugin manager like vim-plug. To install:

     curl -fLo ~/.local/share/nvim/site/autoload/plug.vim --create-dirs \
       https://raw.githubusercontent.com/junegunn/vim-plug/master/plug.vim
     

2. Configure init.vim for Plugins

   • Open init.vim and add the following lines to set up vim-plug:

     call plug#begin('~/.local/share/nvim/plugged')
     
     " Add plugins here
     
     call plug#end()
     

Step 4: Add Essential Plugins

1. Add Plugins for Godot Support

   • Within the call plug#begin and call plug#end() block, add:

     Plug 'neovim/nvim-lspconfig'         " LSP configurations
     Plug 'hrsh7th/nvim-cmp'              " Autocompletion
     Plug 'hrsh7th/cmp-nvim-lsp'          " LSP source for nvim-cmp
     Plug 'hrsh7th/cmp-buffer'            " Buffer completions
     Plug 'hrsh7th/cmp-path'              " File path completions
     Plug 'nvim-treesitter/nvim-treesitter', { 'do': ':TSUpdate' } " Syntax highlighting
     

2. Install the Plugins

   • Open Neovim and run the command:

     :PlugInstall
     

Step 5: Configure LSP for Godot

1. Set Up LSP for Godot

   • Add the following configuration to your init.vim:

     lua << EOF
     require'lspconfig'.gdscript.setup{}
     EOF
     

2. Ensure GDScript Language Server is Installed

   • Follow the instructions on Godot's LSP documentation to install the GDScript language server.

Step 6: Enable Auto-Formatting

1. Install a Formatting Plugin

   • Add the following plugin for formatting:

     Plug 'sbdchd/neoformat'
     

2. Configure Auto-Formatting in init.vim

   • Add the following lines:

     autocmd BufWritePre *.gd Neoformat
     

Step 7: Customize Appearance

1. Choose a Color Scheme

   • Add a color scheme plugin like:

     Plug 'gruvbox-community/gruvbox'
     

2. Set the Color Scheme in init.vim

   • After the call plug#end(), add:

     colorscheme gruvbox
     set background=dark
     

Conclusion

You have successfully created a Neovim configuration that supports Godot development with auto-formatting and auto-completion. To enhance your setup further, consider exploring additional plugins and personalizing your preferences. Keep your configuration updated and enjoy coding in Neovim!