A File Explorer For Neovim Written In Lua

Automatic updates

File type icons

Git integration

Diagnostics integration: LSP and COC

(Live) filtering

Cut, copy, paste, rename, delete, create

Highly customisable

Join us on matrix

Requirements

neovim >=0.7.0

nvim-web-devicons is optional and used to display file icons. It requires a patched font.

Install

Install with vim-plug:

Plug 'nvim-tree/nvim-web-devicons' " optional, for file icons
Plug 'nvim-tree/nvim-tree.lua'

or with packer:

use {
  'nvim-tree/nvim-tree.lua',
  requires = {
    'nvim-tree/nvim-web-devicons', -- optional, for file icons
  },
  tag = 'nightly' -- optional, updated every week. (see issue #1193)
}

Setup

Setup should be run in a lua file or in a lua heredoc :help lua-heredoc if using in a vim file.

-- examples for your init.lua

-- disable netrw at the very start of your init.lua (strongly advised)
vim.g.loaded_netrw = 1
vim.g.loaded_netrwPlugin = 1

-- set termguicolors to enable highlight groups
vim.opt.termguicolors = true

-- empty setup using defaults
require("nvim-tree").setup()

-- OR setup with some options
require("nvim-tree").setup({
  sort_by = "case_sensitive",
  view = {
    adaptive_size = true,
    mappings = {
      list = {
        { key = "u", action = "dir_up" },
      },
    },
  },
  renderer = {
    group_empty = true,
  },
  filters = {
    dotfiles = true,
  },
})

For complete list of available configuration options see :help nvim-tree-setup

Each option is documented in :help nvim-tree.OPTION_NAME. Nested options can be accessed by appending ., for example :help nvim-tree.view.mappings

Commands

See :help nvim-tree-commands

Basic commands:

:NvimTreeToggle Open or close the tree. Takes an optional path argument.

:NvimTreeFocus Open the tree if it is closed, and then focus on the tree.

:NvimTreeFindFile Move the cursor in the tree for the current buffer, opening folders if needed.

:NvimTreeCollapse Collapses the nvim-tree recursively.

Mappings

nvim-tree comes with number of mappings; for default mappings please see :help nvim-tree-default-mappings, for way of configuring mappings see :help nvim-tree-mappings

g? toggles help, showing all the mappings and their actions.

Roadmap

nvim-tree is stable and new major features will not be added. The focus is on existing user experience.

Users are encouraged to add their own custom features via the public API.

Development is focused on:

• Bug fixes
• Performance
• Quality of Life improvements
• API / Events
• Enhancements to existing features

API

nvim-tree exposes a public API. This is non breaking, with additions made as necessary.

Please raise a feature request if the API is insufficent for your needs. Pull requests are always welcome.

:help nvim-tree-api

Events

Users may subscribe to events that nvim-tree will dispatch in a variety of situations.

:help nvim-tree-events

Actions

Custom actions may be mapped which can invoke API or perform your own actions.

:help nvim-tree-mappings

Tips & tricks

• You can add a directory by adding a / at the end of the paths, entering multiple directories BASE/foo/bar/baz will add directory foo, then bar and add a file baz to it.
• You can update window options for the tree by setting require"nvim-tree.view".View.winopts.MY_OPTION = MY_OPTION_VALUE
• toggle has a second parameter which allows to toggle without focusing the explorer (require"nvim-tree".toggle(false, true)).
• You can allow nvim-tree to behave like vinegar, see :help nvim-tree-vinegar
• If you :set nosplitright, the files will open on the left side of the tree, placing the tree window in the right side of the file you opened.
• You can automatically close the tab/vim when nvim-tree is the last window in the tab: nvim-tree#1115. WARNING: this can catastrophically fail: nvim-tree#1368. This will not be added to nvim-tree and the team will not provide support / assistance with this, due to complexities in vim event timings and side-effects.
• Hide the .git folder: filters = { custom = { "^.git$" } }. See :help nvim-tree.filters.custom.
• To disable the display of icons see :help nvim-tree.renderer.icons.show.

Troubleshooting

Diagnostic Logging

You may enable diagnostic logging to $XDG_CACHE_HOME/nvim/nvim-tree.log. See :help nvim-tree.log

netrw Keeps Popping Up

Eagerly disable netrw. See :help nvim-tree.disable_netrw

Performance Issues

If you are experiencing performance issues with nvim-tree.lua, you can enable profiling in the logs. It is advisable to enable git logging at the same time, as that can be a source of performance problems.

log = {
  enable = true,
  truncate = true,
  types = {
    diagnostics = true,
    git = true,
    profile = true,
    watcher = true,
  },
},

Please attach $XDG_CACHE_HOME/nvim/nvim-tree.log if you raise an issue.

Performance Tips:

• If you are using fish as an editor shell (which might be fixed in the future), try set shell=/bin/bash in your vim config. Alternatively, you can prevent fish from loading interactive configuration in a non-interactive shell.

• Try manually running the git command (see the logs) in your shell e.g. git --no-optional-locks status --porcelain=v1 --ignored=matching -u.

• Huge git repositories may timeout after the default git.timeout of 400ms. Try increasing that in your setup if you see [git] job timed out in the logs.

• Try temporarily disabling git integration by setting git.enable = false in your setup.

Contributing

PRs are always welcome. See CONTRIBUTING.md

Help Wanted

Developers with the following environments:

• Apple macOS
• Windows
  • WSL
  • msys
  • powershell

Help triaging, diagnosing and fixing issues specific to those environments is needed, as the nvim-tree developers do not have access to or expertise in these environments.

Let us know you're interested by commenting on issues and raising PRs.

Screenshots

See Showcases wiki page for examples of user's configurations with sources.

Please add your own!