Pack - Neovim docs

13 min read Original article ↗

Nvim :help pages, generated from source using the tree-sitter-vimdoc parser.

Extending Nvim

Using Vim packages

A Vim "package" is a directory that contains plugins. Compared to normal plugins, a package can...

be downloaded as an archive and unpacked in its own directory, so the files are not mixed with files of other plugins.

be a git, mercurial, etc. repository, thus easy to update.

contain multiple plugins that depend on each other.

contain plugins that are automatically loaded on startup ("start" packages, located in "pack/*/start/*") and ones that are only loaded when needed with :packadd ("opt" packages, located in "pack/*/opt/*").

runtime-search-path
Nvim searches for :runtime files in:

2. all "pack/*/start/*" dirs

Note that the "pack/*/start/*" paths are not explicitly included in 'runtimepath', so they will not be reported by ":set rtp" or "echo &rtp". Scripts can use nvim_list_runtime_paths() to list all used directories, and nvim_get_runtime_file() to query for specific files or sub-folders within the runtime path. Example:

" List all runtime dirs and packages with Lua paths.
:echo nvim_get_runtime_file("lua/", v:true)

Using a package and loading automatically

Let's assume your Nvim files are in "~/.local/share/nvim/site" and you want to add a package from a zip archive "/tmp/foopack.zip":

% mkdir -p ~/.local/share/nvim/site/pack/foo
% cd ~/.local/share/nvim/site/pack/foo
% unzip /tmp/foopack.zip

The directory name "foo" is arbitrary, you can pick anything you like.

You would now have these files under ~/.local/share/nvim/site:

pack/foo/README.txt
pack/foo/start/foobar/plugin/foo.vim
pack/foo/start/foobar/syntax/some.vim
pack/foo/opt/foodebug/plugin/debugger.vim

On startup after processing your config, Nvim scans all directories in 'packpath' for plugins in "pack/*/start/*", then loads the plugins.

To allow for calling into package functionality while parsing your vimrc, :colorscheme and autoload will both automatically search under 'packpath' as well in addition to 'runtimepath'. See the documentation for each for details.

In the example Nvim will find "pack/foo/start/foobar/plugin/foo.vim" and load it.

If the "foobar" plugin kicks in and sets the 'filetype' to "some", Nvim will find the syntax/some.vim file, because its directory is in the runtime search path.

Nvim will also load ftdetect files, if there are any.

Note that the files under "pack/foo/opt" are not loaded automatically, only the ones under "pack/foo/start". See pack-add below for how the "opt" directory is used.

Loading packages automatically will not happen if loading plugins is disabled, see load-plugins.

To load packages earlier, so that plugin/ files are sourced: :packloadall This also works when loading plugins is disabled. The automatic loading will only happen once.

If the package has an "after" directory, that directory is added to the end of 'runtimepath', so that anything there will be loaded later.

Using a single plugin and loading it automatically

If you don't have a package but a single plugin, you need to create the extra directory level:

% mkdir -p ~/.local/share/nvim/site/pack/foo/start/foobar
% cd ~/.local/share/nvim/site/pack/foo/start/foobar
% unzip /tmp/someplugin.zip

You would now have these files:

pack/foo/start/foobar/plugin/foo.vim
pack/foo/start/foobar/syntax/some.vim

From here it works like above.

Optional plugins

pack-add
To load an optional plugin from a pack use the :packadd command:

:packadd foodebug

This searches for "pack/*/opt/foodebug" in 'packpath' and will find ~/.local/share/nvim/site/pack/foo/opt/foodebug/plugin/debugger.vim and source it.

This could be done if some conditions are met. For example, depending on whether Nvim supports a feature or a dependency is missing.

You can also load an optional plugin at startup, by putting this command in your config:

:packadd! foodebug

The extra "!" is so that the plugin isn't loaded if Nvim was started with --noplugin.

It is perfectly normal for a package to only have files in the "opt" directory. You then need to load each plugin when you want to use it.

Since color schemes, loaded with :colorscheme, are found below "pack/*/start" and "pack/*/opt", you could put them anywhere. We recommend you put them below "pack/*/opt", for example "~/.config/nvim/pack/mycolors/opt/dark/colors/very_dark.vim".

Filetype plugins should go under "pack/*/start", so that they are always found. Unless you have more than one plugin for a file type and want to select which one to load with :packadd. E.g. depending on the compiler version:

if foo_compiler_version > 34
  packadd foo_new
else
  packadd foo_old
endif

The "after" directory is most likely not useful in a package. It's not disallowed though.

Creating Vim packages package-create

This assumes you write one or more plugins that you distribute as a package.

If you have two unrelated plugins you would use two packages, so that Vim users can choose what they include or not. Or you can decide to use one package with optional plugins, and tell the user to add the preferred ones with :packadd.

Decide how you want to distribute the package. You can create an archive or you could use a repository. An archive can be used by more users, but is a bit harder to update to a new version. A repository can usually be kept up-to-date easily, but it requires a program like "git" to be available. You can do both, github can automatically create an archive for a release.

Your directory layout would be like this:

start/foobar/plugin/foo.vim          " always loaded, defines commands
start/foobar/plugin/bar.vim          " always loaded, defines commands
start/foobar/autoload/foo.vim        " loaded when foo command used
start/foobar/doc/foo.txt             " help for foo.vim
start/foobar/doc/tags                " help tags
opt/fooextra/plugin/extra.vim        " optional plugin, defines commands
opt/fooextra/autoload/extra.vim      " loaded when extra command used
opt/fooextra/doc/extra.txt           " help for extra.vim
opt/fooextra/doc/tags                " help tags

This allows for the user to do:

mkdir ~/.local/share/nvim/site/pack
cd ~/.local/share/nvim/site/pack
git clone https://github.com/you/foobar.git myfoobar

Here "myfoobar" is a name that the user can choose, the only condition is that it differs from other packages.

In your documentation you explain what the plugins do, and tell the user how to load the optional plugin:

:packadd! fooextra

You could add this packadd command in one of your plugins, to be executed when the optional plugin is needed.

Run the :helptags command to generate the doc/tags file. Including this generated file in the package means that the user can drop the package in the pack directory and the help command works right away. Don't forget to re-run the command after changing the plugin help:

:helptags path/start/foobar/doc
:helptags path/opt/fooextra/doc

Dependencies between plugins

packload-two-steps
Suppose you have two plugins that depend on the same functionality. You can put the common functionality in an autoload directory, so that it will be found automatically. Your package would have these files:

pack/foo/start/one/plugin/one.vim

call foolib#getit()

pack/foo/start/two/plugin/two.vim

call foolib#getit()

pack/foo/start/lib/autoload/foolib.vim

func foolib#getit()

This works, because start packages will be searched for autoload files, when sourcing the plugins.

Plugin manager vim.pack

WORK IN PROGRESS built-in plugin manager! Early testing of existing features is appreciated, but expect breaking changes without notice.

Manages plugins only in a dedicated vim.pack-directory (see packages): $XDG_DATA_HOME/nvim/site/pack/core/opt. $XDG_DATA_HOME/nvim/site needs to be part of 'packpath'. It usually is, but might not be in cases like --clean or setting $XDG_DATA_HOME during startup. Plugin's subdirectory name matches plugin's name in specification. It is assumed that all plugins in the directory are managed exclusively by vim.pack.

Uses Git to manage plugins and requires present git executable. Target plugins should be Git repositories with versions as named tags following semver convention v<major>.<minor>.<patch>.

The latest state of all managed plugins is stored inside a vim.pack-lockfile located at $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/nvim/nvim-pack-lock.json. It is a JSON file that is used to persistently track data about plugins. For a more robust config treat lockfile like its part: put under version control, etc. In this case all plugins from the lockfile will be installed at once and at lockfile's revision (instead of inferring from version). Should not be edited by hand. Corrupted data for installed plugins is repaired (including after deleting whole file), but version fields will be missing for not yet added plugins.

Basic install and management

Add vim.pack.add() call(s) to 'init.lua': 

vim.pack.add({
  -- Install "plugin1" and use default branch (usually `main` or `master`)
  'https://github.com/user/plugin1',
  -- Same as above, but using a table (allows setting other options)
  { src = 'https://github.com/user/plugin1' },
  -- Specify plugin's name (here the plugin will be called "plugin2"
  -- instead of "generic-name")
  { src = 'https://github.com/user/generic-name', name = 'plugin2' },
  -- Specify version to follow during install and update
  {
    src = 'https://github.com/user/plugin3',
    -- Version constraint, see |vim.version.range()|
    version = vim.version.range('1.0'),
  },
  {
    src = 'https://github.com/user/plugin4',
    -- Git branch, tag, or commit hash
    version = 'main',
  },
})
-- Plugin's code can be used directly after `add()`
plugin1 = require('plugin1')

Restart Nvim (for example, with :restart). Plugins that were not yet installed will be available on disk after add() call. Their revision is taken from vim.pack-lockfile (if present) or inferred from the version.

To update all plugins with new changes:

Execute vim.pack.update(). This will download updates from source and show confirmation buffer in a separate tabpage.

Review changes. To confirm all updates execute :write. To discard updates execute :quit.

(Optionally) :restart to start using code from updated plugins.

Create custom Lua helpers:

local gh = function(x) return 'https://github.com/' .. x end
local cb = function(x) return 'https://codeberg.org/' .. x end
vim.pack.add({ gh('user/plugin1'), cb('user/plugin2') })

Another approach is to utilize Git's insteadOf configuration:

git config --global url."https://github.com/".insteadOf "gh:"

git config --global url."https://codeberg.org/".insteadOf "cb:"

In 'init.lua': vim.pack.add({ 'gh:user/plugin1', 'cb:user/plugin2' }). These sources will be used verbatim in vim.pack-lockfile, so reusing the config on different machine will require the same Git configuration.

Switch plugin's version and/or source

Update 'init.lua' for plugin to have desired version and/or src. Let's say, the switch is for plugin named 'plugin1'.

:restart. The plugin's state on disk (revision and/or tracked source) is not yet changed. Only plugin's version in vim.pack-lockfile is updated.

Execute vim.pack.update({ 'plugin1' }). The plugin's source is updated.

Review changes and either confirm or discard them. If discarded, revert version change in 'init.lua' as well or you will be prompted again next time you run vim.pack.update().

Freeze plugin from being updated

Update 'init.lua' for plugin to have version set to current revision. Get it from vim.pack-lockfile (plugin's field rev; looks like abc12345).

Unfreeze plugin to start receiving updates

Update 'init.lua' for plugin to have version set to whichever version you want it to be updated.

Revert plugin after an update

Locate plugin's revision at working state. For example:

If there is a previous version of vim.pack-lockfile (like from version control history), use it to get plugin's rev field.

If there is a log file ("nvim-pack.log" at "log" stdpath()), open it and navigate to latest updates (at the bottom). Locate lines about plugin update details and use revision from "State before".

Freeze plugin to target revision (set version and :restart).

Run vim.pack.update({ 'plugin-name' }, { force = true }) to make plugin state on disk follow target revision. :restart.

When ready to deal with updating plugin, unfreeze it.

Remove plugins from disk

Use vim.pack.del() with a list of plugin names to remove. Make sure their specs are not included in vim.pack.add() call in 'init.lua' or they will be reinstalled.

vim.pack-events

PackChangedPre - before trying to change plugin's state.

PackChanged - after plugin's state has changed.

Each event populates the following event-data fields:

active - whether plugin was added via vim.pack.add() to current session.

kind - one of "install" (install on disk; before loading), "update" (update already installed plugin; might be not loaded), "delete" (delete from disk).

spec - plugin's specification with defaults made explicit.

path - full path to plugin's directory.

These events can be used to execute plugin hooks. For example:

local hooks = function(ev)
  -- Use available |event-data|
  local name, kind = ev.data.spec.name, ev.data.kind
  -- Run build script after plugin's code has changed
  if name == 'plug-1' and (kind == 'install' or kind == 'update') then
    vim.system({ 'make' }, { cwd = ev.data.path })
  end
  -- If action relies on code from the plugin (like user command or
  -- Lua code), make sure to explicitly load it first
  if name == 'plug-2' and kind == 'update' then
    if not ev.data.active then
      vim.cmd.packadd('plug-2')
    end
    vim.cmd('PlugTwoUpdate')
    require('plug2').after_update()
  end
end
-- If hooks need to run on install, run this before `vim.pack.add()`
vim.api.nvim_create_autocmd('PackChanged', { callback = hooks })

Fields:

{src} (string) URI from which to install and pull updates. Any format supported by git clone is allowed.

{name}? (string) Name of plugin. Will be used as directory name. Default: src repository name.

{version}? (string|vim.VersionRange) Version to use for install and updates. Can be:

nil (no value, default) to use repository's default branch (usually main or master).

String to use specific branch, tag, or commit hash.

Output of vim.version.range() to install the greatest/last semver tag inside the version constraint.

{data}? (any) Arbitrary data associated with a plugin.

add({specs}, {opts}) vim.pack.add()
Add plugin to current session

For each specification check that plugin exists on disk in vim.pack-directory:

If exists, check if its src is the same as input. If not - delete immediately to clean install from the new source. Otherwise do nothing.

If doesn't exist, install it by downloading from src into name subdirectory (via partial blobless git clone) and update revision to match version (via git checkout). Plugin will not be on disk if any step resulted in an error.

For each plugin execute :packadd (or customizable load function) making it reachable by Nvim.

Notes:

Installation is done in parallel, but waits for all to finish before continuing next code execution.

If plugin is already present on disk, there are no checks about its current revision. The specified version can be not the one actually present on disk. Execute vim.pack.update() to synchronize.

Adding plugin second and more times during single session does nothing: only the data from the first adding is registered.

Parameters:

{specs} ((string|vim.pack.Spec)[]) List of plugin specifications. String item is treated as src.

{opts} (table?) A table with the following fields:

{load}? (boolean|fun(plug_data: {spec: vim.pack.Spec, path: string})) Load plugin/ files and ftdetect/ scripts. If false, works like :packadd!. If function, called with plugin data and is fully responsible for loading plugin. Default false during init.lua sourcing and true afterwards.

{confirm}? (boolean) Whether to ask user to confirm initial install. Default true.

del({names}) vim.pack.del()
Remove plugins from disk

Parameters:

{names} (string[]) List of plugin names to remove from disk. Must be managed by vim.pack, not necessarily already added to current session.

get({names}, {opts}) vim.pack.get()
Gets vim.pack plugin info, optionally filtered by names.

Parameters:

{names} (string[]?) List of plugin names. Default: all plugins managed by vim.pack.

{opts} (table?) A table with the following fields:

{info} (boolean) Whether to include extra plugin info. Default true.

Return:

(table[]) A list of objects with the following fields:

{active} (boolean) Whether plugin was added via vim.pack.add() to current session.

{branches}? (string[]) Available Git branches (first is default). Missing if info=false.

{path} (string) Plugin's path on disk.

{rev} (string) Current Git revision.

{spec} (vim.pack.SpecResolved) A vim.pack.Spec with resolved name.

{tags}? (string[]) Available Git tags. Missing if info=false.

update({names}, {opts}) vim.pack.update()
Update plugins

Download new changes from source.

Infer update info (current/target revisions, changelog, etc.).

Depending on force:

If false, show confirmation buffer. It lists data about all set to update plugins. Pending changes starting with > will be applied while the ones starting with < will be reverted. It has dedicated buffer-local mappings:

]] and [[ to navigate through plugin sections. Some features are provided via LSP:

'textDocument/hover' (K via lsp-defaults or vim.lsp.buf.hover()) - show more information at cursor. Like details of particular pending change or newer tag.

'textDocument/codeAction' (gra via lsp-defaults or vim.lsp.buf.code_action()) - show code actions available for "plugin at cursor". Like "delete", "update", or "skip updating". Execute :write to confirm update, execute :quit to discard the update.

If true, make updates right away.

Notes:

Every actual update is logged in "nvim-pack.log" file inside "log" stdpath().

Parameters:

{names} (string[]?) List of plugin names to update. Must be managed by vim.pack, not necessarily already added to current session. Default: names of all plugins managed by vim.pack.

{opts} (table?) A table with the following fields:

{force}? (boolean) Whether to skip confirmation and make updates immediately. Default false.