Basic Neovim Plugin Development Tutorial

Basic Plugin File

Just take my ColorfulDiff.nvim as an example.

$ tree ColorfulDiff.nvim

├── LICENSE
├── lua
│   └── tint.lua
├── plugin
│   └── hello.lua
└── README.md

The lua scripts in plugin/ will be executed automatically and the scripts in lua/ will be called when required

To let nvim load the plugin, use lazy.nvim.
Add this line in your lazy.nvim configuration:

{ dir = "/home/cyl/nvim_plugins/ColorfulDiff.nvim/" },

Then this plugin will be loaded on start.

How To Use API

Use :Telescope help_tags or short hand <Ctrl-h> to open the help search panel.
If I want to know the API regarding the highlight:

the function with nvim_ as prefix are the nvim api. Press Enter to see the detailed description:

 *nvim_buf_add_highlight()*
nvim_buf_add_highlight({buffer}, {ns_id}, {hl_group}, {line},{col_start},{col_end})
    Adds a highlight to buffer.

    Useful for plugins that dynamically generate highlights to a buffer (like
    a semantic highlighter or linter). The function adds a single highlight to a buffer. Unlike |matchaddpos()| highlights follow changes to line
    numbering (as lines are inserted/removed above the highlighted line), like signs and marks do.
    ...

To use this api:

vim.api.nvim_buf_add_highlight(...)

Test

Create a new folder called test
And create the test lua file

describe("colorfulDiff", function()
	it("can be required", function()
		require("colorful_diff")
	end)
	it("...", function()
		...
	end)
	...
end)

然后在该文件中按<leader>pt运行测试

Reference

:h lua-plugin
:h write-plugin

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n4Lp4cV8YR0&t=3960s