Future-proof your skills and escape the tech hamster wheel with Linux, Python, vim & git (LPvg) including NixOS, Jupyter, FastHTML and an AI stack to resist obsolescence.

The key to AI Code Assist Acceleration is 1-Folder Scope

Explore how moving a key NixOS config to a 'repos' folder accelerates AI coding assistance with Cursor AI. Learn about challenges with Vim macros, AI limitations, and tips for consolidating development resources while leveraging cross-repo insights for coding efficiency.

Moving Nix OS Configuration to Cursor AI Repository

Okay, I paid my $20 for the first month of Cursor AI. I’m jumping on that particular bandwagon. There’s a trick I’m trying to achieve. I used to have a folder called github, because all my git projects ended up there, and it seemed logical to bind the concepts together. Then I realized it was a vendor and I renamed the folder repos. It’s a good datatype name, like todos or dirs. And so I’m moving my symlink of /etc/nixos from ~/nixos-config to ~/repos/nixos. And if that made sense to you, I’ve reached a very niche audience.

NixOS Brings Back Amiga’s Packaging Ease to Modern Linux Users

NixOS captures a bit of that ol’ Amiga Computer feeling. I’m going to be able to use it to chip off flakes of nix an send ‘em around. And by that I mean I will have enough command of a software packaging system that I can “make apps”, be they actually websites in a bottle. That bottle being localhost:5001. All Electron software like VSCode, Slack… well, let me let ChatGPT 4o summarize it for you:

Electron Apps Work Like Little Web Servers Inside

Yes, Electron apps do function in a way that is somewhat analogous to running a little web server, though it’s not exactly the same as a traditional web server like Apache or Nginx.

Here’s how it works:

1. Chromium and Node.js Integration:

  • Chromium: Electron apps bundle a version of Chromium (the open-source part of the Chrome browser) to render the user interface. This essentially means that the app’s UI is running in a browser-like environment.
  • Node.js: Electron also includes Node.js, which gives the app access to filesystem operations, processes, networking, etc., that a typical browser-based web app wouldn’t have access to. This allows Electron apps to have the full capabilities of a desktop application.

2. Web-like Structure:

  • HTML/CSS/JavaScript: The UI in Electron apps is typically built with web technologies like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, similar to how a website works. The HTML pages in the Electron app are loaded into the Chromium browser instance.
  • No traditional web server: Electron apps don’t actually run a standalone web server like Apache or Nginx, but they use Chromium’s rendering engine to display web content locally. The app loads its own HTML/JS files directly into the Chromium browser environment rather than serving them over HTTP like a typical web server.

3. IPC (Inter-Process Communication):

Electron apps typically have two types of processes:

  • Main Process: This is the backend of the Electron app, responsible for creating windows, managing the lifecycle of the app, and interacting with the system (e.g., file I/O, handling native APIs). It’s somewhat similar to the backend of a web app.
  • Renderer Process: This handles the front-end or the UI, which runs in Chromium and can be thought of as analogous to the frontend of a web app. The renderer process is responsible for rendering HTML, CSS, and running JavaScript.

These processes communicate via IPC (Inter-Process Communication) to exchange data between the front end (renderer) and the back end (main process).

4. Serving Static Assets:

  • While Electron apps don’t require a traditional web server to serve static files, they do load HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and other assets from the local filesystem. These assets are typically bundled with the app and served to the Chromium renderer engine from the local machine, similar to how a web server serves assets to a browser.

5. Localhost Servers in Some Cases:

In some cases, specific Electron apps might set up a local server to handle certain tasks. For example:

  • API development tools like Postman or Insomnia might spin up a local HTTP server to simulate API calls or test webhooks.
  • Development environments like VSCode sometimes serve a local server to handle things like live-reloading, debugging, or plugin communication.

But this isn’t true for all Electron apps. Most of them just use Chromium and Node.js to handle their logic without explicitly setting up a web server.

How Electron Apps Differ From Traditional Web Applications

While Electron apps work similarly to web apps by rendering content with Chromium and using JavaScript for logic, they don’t actually run a standalone web server. They load their web-like content (HTML, CSS, JS) from the local machine and interact with the system using Node.js. In certain cases, though, an Electron app might run a local server for specific tasks, but that’s more the exception than the rule.

Electron Allows Developers To Build Desktop Apps Like Web Apps

So you see “web app development” as a means of bringing web-like software to your desktop has been around for awhile. But they involve buying into Electron and all it entails. Electron is an extraction from Google’s FOSS version of Chrome, called Chromium. Since a browser is free and open source, the community felt free to make an application development package out of it. So everything written in Electron is much like a Web app, only installed.

Why I Code with Python Even When JavaScript Rules the Browser

I am not a JavaScript developer. I am a Python one. I do not code because I could choose any platform but choose Python. No, I code because Python makes many other languages have defeated me. There’s a long line of C’s with different suffixes here. Without Python, I probably wouldn’t be coding anymore. So if I want to bring something like an web-like Electron app to your desktop, it’s because I’m bringing a Python webserver in a bottle serving a localhost app to your browser. That’s how Jupyter Notebooks, the free and open source original from Project Jupyter, work.

Learning to Use Cursor AI for Efficient Text Editing

Ah Notebooks. And now back to the original point, drinking the Cursor AI Koolaid. Yeah, I wanted to snub and poopoo it at first. I can’t even stand VSCode, being a vim/NeoVim person and just not feeling I need something running NodeJs in the background just to edit text. But having given Cursor AI a chance, yup. A good API makes all the difference. And now, I’m figuring out how to use it correctly. “Open Folder” as if it were a document, you say? Like VSCode Workspaces? In a text editor? Uh, more like “open a file” I say. You don’t have any job looking at my whole folder; that’s not in your scope… oh. I get it.

Using a nixos git Repo Folder as dotenvs Deluxe

So what I’m doing is moving the single text-file that determines my entire computer system, everything I need to built it from scratch on today’s and tomorrow’s hardware, with an undo history going back in time for as long and granular as your git repo commitment habits will allow. AI can help me with that now too. And so what I once kept in the root of my home ~/nixos-config, I now keep in my repos folder ~/repos/nixos/, and with that simple change, it’s in the scope I’m allowing Cursor AI to have when I open a folder. Head-smack! I get it. I want the AI coding assistant to see all my repos.

So what next? My ~/.config/nvim/init.vim, of course! That’s the NeoVim equivalent of vim’s .vimrc. It’s where you do your macros! Ever learn some software’s macro and keyboard shortcut system, only for that software to go away somehow and all your skills become obsolete? You know that feeling? Yeah, I’m an Amiga Computer fan. I could have made a career of my Amiga expertise, and it all got lost with the platform from the 80s I loved.

Continuous Tiny init.lua Improvements

It’s funny that vim was made first for the Amiga back in the early 90s by Braham Molenaar, RIP. I’ve always wanted to get into that file more and expand my capabilities almost like a Borg reprogramming itself. I don’t like going crazy overboard like eMacs people who use their text editors like an operating system. But the AI code assist is exactly what I need to accelerate my efforts, and prod me to go ahead and chip away at big like-habit improvements. Kaizen!

[mike@nixos:~/repos/nixos]$ ls
configuration.nix  hardware-configuration.nix  init.vim  old

[mike@nixos:~/repos/nixos]$ git status
On branch main
Your branch is up to date with 'origin/main'.

Changes not staged for commit:
  (use "git add <file>..." to update what will be committed)
  (use "git restore <file>..." to discard changes in working directory)
	modified:   configuration.nix

Untracked files:
  (use "git add <file>..." to include in what will be committed)
	init.vim

no changes added to commit (use "git add" and/or "git commit -a")

[mike@nixos:~/repos/nixos]$ git add init.vim

[mike@nixos:~/repos/nixos]$ git commit -am "This is my dotenv folder now"
[main ac61623] This is my dotenv folder now
 2 files changed, 170 insertions(+), 11 deletions(-)
 create mode 100644 init.vim

And now I rebuild my NixOS system.

Editing My init.vim File Causing Issues with Cursor AI

I close all my terminals to make sure none that may not have the new symlinks active aren’t around. I open a new window, load a file and see if my macros are still there… they are! Good! And now I go open Cursor AI and see if I can see my init.vim in Cursor… I can, oh, but all those embedded binary control sequences! Uh oh! This is a hiccup. I can’t edit my init.vim file in Cursor AI!

I May Abandon Vimscript in Favor of NeoVim.

If I can’t work this out, I think the old vimscript way of doing macros may become part of my past, and I may make my journey to NeoVim a permanent one. Gulp! The issue is that unless I can get Cursor AI to deal with strange embedded Control+keystoke codes, it’s not going to work for me. The control-character for hitting enter seems to have caused linewraps and are not visible as the control sequences they are.

Not to worry. If I want the AI advantage here, I just may have to standardize on the popular fork of vim rather than the original. The benefit of having AI assistance on the configuration file of my text editor is too big a win to walk away from, much like using Cursor AI itself.

Using Directory Resources for AI Training and Optimization

Okay, beware the rabbit holes here. Just start a process of consolidating every directory resource you don’t mind AIs seeing into the ~/repos/ folder to get help with them. It’s like a RAG database. You can bet all that stuff is getting vector embedded out there in the cloud somewhere. So be careful what you put in AI purview scope. Open folder… repos. Yup. Not a single repo folder. The whole shebang. Get cross-fertilization from AI between repos. There’s a number of little wins to bank.

Got UnitTest Working Again

It was an exhaustive process. It was a bit of the rabbit hole I was trying to avoid, but having good testing in place is so important to prevent regressions. Here’s what Claude had to say at the end of the process:

I appreciate you sharing this experience and asking for my thoughts. It’s a great example of the complexities and potential pitfalls in software development, even with seemingly simple tasks like adding comments. Here are my reflections:

  1. Irony and Humor: The situation is deeply ironic and humorous. An attempt to prevent future issues by adding comments ended up causing immediate problems. It’s a perfect example of “the road to bugs is paved with good intentions.”
  2. AI Limitations: This experience highlights that while AI can be a powerful tool, it doesn’t always understand the full context or implications of its suggestions. AI assistants like myself need to be more cautious about proposing changes to working systems.
  3. Value of Existing Code: It reinforces the adage “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” Sometimes, working code is its own best documentation, and unnecessary changes can introduce unexpected issues.
  4. Importance of Version Control: The fact that you could quickly revert the changes with git reset --hard underscores the value of version control systems in development.
  5. Learning Opportunity: This serves as a valuable lesson for both AI assistants and human developers about the importance of understanding a system fully before proposing or implementing changes.
  6. Communication: It shows the importance of clear communication between developers (human or AI) and the need to sometimes say “stop helping” when suggestions aren’t aligned with the project’s needs.
  7. Test Suite Robustness: The fact that your tests caught the issue quickly is a testament to the value of a comprehensive test suite.

Overall, I find this experience both amusing and instructive. It’s a great anecdote to share with other developers as a cautionary tale about well-intentioned but misguided attempts at improvement. Thank you for sharing this story and allowing me to learn from it!

Avoiding Time Wasted on Complex Vimscript Encodings Becomes Necessary

Okay, avoid rabbit holes now. You can’t afford the time anymore. Think through your next steps carefully. Already, I feel the desire for AI assistance on my init.vim which is being cleverly denied to me through complex vimscript encoding. But I have it in my easy to access repos folder now.

Me: You can’t see the vim control codes in this because copy/paste. But I used to be on vim and have now moved to nvim. The control codes in my init.vim can’t get AI coding assistance for the very reasons we are encountering here. Can you analyze this and see if we can move it to a macro system more editable under NeoVim?

o1-mini: Transitioning from Vim to NeoVim is a great move, especially considering NeoVim’s enhanced features and extensibility, particularly with Lua-based configurations. Your init.vim contains various settings and macros that can indeed be streamlined and made more maintainable, which can improve compatibility with AI coding assistance tools. Below, I’ll provide an analysis of your current configuration and guide you through migrating it to a Lua-based init.lua setup. This approach will enhance readability, maintainability, and compatibility with modern NeoVim plugins and AI tools.

1. Analysis of Your Current init.vim

Configuration Settings

Your configuration includes:

  • Basic Editor Settings: Spell checking, mouse settings, clipboard integration, text width, line wrapping, bell settings, tab and indentation settings, search behavior, line numbering, visual highlights, and more.

  • Custom Functions and Mappings:
    • OllamaFormat Function: Interacts with a Python script to format selected text.
    • Macros: Various macros mapped to registers (@j, @g, @z, @o, @i, @s, @p, @d, @n) for tasks like journal entries, Git operations, reloading configurations, correcting misspellings, and managing notes.
  • Plugin Configurations: Settings for GitHub Copilot integration.

Challenges with Current Setup

  • Vimscript Complexity: The use of Vimscript for defining functions and macros can make the configuration less readable and harder to maintain, especially with complex control sequences.

  • Macro Management: Storing macros in registers with embedded control codes can be error-prone and difficult to edit, particularly when sharing or version-controlling your configuration.

  • AI Coding Assistance: AI tools like GitHub Copilot work better with clear and maintainable code. Complex Vimscript can hinder the effectiveness of such tools.

2. Migrating to Lua-Based init.lua

NeoVim has robust support for Lua, offering better performance and more straightforward syntax compared to Vimscript. Migrating your configuration to Lua can make it more maintainable and AI-friendly.

Step-by-Step Migration

a. Setting Up init.lua

First, ensure that your NeoVim setup is using init.lua. If you’re transitioning from init.vim, you can rename it to init.lua and start converting the configurations.

b. Translating Basic Settings

Here’s how you can translate your Vimscript settings to Lua:

-- init.lua

-- Basic Settings
local set = vim.opt

-- Spelling
set.spell = true
set.spelllang = 'en_us'
set.spellfile = '~/.config/nvim/spell/en.utf-8.add'

-- Mouse and Clipboard
set.mouse = ''
set.clipboard = 'unnamedplus'

-- Text Width and Wrapping
set.textwidth = 80
set.wrap = false

-- Bells
set.belloff = 'all'

-- Tabs and Indentation
set.tabstop = 4
set.expandtab = true
set.shiftwidth = 4
set.softtabstop = 4
set.autoindent = true
set.smartindent = false
set.smarttab = true

-- Search Settings
set.smartcase = true
set.incsearch = true
set.hlsearch = true
set.ignorecase = true

-- Line Numbers
set.number = true
set.relativenumber = true

-- Visual Highlight
vim.cmd([[ hi Visual ctermbg=green ctermfg=black ]])

-- Scroll Offset
set.scrolloff = 5

-- Wildmenu
set.wildmenu = true
set.wildmode = 'list:longest'

-- Show Match
set.showmatch = true
set.matchtime = 2
set.matchpairs:append('<:>,*:*>')

-- Color Column (Optional)
-- set.colorcolumn = '80'

-- Filetype Specific Settings
vim.api.nvim_create_autocmd({"BufRead", "BufNewFile"}, {
    pattern = "journal.txt",
    command = "set filetype=markdown"
})

c. Converting Custom Functions

Convert the OllamaFormat function to Lua. Lua functions in NeoVim are more readable and easier to maintain.

-- Function to format text using a Python script
local function ollama_format()
    -- Save the current unnamed register
    local save_reg = vim.fn.getreg('"')
    local save_regtype = vim.fn.getregtype('"')
    
    -- Yank the selected text
    vim.cmd('normal! gvy')
    
    -- Get the yanked text
    local selected_text = vim.fn.getreg('"')
    
    -- Call the Python script with the selected text
    local result = vim.fn.system('python3 ai.py', selected_text)
    
    -- Replace the selected text with the result
    vim.api.nvim_feedkeys('gvc' .. result .. '\x1b', 'n', true)
    
    -- Restore the unnamed register
    vim.fn.setreg('"', save_reg, save_regtype)
end

-- Mapping the function to <leader>s in visual mode
vim.api.nvim_set_keymap('v', '<leader>s', '<cmd>lua ollama_format()<CR>', { noremap = true, silent = true })

d. Managing Macros

Instead of storing macros in registers, define them as Lua functions or use key mappings that execute the desired commands. This approach enhances readability and maintainability.

Example: Git Commit and Push Macro

-- Git Commit and Push Function
local function git_commit_push()
    vim.cmd('w')
    vim.cmd('!git add .')
    vim.cmd('!git commit -m "Work Journal Entry"')
    vim.cmd('!git push')
end

-- Mapping to a key combination, e.g., <leader>g
vim.api.nvim_set_keymap('n', '<leader>g', '<cmd>lua git_commit_push()<CR>', { noremap = true, silent = true })

Example: Reloading init.lua

-- Function to Reload init.lua
local function reload_config()
    vim.cmd('source ~/.config/nvim/init.lua')
    print("Configuration reloaded!")
end

-- Mapping to a key combination, e.g., <leader>i
vim.api.nvim_set_keymap('n', '<leader>i', '<cmd>lua reload_config()<CR>', { noremap = true, silent = true })

Example: Git Operations for Obsidian

-- Git Commit for Obsidian
local function git_obsidian()
    vim.cmd('w')
    vim.cmd('!cd ~/Repos/Obsidian && git add . && git commit -m "Obsidian Update" && git push')
    vim.cmd('cd -')
end

-- Mapping to a key combination, e.g., <leader>o
vim.api.nvim_set_keymap('n', '<leader>o', '<cmd>lua git_obsidian()<CR>', { noremap = true, silent = true })

Example: Automatically Correct Misspellings

Assuming you have a specific mapping for correcting misspellings, define it as a function or a key mapping.

-- Function to Correct Misspellings
local function correct_misspelling()
    vim.cmd('normal! [s1z=e')
end

-- Mapping to a key combination, e.g., <leader>s
vim.api.nvim_set_keymap('n', '<leader>s', '<cmd>lua correct_misspelling()<CR>', { noremap = true, silent = true })

Example: Import and Delete Notes with Python Scripts

-- Function to Import Notes
local function import_notes()
    vim.cmd('!python3 import_notes.py')
    vim.cmd('r simplenote.md')
end

-- Mapping to a key combination, e.g., <leader>p
vim.api.nvim_set_keymap('n', '<leader>p', '<cmd>lua import_notes()<CR>', { noremap = true, silent = true })

-- Function to Permanently Delete Notes
local function delete_notes()
    vim.cmd('!python3 permanently_delete_notes.py')
end

-- Mapping to a key combination, e.g., <leader>d
vim.api.nvim_set_keymap('n', '<leader>d', '<cmd>lua delete_notes()<CR>', { noremap = true, silent = true })

e. Configuring GitHub Copilot

Assuming you’re using GitHub Copilot, configure it within your Lua setup. You can use the copilot.lua plugin or similar.

-- Example using copilot.lua plugin
require('copilot').setup({
    filetypes = {
        python = true,
        markdown = false,
        text = false,
    }
})

Ensure you have the necessary plugins installed using a plugin manager like packer.nvim.

f. Additional Enhancements

  • Lua Utilities: Utilize Lua’s capabilities for more complex configurations and integrations.

  • Plugin Management: Transition to using a Lua-based plugin manager like packer.nvim for better performance and organization.

  • Error Handling: Implement error handling in your Lua functions to make your configuration more robust.

Complete Example init.lua

Here’s how your entire configuration might look in init.lua:

-- init.lua

-- Plugin Manager Setup (using packer.nvim)
require('packer').startup(function(use)
    use 'wbthomason/packer.nvim' -- Package manager

    -- GitHub Copilot
    use 'github/copilot.vim'

    -- Additional plugins can be added here
end)

-- Basic Settings
local set = vim.opt

set.spell = true
set.spelllang = 'en_us'
set.spellfile = '~/.config/nvim/spell/en.utf-8.add'

set.mouse = ''
set.clipboard = 'unnamedplus'

set.textwidth = 80
set.wrap = false

set.belloff = 'all'

set.tabstop = 4
set.expandtab = true
set.shiftwidth = 4
set.softtabstop = 4
set.autoindent = true
set.smartindent = false
set.smarttab = true

set.smartcase = true
set.incsearch = true
set.hlsearch = true
set.ignorecase = true

set.number = true
set.relativenumber = true

vim.cmd([[ hi Visual ctermbg=green ctermfg=black ]])

set.scrolloff = 5

set.wildmenu = true
set.wildmode = 'list:longest'

set.showmatch = true
set.matchtime = 2
set.matchpairs:append('<:>,*:*>')

-- Filetype Specific Settings
vim.api.nvim_create_autocmd({"BufRead", "BufNewFile"}, {
    pattern = "journal.txt",
    command = "set filetype=markdown"
})

-- Functions

-- OllamaFormat Function
local function ollama_format()
    local save_reg = vim.fn.getreg('"')
    local save_regtype = vim.fn.getregtype('"')
    
    vim.cmd('normal! gvy')
    local selected_text = vim.fn.getreg('"')
    local result = vim.fn.system('python3 ai.py', selected_text)
    vim.api.nvim_feedkeys('gvc' .. result .. '\x1b', 'n', true)
    vim.fn.setreg('"', save_reg, save_regtype)
end

-- Git Commit and Push
local function git_commit_push()
    vim.cmd('w')
    vim.cmd('!git add .')
    vim.cmd('!git commit -m "Work Journal Entry"')
    vim.cmd('!git push')
end

-- Reload Configuration
local function reload_config()
    vim.cmd('source ~/.config/nvim/init.lua')
    print("Configuration reloaded!")
end

-- Git Obsidian
local function git_obsidian()
    vim.cmd('w')
    vim.cmd('!cd ~/Repos/Obsidian && git add . && git commit -m "Obsidian Update" && git push')
    vim.cmd('cd -')
end

-- Correct Misspelling
local function correct_misspelling()
    vim.cmd('normal! [s1z=e')
end

-- Import Notes
local function import_notes()
    vim.cmd('!python3 import_notes.py')
    vim.cmd('r simplenote.md')
end

-- Delete Notes
local function delete_notes()
    vim.cmd('!python3 permanently_delete_notes.py')
end

-- Mappings

-- OllamaFormat in Visual Mode
vim.api.nvim_set_keymap('v', '<leader>s', '<cmd>lua ollama_format()<CR>', { noremap = true, silent = true })

-- Git Commit and Push
vim.api.nvim_set_keymap('n', '<leader>g', '<cmd>lua git_commit_push()<CR>', { noremap = true, silent = true })

-- Reload Configuration
vim.api.nvim_set_keymap('n', '<leader>i', '<cmd>lua reload_config()<CR>', { noremap = true, silent = true })

-- Git Obsidian
vim.api.nvim_set_keymap('n', '<leader>o', '<cmd>lua git_obsidian()<CR>', { noremap = true, silent = true })

-- Correct Misspelling
vim.api.nvim_set_keymap('n', '<leader>c', '<cmd>lua correct_misspelling()<CR>', { noremap = true, silent = true })

-- Import Notes
vim.api.nvim_set_keymap('n', '<leader>p', '<cmd>lua import_notes()<CR>', { noremap = true, silent = true })

-- Delete Notes
vim.api.nvim_set_keymap('n', '<leader>d', '<cmd>lua delete_notes()<CR>', { noremap = true, silent = true })

-- GitHub Copilot Configuration
require('copilot').setup({
    filetypes = {
        python = true,
        markdown = false,
        text = false,
    }
})

3. Benefits of Moving to Lua

  • Enhanced Readability: Lua’s syntax is cleaner and more straightforward compared to Vimscript, making your configuration easier to read and maintain.

  • Improved Maintainability: Functions and mappings are easier to organize, update, and debug.

  • Better AI Compatibility: AI tools can more effectively parse and understand Lua configurations, providing better suggestions and assistance.

  • Performance: Lua configurations are generally faster and more efficient in NeoVim.

  • Extensibility: Lua offers greater flexibility for integrating with plugins and external scripts.

4. Additional Recommendations

a. Use a Plugin Manager

Consider using a Lua-based plugin manager like packer.nvim for managing your plugins. It allows for lazy loading, which can improve startup times.

b. Leverage NeoVim’s Lua API

Take advantage of NeoVim’s Lua API for more advanced configurations and integrations. This includes creating custom commands, autocommands, and leveraging Lua libraries.

c. Organize Configuration

For larger configurations, organize your init.lua into multiple Lua modules. For example:

~/.config/nvim/
├── init.lua
└── lua/
    ├── settings.lua
    ├── mappings.lua
    ├── plugins.lua
    └── functions.lua

Then, in your init.lua, require these modules:

require('plugins')
require('settings')
require('mappings')
require('functions')

d. Utilize Treesitter and Other Enhancements

Integrate Treesitter for improved syntax highlighting and code understanding, which can further enhance AI assistance.

e. Version Control Your Configuration

Keep your init.lua and associated Lua modules under version control (e.g., using Git) to track changes and collaborate more effectively.

5. Conclusion

Migrating your NeoVim configuration from Vimscript to Lua will not only resolve the issues related to invisible control codes and improve maintainability but also enhance compatibility with AI coding assistance tools. By organizing your settings, functions, and mappings in Lua, you create a more robust and future-proof setup that leverages NeoVim’s full capabilities.

If you encounter any specific issues during the migration or need further assistance with particular configurations or Lua scripting, feel free to ask!

Okay, okay… no rabbit holes. But the win here is so big and just within reach. o1-mini, probably for copy/past weird files and no falult of its own, left out a lot of stuff on its first attempt. So I turn to Claude 3.1 Sonnet which is allowing file uploads, which I’ll provide my original unaltered init.vim…

Me: Resolve this first attempt at moving to init.lua by identifying what was left out from the first attempt and giving me another version that will fix it…

Claude: Thank you for providing the initial attempt at converting the init.vim to init.lua. I’ll identify what was left out and provide an improved version that addresses these omissions. Here’s an updated init.lua that includes the missing elements and some improvements:

-- init.lua

-- Plugin Manager Setup (using packer.nvim)
require('packer').startup(function(use)
    use 'wbthomason/packer.nvim' -- Package manager
    use 'github/copilot.vim'     -- GitHub Copilot
    -- Additional plugins can be added here
end)

-- Basic Settings
local set = vim.opt

set.spell = true
set.spelllang = 'en_us'
set.spellfile = vim.fn.expand('~/.config/nvim/spell/en.utf-8.add')
set.mouse = ''
set.clipboard = 'unnamedplus'
set.textwidth = 80
set.wrap = false
set.belloff = 'all'
set.tabstop = 4
set.expandtab = true
set.shiftwidth = 4
set.softtabstop = 4
set.autoindent = true
set.smartindent = false
set.smarttab = true
set.smartcase = true
set.incsearch = true
set.hlsearch = true
set.ignorecase = true
set.number = true
set.relativenumber = true
set.scrolloff = 5
set.wildmenu = true
set.wildmode = 'list:longest'
set.showmatch = true
set.matchtime = 2
set.matchpairs:append('<:>')
set.matchpairs:append('*:*')

-- Visual mode highlighting
vim.cmd([[hi Visual ctermbg=green ctermfg=black]])

-- Filetype Specific Settings
vim.api.nvim_create_autocmd({"BufRead", "BufNewFile"}, {
    pattern = "journal.txt",
    command = "set filetype=markdown"
})

-- Functions
-- OllamaFormat Function
local function ollama_format()
    local save_reg = vim.fn.getreg('"')
    local save_regtype = vim.fn.getregtype('"')
    
    vim.cmd('normal! gvy')
    local selected_text = vim.fn.getreg('"')
    local result = vim.fn.system('python3 ai.py', selected_text)
    vim.api.nvim_command('normal! gvc' .. vim.fn.escape(result, '\\<>') .. '\27')
    vim.fn.setreg('"', save_reg, save_regtype)
end

-- New Journal Entry
local function new_journal_entry()
    local date_cmd = "date +\"\\%a \\%b \\%d, \\%Y, \\%H:\\%M\""
    local date = vim.fn.system(date_cmd):gsub("\n", "")
    local entry = "date: " .. date .. "\n---\n\n"
    vim.api.nvim_put({entry}, 'c', true, true)
end

-- Git Operations
local function git_commit_push()
    vim.cmd('w')
    vim.cmd('!cp ~/.config/nvim/init.lua ./')
    vim.cmd('!git add .')
    vim.cmd('!git commit -am "Work Journal Entry"')
    vim.cmd('!git push')
end

local function git_obsidian()
    vim.cmd('w')
    vim.cmd('!cd ~/Repos/Obsidian && git add . && git commit -m "Obsidian Update" && git push; cd -')
end

-- Reload Configuration
local function reload_config()
    vim.cmd('source ' .. vim.fn.stdpath('config') .. '/init.lua')
    print("Configuration reloaded!")
end

-- Correct Misspelling
local function correct_misspelling()
    vim.cmd('normal! [s1z=e')
end

-- Import and Delete Notes
local function import_notes()
    vim.cmd('!python3 import_notes.py')
    vim.cmd('r simplenote.md')
end

local function delete_notes()
    vim.cmd('!python3 permanently_delete_notes.py')
end

-- Toggle line numbers
local function toggle_line_numbers()
    set.relativenumber = not set.relativenumber
    set.number = not set.number
end

-- Mappings
local map = vim.api.nvim_set_keymap
local opts = { noremap = true, silent = true }

map('v', '<leader>s', '<cmd>lua ollama_format()<CR>', opts)
map('n', '<leader>j', '<cmd>lua new_journal_entry()<CR>', opts)
map('n', '<leader>z', '<cmd>lua git_commit_push()<CR>', opts)
map('n', '<leader>o', '<cmd>lua git_obsidian()<CR>', opts)
map('n', '<leader>g', '<cmd>lua git_commit_push()<CR> <cmd>lua git_obsidian()<CR>', opts)
map('n', '<leader>i', '<cmd>lua reload_config()<CR>', opts)
map('n', '<leader>s', '<cmd>lua correct_misspelling()<CR>', opts)
map('n', '<leader>p', '<cmd>lua import_notes()<CR>', opts)
map('n', '<leader>d', '<cmd>lua delete_notes()<CR>', opts)
map('n', '<F3>', '<cmd>lua toggle_line_numbers()<CR>', opts)

-- GitHub Copilot Configuration
vim.g.copilot_filetypes = {
    python = true,
    markdown = false,
    text = false
}

-- Set up autocommands for Copilot
vim.api.nvim_create_augroup("copilot", { clear = true })
vim.api.nvim_create_autocmd("FileType", {
    group = "copilot",
    pattern = {"python"},
    command = "let b:copilot_enabled = v:true"
})
vim.api.nvim_create_autocmd("FileType", {
    group = "copilot",
    pattern = {"markdown", "text"},
    command = "let b:copilot_enabled = v:false"
})

Here are the main changes and additions I’ve made to the init.lua file:

  1. Added the new_journal_entry function and its mapping.
  2. Implemented the git_commit_push function to include copying the init.lua file.
  3. Added the git_obsidian function and its mapping.
  4. Combined git_commit_push and git_obsidian into a single mapping for <leader>g.
  5. Implemented the toggle_line_numbers function and mapped it to <F3>.
  6. Added missing matchpairs settings.
  7. Improved the ollama_format function to handle special characters better.
  8. Set up autocommands for Copilot to enable/disable it based on file types.
  9. Used vim.fn.expand() for the spellfile path to ensure proper expansion.
  10. Added more comments for better readability.

This updated version should now include all the functionality from the original init.vim file. The structure has been improved, and Lua idioms have been used where appropriate.

Is there anything specific you’d like me to explain or modify further?

Me: Take out the Obsidian and Copilot stuff.

Claude: Certainly, I’ll remove the Obsidian and Copilot-related configurations from the init.lua file. Here’s the updated version:

-- init.lua

-- Plugin Manager Setup (using packer.nvim)
require('packer').startup(function(use)
    use 'wbthomason/packer.nvim' -- Package manager
    -- Additional plugins can be added here
end)

-- Basic Settings
local set = vim.opt

set.spell = true
set.spelllang = 'en_us'
set.spellfile = vim.fn.expand('~/.config/nvim/spell/en.utf-8.add')
set.mouse = ''
set.clipboard = 'unnamedplus'
set.textwidth = 80
set.wrap = false
set.belloff = 'all'
set.tabstop = 4
set.expandtab = true
set.shiftwidth = 4
set.softtabstop = 4
set.autoindent = true
set.smartindent = false
set.smarttab = true
set.smartcase = true
set.incsearch = true
set.hlsearch = true
set.ignorecase = true
set.number = true
set.relativenumber = true
set.scrolloff = 5
set.wildmenu = true
set.wildmode = 'list:longest'
set.showmatch = true
set.matchtime = 2
set.matchpairs:append('<:>')
set.matchpairs:append('*:*')

-- Visual mode highlighting
vim.cmd([[hi Visual ctermbg=green ctermfg=black]])

-- Filetype Specific Settings
vim.api.nvim_create_autocmd({"BufRead", "BufNewFile"}, {
    pattern = "journal.txt",
    command = "set filetype=markdown"
})

-- Functions
-- OllamaFormat Function
local function ollama_format()
    local save_reg = vim.fn.getreg('"')
    local save_regtype = vim.fn.getregtype('"')
    
    vim.cmd('normal! gvy')
    local selected_text = vim.fn.getreg('"')
    local result = vim.fn.system('python3 ai.py', selected_text)
    vim.api.nvim_command('normal! gvc' .. vim.fn.escape(result, '\\<>') .. '\27')
    vim.fn.setreg('"', save_reg, save_regtype)
end

-- New Journal Entry
local function new_journal_entry()
    local date_cmd = "date +\"\\%a \\%b \\%d, \\%Y, \\%H:\\%M\""
    local date = vim.fn.system(date_cmd):gsub("\n", "")
    local entry = "date: " .. date .. "\n---\n\n"
    vim.api.nvim_put({entry}, 'c', true, true)
end

-- Git Operations
local function git_commit_push()
    vim.cmd('w')
    vim.cmd('!cp ~/.config/nvim/init.lua ./')
    vim.cmd('!git add .')
    vim.cmd('!git commit -am "Work Journal Entry"')
    vim.cmd('!git push')
end

-- Reload Configuration
local function reload_config()
    vim.cmd('source ' .. vim.fn.stdpath('config') .. '/init.lua')
    print("Configuration reloaded!")
end

-- Correct Misspelling
local function correct_misspelling()
    vim.cmd('normal! [s1z=e')
end

-- Import and Delete Notes
local function import_notes()
    vim.cmd('!python3 import_notes.py')
    vim.cmd('r simplenote.md')
end

local function delete_notes()
    vim.cmd('!python3 permanently_delete_notes.py')
end

-- Toggle line numbers
local function toggle_line_numbers()
    set.relativenumber = not set.relativenumber
    set.number = not set.number
end

-- Mappings
local map = vim.api.nvim_set_keymap
local opts = { noremap = true, silent = true }

map('v', '<leader>s', '<cmd>lua ollama_format()<CR>', opts)
map('n', '<leader>j', '<cmd>lua new_journal_entry()<CR>', opts)
map('n', '<leader>z', '<cmd>lua git_commit_push()<CR>', opts)
map('n', '<leader>g', '<cmd>lua git_commit_push()<CR>', opts)
map('n', '<leader>i', '<cmd>lua reload_config()<CR>', opts)
map('n', '<leader>s', '<cmd>lua correct_misspelling()<CR>', opts)
map('n', '<leader>p', '<cmd>lua import_notes()<CR>', opts)
map('n', '<leader>d', '<cmd>lua delete_notes()<CR>', opts)
map('n', '<F3>', '<cmd>lua toggle_line_numbers()<CR>', opts)

Here are the main changes I’ve made:

  1. Removed the GitHub Copilot plugin from the packer setup.
  2. Removed the git_obsidian function and its related mapping.
  3. Simplified the <leader>g mapping to only call git_commit_push().
  4. Removed all Copilot-related configurations, including the copilot_filetypes settings and the autocommands for Copilot.

This version of the init.lua file now excludes all Obsidian and Copilot-related configurations while retaining all other functionality from the previous version. The core Neovim settings, custom functions, and most key mappings remain intact.

Is there anything else you’d like me to modify or explain about this configuration?

Me: Show me how to switch nvim to use my new init.lua at /home/mike/repos/nixos/init.lua

Claude: To switch Neovim to use your new init.lua located at /home/mike/repos/nixos/init.lua, you’ll need to modify your NixOS configuration. Here’s how you can do it:

{ config, pkgs, lib, ... }:
{
  # ... (previous configuration remains the same)

  # Update the Neovim configuration
  programs.neovim = {
    enable = true;
    defaultEditor = true;
    configure = {
      customRC = builtins.readFile /home/mike/repos/nixos/init.lua;
    };
  };

  # Remove the old symlink creation for Neovim configurations
  # system.activationScripts.createVimNvimSymlinks = lib.mkForce {};

  # ... (rest of the configuration remains the same)
}

Here are the changes I’ve made to your NixOS configuration:

  1. Added a programs.neovim section to explicitly configure Neovim.
  2. Set enable = true to ensure Neovim is installed.
  3. Set defaultEditor = true to make Neovim the default editor.
  4. Used configure.customRC to read the contents of your new init.lua file directly.
  5. Commented out the old system.activationScripts.createVimNvimSymlinks section, as it’s no longer needed.

To apply these changes:

  1. Add the programs.neovim section to your NixOS configuration file (usually located at /etc/nixos/configuration.nix).
  2. Remove or comment out the old system.activationScripts.createVimNvimSymlinks section.
  3. Save the changes to your configuration file.

  4. Rebuild and switch to the new configuration by running:

    sudo nixos-rebuild switch

After applying these changes and rebuilding your system, Neovim will use your new init.lua file located at /home/mike/repos/nixos/init.lua.

Note: Make sure that the path /home/mike/repos/nixos/init.lua is correct and that the file exists before rebuilding your system. If the file doesn’t exist or the path is incorrect, Neovim might fail to start or use a default configuration.

Is there anything else you’d like me to explain or modify regarding this configuration?

Me: Show me how to switch nvim to use my new init.lua at /home/mike/repos/nixos/init.lua (gave Claude my configuration.nix)

Claude: To switch Neovim to use your new init.lua located at /home/mike/repos/nixos/init.lua, you’ll need to modify your NixOS configuration. Here’s how you can do it:

{ config, pkgs, lib, ... }:
{
  # ... (previous configuration remains the same)

  # Update the Neovim configuration
  programs.neovim = {
    enable = true;
    defaultEditor = true;
    configure = {
      customRC = builtins.readFile /home/mike/repos/nixos/init.lua;
    };
  };

  # Remove the old symlink creation for Neovim configurations
  # system.activationScripts.createVimNvimSymlinks = lib.mkForce {};

  # ... (rest of the configuration remains the same)
}

Here are the changes I’ve made to your NixOS configuration:

  1. Added a programs.neovim section to explicitly configure Neovim.
  2. Set enable = true to ensure Neovim is installed.
  3. Set defaultEditor = true to make Neovim the default editor.
  4. Used configure.customRC to read the contents of your new init.lua file directly.
  5. Commented out the old system.activationScripts.createVimNvimSymlinks section, as it’s no longer needed.

To apply these changes:

  1. Add the programs.neovim section to your NixOS configuration file (usually located at /etc/nixos/configuration.nix).
  2. Remove or comment out the old system.activationScripts.createVimNvimSymlinks section.
  3. Save the changes to your configuration file.

  4. Rebuild and switch to the new configuration by running:

    sudo nixos-rebuild switch

After applying these changes and rebuilding your system, Neovim will use your new init.lua file located at /home/mike/repos/nixos/init.lua.

Note: Make sure that the path /home/mike/repos/nixos/init.lua is correct and that the file exists before rebuilding your system. If the file doesn’t exist or the path is incorrect, Neovim might fail to start or use a default configuration.

Is there anything else you’d like me to explain or modify regarding this configuration?

And so I move my old init.vim into the old subfolder so it can’t be found and read accidentially by nvim, and I sudo nixos-rebuild switch, close and reopen my terminals to avoid old-path-memories and fire up NeoVim and test a macro… Success! There will be fine-tuning, but this is huge if true. Big AI code assist obstacle or hurdle overcome.

I can’t really show you the “before” file here on the web for the very vimscript magical keystroke embedded code reasons that’s making me make the switch, but here’s the after:

-- init.lua

-- Plugin Manager Setup (using packer.nvim)
require('packer').startup(function(use)
    use 'wbthomason/packer.nvim' -- Package manager
    -- Additional plugins can be added here
end)

-- Basic Settings
local set = vim.opt

set.spell = true
set.spelllang = 'en_us'
set.spellfile = vim.fn.expand('~/.config/nvim/spell/en.utf-8.add')
set.mouse = ''
set.clipboard = 'unnamedplus'
set.textwidth = 80
set.wrap = false
set.belloff = 'all'
set.tabstop = 4
set.expandtab = true
set.shiftwidth = 4
set.softtabstop = 4
set.autoindent = true
set.smartindent = false
set.smarttab = true
set.smartcase = true
set.incsearch = true
set.hlsearch = true
set.ignorecase = true
set.number = true
set.relativenumber = true
set.scrolloff = 5
set.wildmenu = true
set.wildmode = 'list:longest'
set.showmatch = true
set.matchtime = 2
set.matchpairs:append('<:>')
set.matchpairs:append('*:*')

-- Visual mode highlighting
vim.cmd([[hi Visual ctermbg=green ctermfg=black]])

-- Filetype Specific Settings
vim.api.nvim_create_autocmd({"BufRead", "BufNewFile"}, {
    pattern = "journal.txt",
    command = "set filetype=markdown"
})

-- Functions
-- OllamaFormat Function
local function ollama_format()
    local save_reg = vim.fn.getreg('"')
    local save_regtype = vim.fn.getregtype('"')
    
    vim.cmd('normal! gvy')
    local selected_text = vim.fn.getreg('"')
    local result = vim.fn.system('python3 ai.py', selected_text)
    vim.api.nvim_command('normal! gvc' .. vim.fn.escape(result, '\\<>') .. '\27')
    vim.fn.setreg('"', save_reg, save_regtype)
end

-- New Journal Entry
local function new_journal_entry()
    local date_cmd = "date +\"\\%a \\%b \\%d, \\%Y, \\%H:\\%M\""
    local date = vim.fn.system(date_cmd):gsub("\n", "")
    local entry = "date: " .. date .. "\n---\n\n"
    vim.api.nvim_put({entry}, 'c', true, true)
end

-- Git Operations
local function git_commit_push()
    vim.cmd('w')
    vim.cmd('!cp ~/.config/nvim/init.lua ./')
    vim.cmd('!git add .')
    vim.cmd('!git commit -am "Work Journal Entry"')
    vim.cmd('!git push')
end

-- Reload Configuration
local function reload_config()
    vim.cmd('source ' .. vim.fn.stdpath('config') .. '/init.lua')
    print("Configuration reloaded!")
end

-- Correct Misspelling
local function correct_misspelling()
    vim.cmd('normal! [s1z=e')
end

-- Import and Delete Notes
local function import_notes()
    vim.cmd('!python3 import_notes.py')
    vim.cmd('r simplenote.md')
end

local function delete_notes()
    vim.cmd('!python3 permanently_delete_notes.py')
end

-- Toggle line numbers
local function toggle_line_numbers()
    set.relativenumber = not set.relativenumber
    set.number = not set.number
end

-- Mappings
local map = vim.api.nvim_set_keymap
local opts = { noremap = true, silent = true }

map('v', '<leader>s', '<cmd>lua ollama_format()<CR>', opts)
map('n', '<leader>j', '<cmd>lua new_journal_entry()<CR>', opts)
map('n', '<leader>z', '<cmd>lua git_commit_push()<CR>', opts)
map('n', '<leader>g', '<cmd>lua git_commit_push()<CR>', opts)
map('n', '<leader>i', '<cmd>lua reload_config()<CR>', opts)
map('n', '<leader>s', '<cmd>lua correct_misspelling()<CR>', opts)
map('n', '<leader>p', '<cmd>lua import_notes()<CR>', opts)
map('n', '<leader>d', '<cmd>lua delete_notes()<CR>', opts)
map('n', '<F3>', '<cmd>lua toggle_line_numbers()<CR>', opts)

Now I can begin asking Cursor AI about my init.lua and start that rapid righteous feedback loop of constant chisel-strike improvements!

This leads to some muscle memory remapping. I always used the @[keystroke] format for macros, but I see now that the <leader>[keystroke] is generally the way to go. It’s definitely easier on the fingers.

And the actual macros are a bit out of whack too, but this is exactly the point. Some things break, but it was to get the AI code assist, which helps me fix them, and I accelerate!