Nvim.NET

.NET client for Neovim

Quickstart for Linux

1. Install dotnet
2. Clone the Nvim .NET client (this repo):

   git clone https://github.com/neovim/nvim.net
   

3. Run the tests, to check that everything is working:

   dotnet test --solution NvimClient.slnx
   

Plugin Example

The following is a complete, working RPC module. It adds an :ExampleAdd command that prints 3.

1. From the repository root, create a console project and reference NvimClient.API:

   dotnet new console --output NvimNetExample
   dotnet add NvimNetExample/NvimNetExample.csproj reference src/NvimClient.API/NvimClient.API.csproj
   cd NvimNetExample

2. Replace Program.cs with:

   using System;
   using NvimClient.API;
   
   var nvim = NvimAPI.CreateFromStandardIO();
   nvim.RegisterHandler(
     "example.add",
     args => (long)args[0] + (long)args[1]
   );
   Console.Error.WriteLine("ready");
   nvim.WaitForDisconnect();

   Standard output is the MessagePack RPC stream. Write diagnostics only to standard error.
3. Publish the module:

   dotnet publish --output publish

4. Create example.lua in the project directory:

   local module_path = vim.fn.getcwd() .. "/publish/NvimNetExample.dll"
   local ready = false
   local channel = vim.fn.jobstart(
     { "dotnet", module_path },
     {
       rpc = true,
       on_stderr = function(_, data)
         if vim.tbl_contains(data, "ready") then
           ready = true
         end
       end,
     }
   )
   assert(channel > 0, "failed to start the .NET module")
   assert(vim.wait(5000, function()
     return ready
   end), "timed out waiting for the .NET module")
   
   vim.api.nvim_create_user_command("ExampleAdd", function()
     print(vim.fn.rpcrequest(channel, "example.add", 1, 2))
   end, {})

5. Start Neovim from the project directory and run :ExampleAdd:

   nvim --clean -u example.lua

Build

dotnet build

Generate API

The API generator takes two arguments: the output path of the generated C# class file and the path to the Neovim source directory. nvim and doxygen must be in the PATH.

 dotnet run --project src/NvimClient.APIGenerator/NvimClient.APIGenerator.csproj
   src/NvimClient.API/NvimAPI.generated.cs
   /usr/local/src/neovim/

Test

Run all tests (nvim must be in the PATH):

dotnet test --solution NvimClient.slnx

Release

1. Update version as necessary in src/NvimClient.API/NvimClient.API.csproj.
2. Ensure the repository secret NUGET_API_KEY is set to a nuget.org API key with package push permission. No extra GitHub Packages secret is required; the workflow uses the built-in GITHUB_TOKEN.
3. Run the publish workflow from the branch or tag to release. Leave package-version empty to use the project version, or set it to override PackageVersion for that run.
4. The workflow builds, packs, uploads the .nupkg and .snupkg artifacts, then pushes the .nupkg packages to GitHub Packages and nuget.org.