Minimal Neovim pt3: Window and Buffer Management

The next desperately needed feature is window and buffer management. That is, convenient shortcuts to easily open and navigate between open buffers and windows inside Neovim.

Splitting and Closing (Deleting) Windows

Below config is direct from LazyVim:

-- windows
map("n", "<leader>w", "<c-w>", { desc = "Windows", remap = true })
map("n", "<leader>-", "<C-W>s", { desc = "Split Window Below", remap = true })
map("n", "<leader>|", "<C-W>v", { desc = "Split Window Right", remap = true })
map("n", "<leader>wd", "<C-W>c", { desc = "Delete Window", remap = true })

I used the <leader>- and <leader>| keys regularly to split windows vertically and horizontally respectively.

One fun thing about going embarking on this project is picking up so many new shortcuts and features that I never knew before. For example, when ever I had multiple windows open, I always used :q to close the active window. But now I see above that I can also use <leader>wd, which is more consistent with the other window-management keymaps (i.e. they all use the leader key) and prevents me from accidentally exiting Neovim if I use :q on the last open window (instead an error message will be displayed that the last window cannot be closed).

Buffer Line

Switching between windows/buffers is tricky without knowing which windows/buffers are presently open. The bufferline.nvim plugin renders open windows in separate ‘tabs’ at the top of the Neovim editor, highlighting the active buffer and showing all other open buffers.