How to install NeoVim 0.5 in Ubuntu. Short and uncomplicated.

NeoVim (opens new window) 0.5 can be installed using the neovim-ppa.

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:neovim-ppa/unstable
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install neovim

Next you should create a custom vimrc file for it - see :help nvim-from-vim.

It will tell you that you should execute (:) the following from within nvim.

:call mkdir(stdpath('config'), 'p')
:exe 'edit '.stdpath('config').'/init.vim'

Then copy in the following piece of code, which will ensure that your normal .vimrc file is loaded. So you don't have to manage that second configuration except it really is a nvim specific configuration.

set runtimepath^=~/.vim runtimepath+=~/.vim/after
let &packpath = &runtimepath
source ~/.vimrc

This file will be located under ~/.config/nvim/init.vim.

If you are lazy (like me) you can add nvim as vim alternative.

sudo update-alternatives --install $(which vim) vim $(which nvim) 10

Now you can call the following to choose nvim as alternative to vim so whenever you call vim in the terminal it actually starts nvim.

sudo update-alternatives --config vim

Select nvim through the number in the first column.

And that's it. Have fun with it 😁

Troubleshooting 💢

If you run into issues with the infinite file opening loop (opens new window) you can try the following.

# vscode
curl -L https://gist.github.com/kidonng/1f70b2e3de50b519483f6c79dd3d82e2/raw/6b865cec34f78475dc50b208b30563d337427543/extension.js > ~/.vscode/extensions/asvetliakov.vscode-neovim-0.0.78/dist/extension.js

# vscode insiders
curl -L https://gist.github.com/kidonng/1f70b2e3de50b519483f6c79dd3d82e2/raw/6b865cec34f78475dc50b208b30563d337427543/extension.js > ~/.vscode-insiders/extensions/asvetliakov.vscode-neovim-0.0.78/dist/extension.js