Why is nixvim needed?

[refaelsh]

I think nixvim is a cool idea.
But, why is it needed? What advantage does it have over simply using ~/.config/nvim/init.lua?
Or maybe even creating ~/.config/nvim/init.lua via home-manager.

[traxys]

It allow to bundle with your neovim executable the plugins (pinned to the nixpkgs version you use), and the executables like LSP that are required.
Using nix modules also allows for a thighter intergration with you other programs, and allows to modify the config for each project easily.

[refaelsh]

Using nix modules also allows for a thighter intergration with you other programs

Can you please provide an example?

As for the other points you raised, every one of them can be achieved with init.lua.

[MattSturgeon]

Well, fundamentally all nixvim does is produce an init.lua, packaged using pkgs.wrapNeovimUnstable. So from that perspective, of course you can achieve similar results manually or with some other tool.

At the end of the day, nixvim is not needed and may users configure neovim without it.

Nixvim is geared toward people who prefer configuring options using the nixos module system. If you prefer configuring directly in lua, then nixvim probably isn't for you.

As a (somewhat contrived) example, you could have some config be conditional on some other config:

{ config, lib, ... }: {
  opts.relativenumber = config.plugins.treesitter.enable;
}

Nixvim also provides a nix-module representation of many plugin's setup() function options, which many users who prefer using nix to lua appreciate. This is our biggest time-sink while maintaining nixvim though 😅

[khaneliman]

• It includes tests that help identify missing dependencies for plugins before you use your config
• Sanity check warnings/assertions for your config if you try and do something incorrectly or that can lead to unexpected behavior.
• People who are comfortable with nix but dont like writing lua
• Allows reducing amount of code needed to be written by focusing on configuration instead of how to setup/call everything.

[refaelsh]

Thank you all who answered. That helped me get my head together.

P.S.
I will give nixvim a try. Definitly.