tree-sitter

Tree-Sitter is a powerful parsing library that Neovim integrates to provide advanced syntax highlighting, code understanding, and editing capabilities. It transforms how developers interact with their code, offering accuracy and speed unparalleled by traditional regex-based syntax systems.

Why Use Tree-Sitter?

1. Syntax Highlighting on Steroids

Unlike traditional syntax highlighting, which relies on regex patterns, Tree-Sitter provides an Abstract Syntax Tree (AST) for your code. This allows for:

• More accurate highlighting.
• Language-aware distinctions, even for complex constructs.

require'nvim-treesitter.configs'.setup {
  ensure_installed = {"lua", "python", "javascript"},
  highlight = {
    enable = true,
    additional_vim_regex_highlighting = false,
  },
}

2. Code Navigation and Selection

Tree-Sitter enables semantic code navigation, making it easier to jump between functions, classes, or any AST node. Try this:

require'nvim-treesitter.configs'.setup {
  incremental_selection = {
    enable = true,
    keymaps = {
      init_selection = "gnn",
      node_incremental = "grn",
      scope_incremental = "grc",
      node_decremental = "grm",
    },
  },
}

Now, with simple keybindings, you can expand or shrink your selection intelligently.

3. Code Folding

Tree-Sitter-based folding lets you fold code according to its structure, not arbitrary indentation.

vim.o.foldmethod = 'expr'
vim.o.foldexpr = 'nvim_treesitter#foldexpr()'

Toggle folds effortlessly, keeping your workspace clean and focused.

4. Language Support

Tree-Sitter supports dozens of languages. Install and configure the ones you use most:

require'nvim-treesitter.configs'.setup {
  ensure_installed = {"go", "java", "typescript"},
  auto_install = true,
}

Tree-Sitter Workflow

 +-----------------------+      +------------------------+
 |    Source Code       | ---> |   Tree-Sitter Parser   |
 +-----------------------+      +------------------------+
              |                              |
              v                              v
    +----------------+             +--------------------+
    | Abstract Tree  |             | Highlighting, etc |
    +----------------+             +--------------------+

Why Geeks Love Tree-Sitter

1. Precision: Handles edge cases regex systems miss.
2. Performance: Fast and reliable, even for large codebases.
3. Integration: Works seamlessly with other Neovim plugins like Telescope and LSP.

How to Install with Lazy.nvim

Add Tree-Sitter to your Neovim configuration using Lazy:

require("lazy").setup({
  {
    "nvim-treesitter/nvim-treesitter",
    build = ":TSUpdate",
    config = function()
      require'nvim-treesitter.configs'.setup {
        ensure_installed = "all",
        highlight = {
          enable = true,
        },
      }
    end
  }
})

After saving your configuration, reload Neovim and run :Lazy sync to install the plugin.