VSCode + VIM + NVIM + WSL

vscode_vim_nvim_wsl.md

Setup WSL 2

• Follow steps in https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wsl/install-win10
• If Microsoft Store cannot be used, install manually from https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wsl/install-manual
• Sections below assume Ubuntu 18.04+ is installed

Setup Neovim

• Neovim on Ubuntu

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:neovim-ppa/unstable
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install neovim
sudo apt install python-neovim
sudo apt install python3-neovim # Alternatively `pip install neovim` in your venv

• Setup init.vim (vimrc equivalent)

mkdir -p ~/.config/nvim
ln -s ~/.vimrc ~/.config/nvim/init.vim

• Edit .vimrc to use if has('nvim') as needed to add/remove settings between vim/neovim

Setup VIM

• Regularly backported builds
• Daily builds

VSCode + VIM/NVIM

Option 1 (VIM)

• Will allow linux shell commands with ! only when remote host is linux/WSL.
• Install VSCodeVim extension
• Update global settings.json

	"vim.enableNeovim": true,
	"remote.extensionKind": {
		"vscodevim.vim": [
			"workspace"
		]
	}

• Can be used with normal vim as well. (Set vim.enableNeovim to false)

Option 2 (NEOVIM)

• Needed to allow using linux shell commands with ! even when editing files in Windows
• Allows using neovim extensions
• Install Neo Vim extension
• Update global settings.json

	"vscode-neovim.useWSL": true,
	"vscode-neovim.neovimExecutablePaths.linux": "/usr/bin/nvim",
	"remote.extensionKind": {
		"asvetliakov.vscode-neovim": [
			"workspace"
		]
	}

Misc VSCode settings

	"editor.minimap.enabled": false,
	"editor.fontFamily": "mononoki, Consolas, 'Courier New', monospace",
	"editor.fontSize": 13,
	"editor.tabSize": 4,
	"editor.insertSpaces": true,
	"editor.rulers": [
		80
	],
	"editor.selectionHighlight": false,
	"files.eol": "\n",
	"files.trimTrailingWhitespace": true,
		"terminal.integrated.commandsToSkipShell": [
		"-workbench.action.terminal.paste"
	]

Vim yanks to clipboard

• Install X Server: VcXsrv
• Set environment variable 'DISPLAY = 127.0.0.1:0'
• Changes to vimrc/init.vim

set clipboard^=unnamed     " Yanks go on clipboard
set clipboard^=unnamedplus " Yanks go on clipboard

• Changes to .ssh/config

Host host_alias
    HostName host_ip_or_host_fqdn
    User username
    ForwardX11 yes
    ForwardX11Trusted yes