Neovim is a fork of the Vim text editor that aims to improve upon Vim by addressing some of its limitations and incorporating new features. Some of the key differences between Neovim and Vim include:
Neovim has a more modern codebase, with a focus on extensibility and usability. It includes support for asynchronous plugin communication and a new plugin architecture that allows plugins to run on separate processes.
Neovim includes support for GUI features such as tabs, pop-up windows, and mouse interaction, which are not available in Vim.
Neovim includes several new features, such as built-in support for LSP (Language Server Protocol), which enables intelligent code completion, diagnostics, and other language-specific features. This makes it a lot more like VSCode if you are familiar with tab completions and type checking.
Neovim also includes many optimizations and performance improvements, such as a new terminal emulator that allows running terminal programs within Neovim and improved handling of large files.
Unlike Vim, Neovim adopted LUA as a programming language for configuration files. This is probably the most significant deviation in the neovim fork from vim. Lua is a well established language and vim (core) relies on it's own configuration language which is not so simple.
Overall, Neovim is a modern, feature-rich alternative to Vim that is designed to be more extensible and easier to use. It is widely used by developers and other users who want a powerful, customizable text editor.
A "dotfile" is a configuration file that is named with a leading dot (.) and is typically stored in the home directory of a Unix-like operating system. In the context of Neovim, a dotfile typically refers to a configuration file that is used to set up Neovim and customize its behaviour.
There are many different Neovim dotfile repositories available, and the best one for you will depend on your personal preferences and needs. Here are a few popular Neovim dotfile repositories that you may want to consider:
Generate your config with vim-bootstrap: This is a web-based utility to help you put together your own configuration by selecting the languages you expect to program in and the colour scheme you want. It then provides a generated config file which is easy to install and will get you on your way.
My dotfiles configuration lives at github.com/peterjaffray/.dotfiles.git if you want to check out what I am currently working on.
ultimate-neovim-config: This repository includes a comprehensive Neovim configuration that is designed to be highly customizable and feature-rich. It includes support for a wide range of languages and tools and includes some advanced features such as automatic plugin management and a customizable interface.
NvChad: This repository includes a Neovim configuration that is designed to be intuitive and easy to use, with a focus on simplicity and minimalism. This one is pretty 1337. My favourite.
These are just a few examples of Neovim dotfile repositories, and there are many other options available as well. It's a good idea to explore a few different options and see which one works best for you.