How do you actually add a plugin that's not packaged in Nixpkgs and not included in nvf?

[schrenker]

I feel like there is no simple explanation on how to actually use plugin that's not packaged in nixpkgs and not included in nvf. I was trying to use https://github.com/f-person/auto-dark-mode.nvim to enable dynamic theme switching but I just can't wrap my head around this issue. I think this could also be an answer to this discussion: #555

If there is no way of using plugins from outside of nixpkgs, how do you package it so I can easily use it within nvf?

[NotAShelf]

A really simple solution is offered by mnw, the low-level wrapper nvf is powered by since 0.7. To add a plugin to nvf's runtime you can

1. build a plugin from source usingp pkgs.vimUtils.build{Vim,Neovim}plugin and place it in vim.startPlugins
2. define a plugin source, in a format that mnw supports; for example:

vim.startPlugins = [{
    pname = "customPlugin";
    version = "1";
  
    src = pkgs.fetchFromGitHub {
     owner = "";
     repo = "";
     ref = "";
     hash = "";
    };
  
    # Whether to place plugin in /start or /opt
    optional = false;
  
    # Plugins can have other plugins as dependencies
    # this is mainly used in nixpkgs
    # avoid it if possible
	dependencies = [];
}]

The process is described in mnw's option documentation.

[schrenker]

So I tried using the second option and I get following error:

error:
       … while calling the 'derivationStrict' builtin
         at <nix/derivation-internal.nix>:34:12:
           33|
           34|   strict = derivationStrict drvAttrs;
             |            ^
           35|

       … while evaluating derivation 'nvf-with-helpers'
         whose name attribute is located at /nix/store/0p3h8sfhb6a7jwdq39w83y4h4p2rqgph-source/pkgs/stdenv/generic/make-derivation.nix:375:7

       … while evaluating attribute 'paths' of derivation 'nvf-with-helpers'
         at /nix/store/08n15cz2cyq9z4svxlda6pqdlnrkgchv-source/modules/wrapper/build/config.nix:109:5:
          108|     name = "nvf-with-helpers";
          109|     paths = [neovim-wrapped printConfig printConfigPath];
             |     ^
          110|     postBuild = "echo Helpers added";

       … while evaluating the option `programs.mnw.plugins':

       … while evaluating definitions from `<unknown-file>':

       (stack trace truncated; use '--show-trace' to show the full, detailed trace)

       error: A definition for option `vim.startPlugins."[definition 12-entry 1]"' is not of type `null or package or one of "aerial-nvim", "alpha-nvim", "base16", "bufdelete-nvim", "catppuccin", "ccc", "cellular-automaton", "chatgpt", "cheatsheet-nvim", "cinnamon-nvim", "cmp-buffer", "cmp-luasnip", "cmp-nvim-lsp", "cmp-path", "cmp-treesitter", "codewindow-nvim", "comment-nvim", "copilot-cmp", "copilot-lua", "crates-nvim", "csharpls-extended", "dashboard-nvim", "diffview-nvim", "dracula", "dressing-nvim", "elixir-tools", "fastaction-nvim", "fidget-nvim", "flutter-tools", "friendly-snippets", "fzf-lua", "gesture-nvim", "gitsigns-nvim", "glow-nvim", "gruvbox", "haskell-tools-nvim", "highlight-undo", "hop-nvim", "icon-picker-nvim", "image-nvim", "indent-blankline", "leap-nvim", "lsp-lines", "lsp-signature", "lspkind", "lspsaga", "lua-utils-nvim", "lualine", "luasnip", "lz-n", "lzn-auto-require", "mind-nvim", "mini-ai", "mini-align", "mini-animate", "mini-base16", "mini-basics", "mini-bracketed", "mini-bufremove", "mini-clue", "mini-colors", "mini-comment", "mini-completion", "mini-diff", "mini-doc", "mini-extra", "mini-files", "mini-fuzzy", "mini-git", "mini-hipatterns", "mini-hues", "mini-icons", "mini-indentscope", "mini-jump", "mini-jump2d", "mini-map", "mini-misc", "mini-move", "mini-notify", "mini-operators", "mini-pairs", "mini-pick", "mini-sessions", "mini-snippets", "mini-splitjoin", "mini-starter", "mini-statusline", "mini-surround", "mini-tabline", "mini-test", "mini-trailspace", "mini-visits", "minimap-vim", "modes-nvim", "neo-tree-nvim", "neocord", "neodev-nvim", "neorg", "neorg-telescope", "new-file-template-nvim", "noice-nvim", "none-ls", "nord", "nui-nvim", "nvim-autopairs", "nvim-bufferline-lua", "nvim-cmp", "nvim-colorizer-lua", "nvim-cursorline", "nvim-dap", "nvim-dap-go", "nvim-dap-ui", "nvim-docs-view", "nvim-lightbulb", "nvim-lspconfig", "nvim-metals", "nvim-navbuddy", "nvim-navic", "nvim-neoclip", "nvim-nio", "nvim-notify", "nvim-scrollbar", "nvim-session-manager", "nvim-surround", "nvim-tree-lua", "nvim-treesitter-context", "nvim-ts-autotag", "nvim-ufo", "nvim-web-devicons", "obsidian-nvim", "omnisharp-extended", "onedark", "orgmode-nvim", "otter-nvim", "oxocarbon", "pathlib-nvim", "plenary-nvim", "precognition-nvim", "project-nvim", "promise-async", "rainbow-delimiters", "registers", "render-markdown-nvim", "rose-pine", "rtp-nvim", "run-nvim", "rustaceanvim", "smartcolumn", "sqls-nvim", "tabular", "telescope", "tiny-devicons-auto-colors", "todo-comments", "toggleterm-nvim", "tokyonight", "trouble", "ts-error-translator", "typst-preview-nvim", "vim-dirtytalk", "vim-fugitive", "vim-illuminate", "vim-markdown", "vim-repeat", "vim-startify", "which-key", "yanky-nvim", "nvim-treesitter", "flutter-tools-patched", "vim-repeat"'. Definition values:
       - In `/nix/store/6hmdmv0kz2shf7r0pxyps24asn2kw6qy-source/hosts/common/dotfiles/nvf.nix':
           {
             dependencies = [ ];
             optional = false;
             pname = "auto-dark-mode";
             src = <derivation source>;
           ...

Config:

        vim.startPlugins = [{
            pname = "auto-dark-mode";
            version = "1";

            src = pkgs.fetchFromGitHub {
                owner = "f-person";
                repo = "auto-dark-mode.nvim";
                rev = "02ef9553e2a1d6e861bc6955d58ce5883d28a6ad";
                hash = "1hwdb8ppcxbfjxrbs9s0lphq0gi7vj6zrhd6fpql77xd7s4ydrg4";
            };

            # Whether to place plugin in /start or /opt
            optional = false;

            # Plugins can have other plugins as dependencies
            # this is mainly used in nixpkgs
            # avoid it if possible
            dependencies = [];
        }];

[NotAShelf]

Ah, right. We are not actually supporting the raw attribute set format that mnw can convert into packages, so you'll need to build them yourself. Example from my configuration:

(smart-splits = buildVimPlugin {
	name = "smart-splits";
    src = pins."smart-splits.nvim";
});

Where pins is for npins, which can be replaced with fetchFromGithub.

[C4E5G3]

Hi ...would someone be able to outline what the mnw wrapper does? Do we need to alter our configuration in any way?

[NotAShelf]

mnw is the low-level wrapper we use to wrap Neovim, it used to be the wrapNeovim function from Nixpkgs but we realised that the implementation was subpar. nvf has been using mnw under the hood for a while now, the interface for users has not changed at all.