AI and Copilot Plugins

AI-assisted coding has become a standard part of modern development workflows. Neovim has best-in-class integrations for all major AI coding tools.

LazyVim Bundled

LazyVim has extras for AI: lazyvim.plugins.extras.coding.copilot (GitHub Copilot), lazyvim.plugins.extras.coding.copilot-chat, lazyvim.plugins.extras.coding.codeium, lazyvim.plugins.extras.ai.supermaven. Enable via :LazyExtras.

Enabling AI in LazyVim

LazyVim makes it incredibly easy to enable AI assistants through its extras system. You do not need to install these plugins manually. Instead, simply enable the relevant extra:

1. Open Neovim
2. Type :LazyExtras
3. Scroll to the coding or ai section
4. Press x to enable your preferred AI assistant:
   • coding.copilot (GitHub Copilot)
   • coding.copilot-chat
   • coding.codeium
   • ai.supermaven

1. GitHub Copilot — copilot.lua (Official-quality) (🟢 via LazyExtras)

The fastest Copilot integration — async, native Lua, no Node.js overhead in the editor:

lua/plugins/ai.lua

return {
  -- Core Copilot engine
  {
    "zbirenbaum/copilot.lua",
    cmd = "Copilot",
    event = "InsertEnter",
    config = function()
      require("copilot").setup({
        panel = {
          enabled = true,
          auto_refresh = false,
          keymap = {
            jump_prev = "[[",
            jump_next = "]]",
            accept    = "<CR>",
            refresh   = "gr",
            open      = "<M-CR>",
          },
          layout = {
            position = "bottom",  -- top | left | right | bottom
            ratio    = 0.4,
          },
        },
        suggestion = {
          enabled = true,
          auto_trigger = true,        -- show suggestions automatically
          hide_during_completion = true,
          debounce = 75,
          keymap = {
            accept        = "<M-l>",   -- Alt+l to accept
            accept_word   = false,
            accept_line   = "<M-L>",   -- Alt+Shift+l to accept line
            next          = "<M-]>",   -- Alt+] next suggestion
            prev          = "<M-[>",   -- Alt+[ prev suggestion
            dismiss       = "<C-]>",   -- Ctrl+] dismiss
          },
        },
        filetypes = {
          yaml        = false,
          markdown    = false,
          help        = false,
          gitcommit   = false,
          gitrebase   = false,
          ["."]       = false,         -- disable for dotfiles by default
          -- Explicitly enable for:
          lua         = true,
          python      = true,
          javascript  = true,
          typescript  = true,
          php         = true,
          bash        = true,
          sh          = true,
        },
        copilot_node_command = "node",  -- or path to node binary
        server_opts_overrides = {},
      })
    end,
  },

  -- Copilot as nvim-cmp source (optional: shows as completion items)
  {
    "zbirenbaum/copilot-cmp",
    dependencies = { "zbirenbaum/copilot.lua" },
    config = function()
      require("copilot_cmp").setup()
    end,
  },
}

Authentication

# First time setup
nvim
:Copilot setup     → opens browser to authenticate
:Copilot status    → verify it's enabled
:Copilot enable    → enable for current session
:Copilot disable   → disable for current session

Key Bindings

Key	Action
Alt+l	Accept full suggestion
Alt+Shift+l	Accept one line
Alt+]	Next suggestion
Alt+[	Previous suggestion
Ctrl+]	Dismiss suggestion

---

2. Avante.nvim — Cursor-style AI Chat in Neovim (🟢 via LazyExtras)

Avante is an AI chat panel that reads your code, understands context, and can directly apply AI-suggested changes to your buffer:

{
  "yetone/avante.nvim",
  event = "VeryLazy",
  version = false,
  build = "make",    -- builds native modules for performance
  dependencies = {
    "nvim-treesitter/nvim-treesitter",
    "stevearc/dressing.nvim",
    "nvim-lua/plenary.nvim",
    "MunifTanjim/nui.nvim",
    "nvim-tree/nvim-web-devicons",
    "zbirenbaum/copilot.lua",  -- optional
    {
      "HakonHarnes/img-clip.nvim",  -- paste images into chat
      event = "VeryLazy",
      opts = {
        default = {
          embed_image_as_base64 = false,
          prompt_for_file_name = false,
          drag_and_drop = { insert_mode = true },
          use_absolute_path = true,
        },
      },
    },
    {
      "MeanderingProgrammer/render-markdown.nvim",  -- render markdown in buffer
      opts = { file_types = { "markdown", "Avante" } },
      ft = { "markdown", "Avante" },
    },
  },
  opts = {
    -- Choose AI provider:
    provider = "copilot",       -- copilot | claude | openai | azure | gemini | ollama

    -- Provider configs
    copilot = {
      model = "gpt-4o",
    },
    openai = {
      endpoint = "https://api.openai.com/v1",
      model = "gpt-4o",
      timeout = 30000,
      temperature = 0,
      max_tokens = 4096,
    },
    claude = {
      endpoint = "https://api.anthropic.com",
      model = "claude-3-7-sonnet-20250219",
      timeout = 30000,
      temperature = 0,
      max_tokens = 8000,
    },
    ollama = {
      endpoint = "http://127.0.0.1:11434",
      model = "llama3.1",
    },

    -- Behaviour
    behaviour = {
      auto_suggestions = false,        -- experimental
      auto_set_highlight_group = true,
      auto_set_keymaps = true,
      auto_apply_diff_after_generation = false,
      support_paste_from_clipboard = false,
    },

    -- Keymaps
    mappings = {
      diff = {
        ours   = "co",
        theirs = "ct",
        all_theirs = "ca",
        both   = "cb",
        cursor = "cc",
        next   = "]x",
        prev   = "[x",
      },
      suggestion = {
        accept_all = "<M-a>",
        accept_cursor = "<M-l>",
        reject_all = "<M-r>",
      },
      jump = { next = "]]", prev = "[[" },
      submit = { normal = "<CR>", insert = "<C-s>" },
      ask = "<leader>aa",
      edit = "<leader>ae",
      refresh = "<leader>ar",
      focus = "<leader>af",
      toggle = {
        default = "<leader>at",
        debug   = "<leader>ad",
        hint    = "<leader>ah",
        suggestion = "<leader>as",
        repomap = "<leader>aR",
      },
      files = {
        add_current = "<leader>ac",
        add_all_buffers = "<leader>aA",
      },
    },
  },
},

Avante Workflow (🟢 via LazyExtras)

<leader>aa   → open Avante chat panel with current file context
              → ask: "Refactor this function to be more readable"
              → Avante shows a diff of suggested changes
              → press co/ct to accept/reject hunks (like git merge)

<leader>ae   → ask about selected code (visual mode)
<leader>at   → toggle the Avante panel

---

3. Codeium — Free GitHub Copilot Alternative (🟢 via LazyExtras)

Codeium is a free AI completion tool:

{
  "Exafunction/codeium.nvim",
  dependencies = {
    "nvim-lua/plenary.nvim",
    "hrsh7th/nvim-cmp",
  },
  event = "InsertEnter",
  config = function()
    require("codeium").setup({
      enable_chat = false,
    })
    -- Add to cmp sources:
    -- { name = "codeium", group_index = 1, priority = 100 },
  end,
},

Setup: :Codeium Auth → paste your API key from codeium.com (free account).

---

4. gen.nvim — Ollama Local AI

Use local LLM models with Ollama, no internet required:

{
  "David-Kunz/gen.nvim",
  cmd = "Gen",
  keys = {
    { "<leader>ai", "<cmd>Gen<cr>",               mode = { "n", "v" }, desc = "Open AI (gen.nvim)" },
    { "<leader>ac", "<cmd>Gen Chat<cr>",           desc = "AI Chat" },
    { "<leader>ag", "<cmd>Gen Generate<cr>",       desc = "AI Generate" },
    { "<leader>as", "<cmd>Gen Summarize<cr>",      mode = "v",          desc = "AI Summarize" },
  },
  opts = {
    model = "llama3.1",        -- your Ollama model
    host = "localhost",
    port = "11434",
    display_mode = "float",    -- float | split
    show_prompt = true,
    show_model = true,
    no_auto_close = false,
    quit_map = "q",
    retry_map = "<c-r>",
    accept_map = "<c-cr>",
    init = function(options)
      pcall(io.popen, "ollama serve > /dev/null 2>&1 &")
    end,
    command = function(options)
      return "curl --silent --no-buffer -X POST http://" ..
        options.host .. ":" .. options.port .. "/api/chat -d $body"
    end,
    result_filetype = "markdown",
    debug = false,
  },
},

Prerequisites

# Install Ollama
curl -fsSL https://ollama.com/install.sh | sh

# Pull a model
ollama pull llama3.1
ollama pull codellama
ollama pull deepseek-coder-v2

# Verify
ollama list

---

5. ChatGPT.nvim — Direct ChatGPT Integration

{
  "jackMort/ChatGPT.nvim",
  event = "VeryLazy",
  dependencies = {
    "MunifTanjim/nui.nvim",
    "nvim-lua/plenary.nvim",
    "folke/trouble.nvim",
    "nvim-telescope/telescope.nvim",
  },
  config = function()
    require("chatgpt").setup({
      api_key_cmd = "cat ~/.config/openai_key",   -- read key from file
      -- or: api_key_cmd = "pass openai/api-key"  -- from password manager
      yank_register = "+",
      extra_curl_params = {},
      openai_params = {
        model = "gpt-4o",
        frequency_penalty = 0,
        presence_penalty = 0,
        max_tokens = 300,
        temperature = 0,
        top_p = 1,
        n = 1,
      },
      openai_edit_params = {
        model = "gpt-4o",
        frequency_penalty = 0,
        presence_penalty = 0,
        temperature = 0,
        top_p = 1,
        n = 1,
      },
      use_openai_functions_for_edits = false,
      actions_paths = {},
      show_quickfixes_cmd = "Trouble quickfix",
      predefined_chat_gpt_prompts = "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/f/awesome-chatgpt-prompts/main/prompts.csv",
      keymaps = {
        close                  = "<C-c>",
        yank_last              = "<C-y>",
        yank_last_code         = "<C-k>",
        scroll_up              = "<C-u>",
        scroll_down            = "<C-d>",
        new_session            = "<C-n>",
        cycle_windows          = "<Tab>",
        cycle_modes            = "<C-f>",
        next_message           = "<C-j>",
        prev_message           = "<C-k>",
        select_session         = "<Space>",
        rename_session         = "r",
        delete_session         = "d",
        draft_message          = "<C-r>",
        edit_message           = "e",
        delete_message         = "d",
        toggle_settings        = "<C-o>",
        toggle_sessions        = "<C-p>",
        toggle_help            = "<C-h>",
        toggle_message_role    = "<C-r>",
        toggle_system_role_open = "<C-s>",
        stop_generating        = "<C-x>",
      },
    })

    vim.keymap.set("n", "<leader>ac", "<cmd>ChatGPT<CR>", { desc = "ChatGPT" })
    vim.keymap.set({"n","v"}, "<leader>ae", "<cmd>ChatGPTEditWithInstruction<CR>", { desc = "Edit with AI" })
    vim.keymap.set({"n","v"}, "<leader>ag", "<cmd>ChatGPTRun grammar_correction<CR>", { desc = "Grammar fix" })
    vim.keymap.set({"n","v"}, "<leader>at", "<cmd>ChatGPTRun translate<CR>", { desc = "AI Translate" })
    vim.keymap.set({"n","v"}, "<leader>aD", "<cmd>ChatGPTRun docstring<CR>", { desc = "Add docstring" })
    vim.keymap.set({"n","v"}, "<leader>aA", "<cmd>ChatGPTRun add_tests<CR>", { desc = "Add tests" })
    vim.keymap.set({"n","v"}, "<leader>ao", "<cmd>ChatGPTRun optimize_code<CR>", { desc = "Optimize code" })
    vim.keymap.set({"n","v"}, "<leader>aS", "<cmd>ChatGPTRun summarize<CR>", { desc = "Summarize" })
    vim.keymap.set({"n","v"}, "<leader>af", "<cmd>ChatGPTRun fix_bugs<CR>", { desc = "Fix bugs" })
    vim.keymap.set({"n","v"}, "<leader>ax", "<cmd>ChatGPTRun explain_code<CR>", { desc = "Explain code" })
  end,
},

---

AI Plugin Comparison

Plugin	Provider	Cost	Offline	Code Apply
copilot.lua	GitHub Copilot	$10/mo	❌	Via suggestion
avante.nvim	Copilot/Claude/OpenAI	Varies	Via Ollama	✅ Diff apply
codeium.nvim	Codeium	Free	❌	Via suggestion
gen.nvim	Ollama (local)	Free	✅	Manual
ChatGPT.nvim	OpenAI	Pay-per-use	❌	Via instruction

In LazyVim

LazyVim Context

LazyVim automates the setup for most of the popular plugins discussed here. By leveraging lazy.nvim, it provides a deeply integrated out-of-the-box experience where core plugins (like Telescope, Neo-tree, and Lualine) are pre-configured with sensible defaults and keymaps, while others can be easily enabled via :LazyExtras.

Aspect	Vanilla Neovim	LazyVim
Plugin Installation	Manual via lazy.nvim or packer	Pre-bundled or enabled via :LazyExtras
Keymaps	Manually defined	Unified mappings under <leader>
Configuration	Manual setup() calls	Auto-configured, override via opts

Related LazyVim Docs

• LazyVim Overview
• LazyVim Custom Plugins
• LazyVim Plugins Overview

What's Next

• Language and Data Plugins
• Productivity Plugins