Setup Neovim + LazyVim + Flutter Tools (for Flutter Devs)

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This guide walks you through:

Installing Neovim
Setting up LazyVim
Installing flutter-tools.nvim
Using it for Flutter development

🧱 1. Install Neovim

Make sure you have Neovim (latest)

macOS

brew install neovim

Ubuntu/Debian

sudo apt update
sudo apt install neovim

Windows (with Scoop)

scoop install neovim

⚙️ 2. Setup LazyVim

LazyVim is a modern, opinionated Neovim setup.

Step-by-step:

# Backup your current config
mv ~/.config/nvim ~/.config/nvim.bak

# Clone LazyVim starter template
git clone https://github.com/LazyVim/starter ~/.config/nvim

# Install required tools
nvim

When you open Neovim for the first time, it will install plugins automatically.

📦 3. Install flutter-tools.nvim

Add the following plugin to LazyVim:

Edit your plugins

Create the file:

mkdir -p ~/.config/nvim/lua/plugins
nvim ~/.config/nvim/lua/plugins/flutter-tools.lua

Paste this config:

return {
  "akinsho/flutter-tools.nvim",
  dependencies = {
    "nvim-lua/plenary.nvim",
    "stevearc/dressing.nvim", -- Optional: UI enhancements
  },
  config = function()
    require("flutter-tools").setup {
      widget_guides = { enabled = true },
      closing_tags = {
        highlight = "Comment", -- highlight for closing tag
        prefix = "// ", -- character to use for close tag e.g. > //
        enabled = true
      },
      dev_log = {
        enabled = true,
        open_cmd = "tabedit", -- or "vsplit"
      },
    }
  end,
}

Install the plugin

Open Neovim and run:

:Lazy

Press l to update plugins

🧪 4. How to Use flutter-tools.nvim

Commands

:FlutterRun – Launch Flutter app (emulator must be running)
:FlutterDevices – Switch device
:FlutterReload – Hot reload
:FlutterRestart – Hot restart
:FlutterDetach – Detach Flutter process
:FlutterQuit – Quit Flutter run
:FlutterLogClear – Clear dev logs

Auto LSP (Dart) Setup

flutter-tools.nvim auto-configures dartls (Dart language server), so you’ll get:

Autocompletion
Diagnostics
Jump to definition
Hover docs

✅ Bonus: Enable LSP Keybindings

LazyVim already includes LSP keymaps like:

gd – Go to definition
gr – References
K – Hover docs
<leader>rn – Rename
<leader>ca – Code action

🧠 Tips

Use fzf-lua or Telescope for file and symbol navigation
Enable format on save in LazyVim (:LspFormat)
Add more plugins via ~/.config/nvim/lua/plugins/

🐞 Troubleshooting

Make sure flutter is in your $PATH
Make sure an emulator or device is running
Use :checkhealth to diagnose issues

📚 References

Feel free to clone My Setup Config:

My Config