I'm trying to add vim syntax highlighting for the nix language, and have been trying to use this github repo to do that.
Within that repo I've located the nix.vim file. I've tried placing that in ~/.vim per the repository's 'manual installation' instructions, but this did not work to make the colors appear.
Since that attempt, I've been trying to get the syntax coloring by altering my /etc/nixos/configuration.nix file, and in that vein have been trying to make sense out of this documentation. Thus I've added to my configuration file this programs.vim code block,
programs.vim = {
enable = true;
extraConfig = ''
'';
};
and pasted the contents of the entire nix.vim file into the string of that programs.vim.extraConfig section. Thus block added to my configuration.nix is:
programs.vim = {
enable = true;
extraConfig = ''
" Vim syntax file
" Language: Nix
" Maintainer: Daiderd Jordan <[email protected]>
" URL: https://github.com/LnL7/vim-nix
if exists("b:current_syntax")
finish
endif
syn keyword nixBoolean true false
syn keyword nixNull null
syn keyword nixRecKeyword rec
syn keyword nixOperator or
syn match nixOperator '!=\|!'
syn match nixOperator '<=\?'
syn match nixOperator '>=\?'
syn match nixOperator '&&'
syn match nixOperator '//\='
syn match nixOperator '=='
syn match nixOperator '?'
syn match nixOperator '||'
syn match nixOperator '++\='
syn match nixOperator '-'
syn match nixOperator '\*'
syn match nixOperator '->'
syn match nixParen '[()]'
syn match nixInteger '\d\+'
syn keyword nixTodo FIXME NOTE TODO OPTIMIZE XXX HACK contained
syn match nixComment '#.*' contains=nixTodo,@Spell
syn region nixComment start=+/\*+ end=+\*/+ contains=nixTodo,@Spell
syn region nixInterpolation matchgroup=nixInterpolationDelimiter start="\${" end="}" contained contains=@nixExpr,nixInterpolationParam
syn match nixSimpleStringSpecial /\\\%([nrt"\\$]\|$\)/ contained
syn match nixStringSpecial /''['$]/ contained
syn match nixStringSpecial /\$\$/ contained
syn match nixStringSpecial /''\\[nrt]/ contained
syn match nixInvalidSimpleStringEscape /\\[^nrt"\\$]/ contained
syn match nixInvalidStringEscape /''\\[^nrt]/ contained
syn region nixSimpleString matchgroup=nixStringDelimiter start=+"+ skip=+\\"+ end=+"+ contains=nixInterpolation,nixSimpleStringSpecial,nixInvalidSimpleStringEscape
syn region nixString matchgroup=nixStringDelimiter start=+''+ skip=+''['$\\]+ end=+''+ contains=nixInterpolation,nixStringSpecial,nixInvalidStringEscape
syn match nixFunctionCall "[a-zA-Z_][a-zA-Z0-9_'-]*"
syn match nixPath "[a-zA-Z0-9._+-]*\%(/[a-zA-Z0-9._+-]\+\)\+"
syn match nixHomePath "\~\%(/[a-zA-Z0-9._+-]\+\)\+"
syn match nixSearchPath "[a-zA-Z0-9._+-]\+\%(\/[a-zA-Z0-9._+-]\+\)*" contained
syn match nixPathDelimiter "[<>]" contained
syn match nixSearchPathRef "<[a-zA-Z0-9._+-]\+\%(\/[a-zA-Z0-9._+-]\+\)*>" contains=nixSearchPath,nixPathDelimiter
syn match nixURI "[a-zA-Z][a-zA-Z0-9.+-]*:[a-zA-Z0-9%/?:@&=$,_.!~*'+-]\+"
syn match nixAttributeDot "\." contained
syn match nixAttribute "[a-zA-Z_][a-zA-Z0-9_'-]*\ze\%([^a-zA-Z0-9_'.-]\|$\)" contained
syn region nixAttributeAssignment start="=" end="\ze;" contained contains=@nixExpr
syn region nixAttributeDefinition start=/\ze[a-zA-Z_"$]/ end=";" contained contains=nixComment,nixAttribute,nixInterpolation,nixSimpleString,nixAttributeDot,nixAttributeAssignment
syn region nixInheritAttributeScope start="(" end=")" contained contains=nixComment,nixAttributeDot
syn region nixAttributeDefinition matchgroup=nixInherit start="\<inherit\>" end=";" contained contains=nixComment,nixInheritAttributeScope,nixAttribute
syn region nixAttributeSet start="{" end="}" contains=nixComment,nixAttributeDefinition
" vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv
syn region nixArgumentDefinitionWithDefault matchgroup=nixArgumentDefinition start="[a-zA-Z_][a-zA-Z0-9_'-]*\ze\%(\s\|#.\{-\}\n\|\n\|/\*\_.\{-\}\*/\)*?\@=" matchgroup=NONE end="[,}]\@=" transparent contained contains=@nixExpr
" vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv
syn match nixArgumentDefinition "[a-zA-Z_][a-zA-Z0-9_'-]*\ze\%(\s\|#.\{-\}\n\|\n\|/\*\_.\{-\}\*/\)*[,}]\@=" contained
syn match nixArgumentEllipsis "\.\.\." contained
syn match nixArgumentSeparator "," contained
" vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv
syn match nixArgOperator '@\%(\s\|#.\{-\}\n\|\n\|/\*\_.\{-\}\*/\)*[a-zA-Z_][a-zA-Z0-9_'-]*\%(\s\|#.\{-\}\n\|\n\|/\*\_.\{-\}\*/\)*:'he=s+1 contained contains=nixAttribute
" vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv
syn match nixArgOperator '[a-zA-Z_][a-zA-Z0-9_'-]*\%(\s\|#.\{-\}\n\|\n\|/\*\_.\{-\}\*/\)*@'hs=e-1 contains=nixAttribute nextgroup=nixFunctionArgument
" This is a bit more complicated, because function arguments can be passed in a
" very similar form on how attribute sets are defined and two regions with the
" same start patterns will shadow each other. Instead of a region we could use a
" match on {\_.\{-\}}, which unfortunately doesn't take nesting into account.
"
" So what we do instead is that we look forward until we are sure that it's a
" function argument. Unfortunately, we need to catch comments and both vertical
" and horizontal white space, which the following regex should hopefully do:
"
" "\%(\s\|#.\{-\}\n\|\n\|/\*\_.\{-\}\*/\)*"
"
" It is also used throught the whole file and is marked with 'v's as well.
"
" Fortunately the matching rules for function arguments are much simpler than
" for real attribute sets, because we can stop when we hit the first ellipsis or
" default value operator, but we also need to paste the "whitespace & comments
" eating" regex all over the place (marked with 'v's):
"
" Region match 1: { foo ? ... } or { foo, ... } or { ... } (ellipsis)
" vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv {----- identifier -----}vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv
syn region nixFunctionArgument start="{\ze\%(\s\|#.\{-\}\n\|\n\|/\*\_.\{-\}\*/\)*\%([a-zA-Z_][a-zA-Z0-9_'-]*\%(\s\|#.\{-\}\n\|\n\|/\*\_.\{-\}\*/\)*[,?}]\|\.\.\.\)" end="}" contains=nixComment,nixArgumentDefinitionWithDefault,nixArgumentDefinition,nixArgumentEllipsis,nixArgumentSeparator nextgroup=nixArgOperator
" Now it gets more tricky, because we need to look forward for the colon, but
" there could be something like "{}@foo:", even though it's highly unlikely.
"
" Region match 2: {}
" vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv@vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv{----- identifier -----} vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv
syn region nixFunctionArgument start="{\ze\%(\s\|#.\{-\}\n\|\n\|/\*\_.\{-\}\*/\)*}\%(\%(\s\|#.\{-\}\n\|\n\|/\*\_.\{-\}\*/\)*@\%(\s\|#.\{-\}\n\|\n\|/\*\_.\{-\}\*/\)*[a-zA-Z_][a-zA-Z0-9_'-]*\)\%(\s\|#.\{-\}\n\|\n\|/\*\_.\{-\}\*/\)*:" end="}" contains=nixComment nextgroup=nixArgOperator
" vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv
syn match nixSimpleFunctionArgument "[a-zA-Z_][a-zA-Z0-9_'-]*\ze\%(\s\|#.\{-\}\n\|\n\|/\*\_.\{-\}\*/\)*:/\@!"
syn region nixList matchgroup=nixListBracket start="\[" end="\]" contains=@nixExpr
syn region nixLetExpr matchgroup=nixLetExprKeyword start="\<let\>" end="\<in\>" contains=nixComment,nixAttributeDefinition
syn keyword nixIfExprKeyword then contained
syn region nixIfExpr matchgroup=nixIfExprKeyword start="\<if\>" end="\<else\>" contains=@nixExpr,nixIfExprKeyword
syn region nixWithExpr matchgroup=nixWithExprKeyword start="\<with\>" matchgroup=NONE end=";" contains=@nixExpr
syn region nixAssertExpr matchgroup=nixAssertKeyword start="\<assert\>" matchgroup=NONE end=";" contains=@nixExpr
syn cluster nixExpr contains=nixBoolean,nixNull,nixOperator,nixParen,nixInteger,nixRecKeyword,nixConditional,nixBuiltin,nixSimpleBuiltin,nixComment,nixFunctionCall,nixFunctionArgument,nixSimpleFunctionArgument,nixPath,nixHomePath,nixSearchPathRef,nixURI,nixAttributeSet,nixList,nixSimpleString,nixString,nixLetExpr,nixIfExpr,nixWithExpr,nixAssertExpr,nixInterpolation
" These definitions override @nixExpr and have to come afterwards:
syn match nixInterpolationParam "[a-zA-Z_][a-zA-Z0-9_'-]*\%(\.[a-zA-Z_][a-zA-Z0-9_'-]*\)*" contained
" Non-namespaced Nix builtins as of version 2.0:
syn keyword nixSimpleBuiltin
\ abort baseNameOf derivation derivationStrict dirOf fetchGit
\ fetchMercurial fetchTarball import isNull map placeholder removeAttrs
\ scopedImport throw toString
" Namespaced and non-namespaced Nix builtins as of version 2.0:
syn keyword nixNamespacedBuiltin contained
\ abort add addErrorContext all any attrNames attrValues baseNameOf
\ catAttrs compareVersions concatLists concatStringsSep currentSystem
\ currentTime deepSeq derivation derivationStrict dirOf div elem elemAt
\ fetchGit fetchMercurial fetchTarball fetchurl filter \ filterSource
\ findFile foldl' fromJSON functionArgs genList \ genericClosure getAttr
\ getEnv hasAttr hasContext hashString head import intersectAttrs isAttrs
\ isBool isFloat isFunction isInt isList isNull isString langVersion
\ length lessThan listToAttrs map match mul nixPath nixVersion
\ parseDrvName partition path pathExists placeholder readDir readFile
\ removeAttrs replaceStrings scopedImport seq sort split splitVersion
\ storeDir storePath stringLength sub substring tail throw toFile toJSON
\ toPath toString toXML trace tryEval typeOf unsafeDiscardOutputDependency
\ unsafeDiscardStringContext unsafeGetAttrPos valueSize
syn match nixBuiltin "builtins\.[a-zA-Z']\+"he=s+9 contains=nixComment,nixNamespacedBuiltin
hi def link nixArgOperator Operator
hi def link nixArgumentDefinition Identifier
hi def link nixArgumentEllipsis Operator
hi def link nixAssertKeyword Keyword
hi def link nixAttribute Identifier
hi def link nixAttributeDot Operator
hi def link nixBoolean Boolean
hi def link nixBuiltin Special
hi def link nixComment Comment
hi def link nixConditional Conditional
hi def link nixHomePath Include
hi def link nixIfExprKeyword Keyword
hi def link nixInherit Keyword
hi def link nixInteger Integer
hi def link nixInterpolation Macro
hi def link nixInterpolationDelimiter Delimiter
hi def link nixInterpolationParam Macro
hi def link nixInvalidSimpleStringEscape Error
hi def link nixInvalidStringEscape Error
hi def link nixLetExprKeyword Keyword
hi def link nixNamespacedBuiltin Special
hi def link nixNull Constant
hi def link nixOperator Operator
hi def link nixPath Include
hi def link nixPathDelimiter Delimiter
hi def link nixRecKeyword Keyword
hi def link nixSearchPath Include
hi def link nixSimpleBuiltin Keyword
hi def link nixSimpleFunctionArgument Identifier
hi def link nixSimpleString String
hi def link nixSimpleStringSpecial SpecialChar
hi def link nixString String
hi def link nixStringDelimiter Delimiter
hi def link nixStringSpecial Special
hi def link nixTodo Todo
hi def link nixURI Include
hi def link nixWithExprKeyword Keyword
" This could lead up to slow syntax highlighting for large files, but usually
" large files such as all-packages.nix are one large attribute set, so if we'd
" use sync patterns we'd have to go back to the start of the file anyway
syn sync fromstart
let b:current_syntax = "nix"
'';
};
This gives me problems on the line syn match nixStringSpecial /''['$]/ contained because of the double-quotes '' prematurely ending the nix string.
At this point I'm not sure whether I should try to sort out the string delimiting issues here, or try something else. Is this on the right track towards getting vim highlighting for the nix language working on my nixos machine?
As already mentioned in the comment above the solution to get it working is the following:
The nix.vim syntax file needs to be placed inside the ~/.vim/syntax directory and the following line needs to be added to your .vimrc:
au BufRead,BufNewFile *.nix set filetype=nix
This line ensures that vim recognizes the filetype of .nix files and activates the correct syntax highlighting.