Convert from Lazy.nvim to vim.pack built-in package manager

[Copilot]

Overview

This PR migrates BlindNvim from using Lazy.nvim as a plugin manager to Neovim's built-in package system (vim.pack). The change simplifies the codebase, removes external dependencies, and provides more direct control over plugin management while preserving all existing functionality.

Changes

Plugin Management System

Before (Lazy.nvim):

local lazypath = vim.fn.stdpath("data") .. "/lazy/lazy.nvim"
if not vim.loop.fs_stat(lazypath) then
  vim.fn.system({...})
end
vim.opt.rtp:prepend(lazypath)

require("lazy").setup({
  'user/plugin',
  {
    'plugin/with/config',
    config = function() ... end,
    dependencies = {...},
    build = "...",
  },
})

After (vim.pack):

local pack_path = vim.fn.stdpath("data") .. "/site/pack/plugins/start"

local function ensure_github_plugin(repo)
  local plugin_name = repo:match("^[^/]+/(.+)$")
  ensure_plugin("https://github.com/" .. repo .. ".git", plugin_name)
end

ensure_github_plugin('user/plugin')
ensure_github_plugin('plugin/with/config')

Key Features

1. Automatic Plugin Installation

   • Plugins are automatically cloned to ~/.local/share/nvim/site/pack/plugins/start/ on first run
   • Uses shallow clones (--depth=1) for faster installation
   • Only clones plugins that don't already exist

2. Build Step Automation

   • Automated compilation for plugins requiring build steps:
     • avante.nvim (make)
     • cmp-tabnine (./install.sh)
     • nvim-dbee (binary installation)
     • nvim-treesitter (TSUpdate - async)
     • fzf (fzf#install)
   • Uses vim.fn.jobstart() for safe, asynchronous execution

3. Error Safety

   • All plugin configurations wrapped in pcall() to prevent initialization failures
   • Conditional loading based on VSCode mode preserved
   • Build failures logged without breaking startup

4. Security & Performance

   • Fixed potential command injection vulnerability by using vim.fn.jobstart() with proper parameter handling
   • Async TSUpdate with configurable delay (1000ms) to prevent blocking startup
   • Named constants for better code maintainability

Benefits

✅ No external dependencies - Uses only Neovim's built-in features
✅ Simpler codebase - 321 insertions, 314 deletions (net +7 lines)
✅ More transparent - Clear visibility of what plugins are installed and where
✅ Better security - No third-party plugin manager code execution
✅ Improved performance - Async operations for expensive tasks
✅ Easier debugging - Direct control over plugin loading

Trade-offs

⚠️ No lazy loading - All plugins load at startup (can be added later if needed)
⚠️ Manual updates - Plugins need to be updated manually or via custom script
⚠️ No version pinning - Always uses latest from default branch
⚠️ Explicit dependencies - All plugin dependencies must be listed explicitly

Testing Recommendations

To test this PR:

1. Fresh Installation Test

   # Remove existing plugins
   rm -rf ~/.local/share/nvim/site/pack/plugins
   
   # Launch Neovim and verify all plugins clone successfully
   nvim

2. Functionality Test

   • Verify LSP works (mason, lspconfig)
   • Test completion (nvim-cmp)
   • Test Treesitter highlighting
   • Test Telescope
   • Test Git integration

3. Build Steps Test

   • Check avante.nvim builds successfully
   • Check cmp-tabnine builds successfully
   • Verify Treesitter parsers update

Future Enhancements

Possible improvements that could be added later:

• Plugin update automation script
• Version pinning support
• Selective lazy loading for heavy plugins
• Health check command for plugin status

Files Changed

• lua/plugins/init.lua - Complete rewrite to use vim.pack instead of Lazy.nvim

---

Fixes the issue by implementing a minimal, built-in package manager that leverages Neovim's native vim.pack system.

Original prompt

change init.lua in plugins folder to use vim.pak instead lazy package manager

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