buddy.nvim

Lua tools that work as keymaps AND as MCP tools.

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I wanted AI tooling in Neovim without leaving for another editor. So I built this.

buddy.nvim runs an MCP server inside Neovim. Claude, OpenCode, or any MCP client can connect and actually control your editor: read buffers, edit files, run commands, navigate. Not just chat.

You write tools in Lua. They work as MCP tools (AI calls them) and as regular Neovim plugins (keymaps, commands, autocmds). Same code, both interfaces.

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Installation

lazy.nvim

{
  "arismoko/buddy.nvim",
  dependencies = {
    "nvim-mini/mini.nvim",
    "nvim-neotest/nvim-nio",
  },
  lazy = false,
  config = function()
    require("buddy").setup({
      auto_start = true,
      port = 7234,
    })
  end,
}

packer.nvim

use {
  "arismoko/buddy.nvim",
  requires = {
    "nvim-mini/mini.nvim",
    "nvim-neotest/nvim-nio",
  },
  config = function()
    require("buddy").setup({
      auto_start = true,
      port = 7234,
    })
  end,
}

Manual

Clone to your Neovim packages directory:

git clone https://github.com/arismoko/buddy.nvim ~/.local/share/nvim/site/pack/plugins/start/buddy.nvim

---

Connecting MCP Clients

buddy.nvim uses HTTP + Server-Sent Events (SSE) transport, compatible with modern MCP clients.

There are two ways to connect:

Option A: Via Proxy (Recommended)

The buddy-mcp-proxy automatically discovers running Neovim sessions, forwards auth tokens for you, and supports switching between multiple instances. No port configuration needed. Requires Node.js 20+.

npm install -g buddy-mcp-proxy

OpenCode

Add to ~/.config/opencode/opencode.jsonc:

{
  "mcp": {
    "vim": {
      "type": "local",
      "command": ["npx", "buddy-mcp-proxy"]
    }
  }
}

Claude Desktop

Add to your Claude Desktop config:

• macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
• Windows: %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json
• Linux: ~/.config/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "vim": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["buddy-mcp-proxy"]
    }
  }
}

Option B: Direct SSE Connection

Connect directly to a specific Neovim instance by URL. Simpler, but you must know the port and can only connect to one session.