nvim-buffers

Nvim Buffers

The user runs LazyVim (~/.config/nvim, config in work/nvim). An autocmd in lua/config/autocmds.lua writes the open real-file buffers to a state file on every buffer change. Read that file with the read tool (or cat) to see what they're working on.

Path

~/.local/state/nvim/open-buffers.json (vim.fn.stdpath("state") on macOS)

Shape

{
  "current": "/abs/path/to/current/buffer",
  "buffers": ["/abs/path/a", "/abs/path/b"],
  "oil": [{ "dir": "/browsed/dir", "highlighted": "file.lua" }],
  "view": {
    "file": "/abs/path",
    "line": 42,
    "col": 3,
    "visible": { "from_top": 30, "to_bottom": 60 },
    "context": ["line 40", "line 41", "line 42"]
  },
  "updated": "2026-08-11T14:01:00"
}

• current - the active buffer; null or an oil dir if the active buffer is a terminal/oil/unnamed buffer.
• buffers - sorted list of all listed real-file buffers (term://, oil://, unnamed excluded).
• oil - directories currently browsed in oil (strips the oil:// prefix), each with highlighted - the entry name under the cursor in that oil window, or null if the oil buffer isn't shown in a window right now.
• view - the active window: file, cursor line/col, visible top/bottom lines, and a few lines of context around the cursor. Use this to answer "what's on my screen" / "what am I looking at" / "what should I press here".
• updated - when nvim last wrote it. Check it's fresh before trusting it.

Freshness: refreshed on buffer events + FocusGained + a 5s timer; external file changes are reloaded (never clobbering unsaved edits).

Coaching role (training wheels)

The user is still learning vim and runs hardtime.nvim, which blocks/"yells" at inefficient keys. Be the patient counterpart:

• When they ask how to do something, teach from THEIR config (work/nvim/, lua/config/keymaps.lua, lua/plugins/*.lua), never generic defaults.
• One key at a time, tied to what their view shows.
• Read the state file first and confirm what they're looking at before answering, so hints land on their real cursor position.
• Their notable bindings: - = Oil parent dir, <leader>gg/<leader>gG = gitui, gr = LSP references, <leader>fb = buffers (Snacks), <leader>fg = grep, gd/gi = LSP definition/implementation, K = hover. Git + search are LazyVim defaults (<leader>g..., <leader>f...).