🚀 How I Moved Away from Xcode — Introducing swift.nvim

cabrerasiel · October 16, 2025, 2:32pm

For years, Xcode has been the go-to IDE for Swift development.
But not every project needs the full-blown Apple IDE — sometimes, you just want something lighter, faster, and completely configurable.

I wanted to write Swift code the same way I work in most of my other languages — inside Neovim, with speed, keyboard-driven precision, and total control.
That’s how swift.nvim was born: a plugin that turns Neovim into a fully featured Swift development environment — without needing Xcode at all.

What swift.nvim Does

swift.nvim aims to replicate the most essential parts of Xcode’s workflow, directly inside Neovim:

Automatic Project Detection
Detects whether your project is SwiftPM or an Xcode project/workspace.
Target & Scheme Management
Automatically lists all available targets and lets you switch between them easily:
```
:SwiftSelectTarget
```
LSP & Autocompletion Integration
Configures sourcekit-lsp, nvim-cmp, and LuaSnip automatically — giving you completion, hints, and inline documentation.
Full Swift Package Manager Support
Run builds and tests directly from Neovim using swift build, swift test, and swift run.
Dynamic Statusline
Displays your current target, project type, and target count right in the statusline.
Xcode Compatibility
If it finds a .xcodeproj or .xcworkspace, it automatically loads available schemes and targets via xcodebuild -list -json.

Installation

If you’re using Lazy.nvim:

{
  "devswiftzone/swift.nvim",
  ft = "swift",
  config = function()
    require("swift").setup({
      -- Your configuration here
    })
  end,
}

The plugin will automatically activate when you open any .swift file.

Typical Workflow

Open your SwiftPM or Xcode project:
```
cd MyProject
nvim Package.swift
```
Select your target:
```
:SwiftSelectTarget
```
Run it directly:
```
:!swift run
```
Enjoy code completion, diagnostics, and formatting — all powered by Swift’s native tooling.

Philosophy

swift.nvim isn’t meant to replace Xcode —
it’s a minimalist, cross-platform alternative for developers who prefer a fast, keyboard-driven workflow and a customizable toolchain.

If you love Neovim and want to keep the power of Swift without the weight of Xcode, this plugin bridges that gap beautifully.

Roadmap

Some upcoming features in progress:

Native LLDB debugging
REPL / Playground-style Swift buffers
Interactive test runner
Dependency graph visualization for Package.swift

Contribute

The project is open source and actively developed here:
GitHub: https://github.com/devswiftzone/swift.nvim

Feedback from the Swift community is hugely appreciated — especially from developers already using Vim or Neovim for daily work.
Suggestions, pull requests, and ideas are all welcome!

Final Thoughts

This project was born from the desire to write Swift anywhere, on my own terms.
If you’ve ever wanted to step away from Xcode — without losing the magic of the Swift ecosystem — this plugin might be your next favorite tool.

Swift + Neovim = Freedom, speed, and focus.

cabrerasiel · October 17, 2025, 2:02am

If anyone has any new ideas to add, feature to ask for, leave it below, or if you want a detailed explanation of how it works

Max_Desiatov · October 17, 2025, 1:38pm

Is there any debugger support or test discovery and integration, or would you recommend relying on other plugins for that?

cabrerasiel · October 18, 2025, 7:54pm

I’ve just added support for debugging with lldb. If you have a clean installation of LazyVim, you can add this code inside the file /lua/plugins/swift.lua. That’s how I have it configured.

You will need to install swiftlint and swiftformat with brew:

brew install swiftlint swiftformat

-- ============================================================================
-- Swift.nvim Configuration for LazyVim
-- ============================================================================
--
-- This config integrates swift.nvim with LazyVim's existing setup.
-- LazyVim already includes: nvim-lspconfig, nvim-cmp, LuaSnip, which-key
--
-- ============================================================================

return {
  {
    "devswiftzone/swift.nvim",
    ft = "swift", -- Load only for Swift files
    opts = {
      features = {
        -- LSP (integrates with LazyVim's lspconfig)
        lsp = {
          enabled = true,
          auto_setup = true,
          on_attach = function(client, bufnr)
            -- LazyVim's default LSP keybindings will work automatically
            -- gd, gr, K, etc. are already configured by LazyVim
          end,
        },

        -- Formatter
        formatter = {
          enabled = true,
          auto_format = false, -- Set to true for format on save
          tool = "swiftformat", -- or "swiftformat"
        },

        -- Linter (SwiftLint)
        linter = {
          enabled = true,
          auto_lint = true, -- Lint on save
        },

        -- Build System
        build_runner = {
          enabled = true,
          show_output = true,
          output_position = "botright",
          output_height = 15,
        },

        -- Target Manager
        target_manager = {
          enabled = true,
          auto_select = true,
        },

        -- Debugger (Direct LLDB - No nvim-dap needed!)
        debugger = {
          enabled = true,
          lldb_path = nil, -- Auto-detect

          signs = {
            breakpoint = "●",
            current_line = "➤",
          },

          colors = {
            breakpoint = "DiagnosticError",
            current_line = "DiagnosticInfo",
          },

          window = {
            position = "bottom", -- "bottom", "right", or "float"
            size = 15,
          },
        },

        -- Snippets (LazyVim already has LuaSnip)
        snippets = {
          enabled = true,
        },

        -- Xcode (macOS only)
        xcode = {
          enabled = vim.fn.has("mac") == 1,
        },
      },

      -- Logging
      log_level = "info", -- "debug" for troubleshooting
    },

    config = function(_, opts)
      require("swift").setup(opts)

      -- ======================================================================
      -- KEYBINDINGS
      -- ======================================================================
      --
      -- Using LazyVim's leader key (default: Space)
      -- Organized to avoid conflicts with LazyVim defaults
      --
      -- ======================================================================

      local debugger = require("swift.features.debugger")

      -- ----------------------------------------------------------------------
      -- DEBUGGER: F keys (Standard across all IDEs)
      -- ----------------------------------------------------------------------

      vim.keymap.set("n", "<F5>", debugger.continue, {
        desc = "Debug: Continue/Run",
        silent = true,
      })

      vim.keymap.set("n", "<F9>", debugger.toggle_breakpoint, {
        desc = "Debug: Toggle Breakpoint",
        silent = true,
      })

      vim.keymap.set("n", "<F10>", debugger.step_over, {
        desc = "Debug: Step Over",
        silent = true,
      })

      vim.keymap.set("n", "<F11>", debugger.step_into, {
        desc = "Debug: Step Into",
        silent = true,
      })

      vim.keymap.set("n", "<F12>", debugger.step_out, {
        desc = "Debug: Step Out",
        silent = true,
      })

      -- ----------------------------------------------------------------------
      -- DEBUGGER: <leader>d prefix (debug commands)
      -- ----------------------------------------------------------------------

      vim.keymap.set("n", "<leader>db", debugger.toggle_breakpoint, {
        desc = "Toggle Breakpoint",
      })

      vim.keymap.set("n", "<leader>dB", debugger.clear_breakpoints, {
        desc = "Clear All Breakpoints",
      })

      vim.keymap.set("n", "<leader>dc", debugger.continue, {
        desc = "Continue",
      })

      vim.keymap.set("n", "<leader>dq", debugger.stop, {
        desc = "Stop/Quit Debug",
      })

      vim.keymap.set("n", "<leader>dr", debugger.run, {
        desc = "Run",
      })

      vim.keymap.set("n", "<leader>dv", debugger.show_variables, {
        desc = "Show Variables",
      })

      vim.keymap.set("n", "<leader>dt", debugger.show_backtrace, {
        desc = "Show Backtrace",
      })

      vim.keymap.set("n", "<leader>du", ":SwiftDebugUI<CR>", {
        desc = "Toggle Debug UI",
      })

      vim.keymap.set("n", "<leader>dO", debugger.step_over, {
        desc = "Step Over",
      })

      vim.keymap.set("n", "<leader>dI", debugger.step_into, {
        desc = "Step Into",
      })

      vim.keymap.set("n", "<leader>do", debugger.step_out, {
        desc = "Step Out",
      })

      -- ----------------------------------------------------------------------
      -- SWIFT: <leader>S prefix (Swift-specific commands)
      -- Note: Using <leader>S (capital) to avoid conflict with LazyVim's
      --       <leader>s (search/telescope)
      -- ----------------------------------------------------------------------

      -- Build
      vim.keymap.set("n", "<leader>Sb", ":SwiftBuild<CR>", {
        desc = "Build",
      })

      vim.keymap.set("n", "<leader>Sr", ":SwiftRun<CR>", {
        desc = "Run",
      })

      vim.keymap.set("n", "<leader>St", ":SwiftTest<CR>", {
        desc = "Test",
      })

      vim.keymap.set("n", "<leader>Sc", ":SwiftClean<CR>", {
        desc = "Clean",
      })

      -- Format (also available via LazyVim's <leader>cf)
      vim.keymap.set("n", "<leader>Sf", ":SwiftFormat<CR>", {
        desc = "Format File",
      })

      vim.keymap.set("v", "<leader>Sf", ":SwiftFormatSelection<CR>", {
        desc = "Format Selection",
      })

      -- Lint
      vim.keymap.set("n", "<leader>Sl", ":SwiftLint<CR>", {
        desc = "Lint",
      })

      vim.keymap.set("n", "<leader>SL", ":SwiftLintFix<CR>", {
        desc = "Lint & Fix",
      })

      -- Targets
      vim.keymap.set("n", "<leader>ST", ":SwiftTarget<CR>", {
        desc = "Select Target",
      })

      vim.keymap.set("n", "<leader>Ss", ":SwiftSnippets<CR>", {
        desc = "Snippets",
      })

      -- Info
      vim.keymap.set("n", "<leader>Si", ":SwiftInfo<CR>", {
        desc = "Info",
      })

      vim.keymap.set("n", "<leader>Sv", ":SwiftVersionInfo<CR>", {
        desc = "Version",
      })

      vim.keymap.set("n", "<leader>Sh", ":checkhealth swift<CR>", {
        desc = "Health Check",
      })

      -- ----------------------------------------------------------------------
      -- XCODE: <leader>x prefix (macOS only)
      -- ----------------------------------------------------------------------

      if vim.fn.has("mac") == 1 then
        vim.keymap.set("n", "<leader>xb", ":SwiftXcodeBuild<CR>", {
          desc = "Xcode Build",
        })

        vim.keymap.set("n", "<leader>xs", ":SwiftXcodeSchemes<CR>", {
          desc = "Xcode Select Scheme",
        })

        vim.keymap.set("n", "<leader>xo", ":SwiftXcodeOpen<CR>", {
          desc = "Xcode Open",
        })
      end

      -- ======================================================================
      -- WHICH-KEY INTEGRATION (LazyVim has which-key by default)
      -- ======================================================================

      local wk_ok, wk = pcall(require, "which-key")
      if wk_ok then
        wk.add({
          { "<leader>d", group = "debug" },
          { "<leader>S", group = "swift" },
          { "<leader>x", group = "xcode" },
        })
      end

      -- ======================================================================
      -- AUTOCOMMANDS (Optional - Uncomment to enable)
      -- ======================================================================

      local augroup = vim.api.nvim_create_augroup("SwiftNvim", { clear = true })

      -- Auto-format on save (uncomment to enable)
      -- vim.api.nvim_create_autocmd("BufWritePre", {
      --   group = augroup,
      --   pattern = "*.swift",
      --   callback = function()
      --     vim.cmd("SwiftFormat")
      --   end,
      --   desc = "Auto-format Swift files on save",
      -- })

      -- Show notification when Swift file is opened
      vim.api.nvim_create_autocmd("FileType", {
        group = augroup,
        pattern = "swift",
        once = true,
        callback = function()
          vim.notify("Swift.nvim loaded | Press <Space>S for Swift commands", vim.log.levels.INFO, {
            title = "swift.nvim",
          })
        end,
      })
    end,
  },

  -- ============================================================================
  -- OPTIONAL: Statusline integration with lualine (LazyVim uses lualine)
  -- ============================================================================

  {
    "nvim-lualine/lualine.nvim",
    optional = true,
    opts = function(_, opts)
      -- Add Swift target to statusline
      table.insert(opts.sections.lualine_x, {
        function()
          local ok, target_manager = pcall(require, "swift.features.target_manager")
          if ok then
            local target = target_manager.get_current_target()
            if target then
              return "🎯 " .. target
            end
          end
          return ""
        end,
        cond = function()
          return vim.bo.filetype == "swift"
        end,
      })
    end,
  },

  -- ============================================================================
  -- OPTIONAL: Add Swift to Treesitter (if not already included)
  -- ============================================================================

  {
    "nvim-treesitter/nvim-treesitter",
    optional = true,
    opts = function(_, opts)
      if type(opts.ensure_installed) == "table" then
        vim.list_extend(opts.ensure_installed, { "swift" })
      end
    end,
  },
}

Swift.nvim Quick Reference (LazyVim)

The plugin now uses the correct which-key API and avoids conflicts with LazyVim.

Updated Keybindings

Debugger (F Keys - unchanged)


F5 - Continue / Run

F9 - Toggle Breakpoint (● / empty)

F10 - Step Over

F11 - Step Into

F12 - Step Out

Debugger (d - unchanged)


<Space>db - Toggle Breakpoint

<Space>dB - Clear ALL Breakpoints

<Space>dc - Continue

<Space>dq - Stop/Quit Debug

<Space>dr - Run

<Space>dv - Show Variables

<Space>dt - Show Backtrace

<Space>du - Toggle Debug UI

<Space>dO - Step Over

<Space>dI - Step Into

<Space>do - Step Out

Swift Commands (S - CHANGED!)

Important: Now using <Space>S (capital S) to avoid conflict with LazyVim's <Space>s (search/telescope)


<Space>Sb - Build

<Space>Sr - Run

<Space>St - Test

<Space>Sc - Clean

<Space>Sf - Format (also in visual mode)

<Space>Sl - Lint

<Space>SL - Lint & Fix

<Space>ST - Select Target

<Space>Ss - Snippets

<Space>Si - Info

<Space>Sv - Version

<Space>Sh - Health Check

Xcode (macOS) (x - unchanged)


<Space>xb - Build with Xcode

<Space>xs - Select Scheme

<Space>xo - Open in Xcode.app

Which-key Integration

Press <Space> and wait to see available commands:


<Space>d → Shows debug menu

<Space>S → Shows swift menu (capital S!)

<Space>x → Shows xcode menu

Verify Installation


:checkhealth which-key

:checkhealth swift

Both should now show ✓ with no warnings.

Quick Tips

Capital S for Swift: <Space>S (not <Space>s)
Search still works: <Space>s is reserved for LazyVim's search/telescope
Which-key menu: Press <Space> and wait to see all commands
Debug keys: F5, F9, F10, F11, F12 work as expected

Quick Test


" Open a Swift file

nvim main.swift

" You should see: "Swift.nvim loaded | Press <Space>S for Swift commands"

" Try the which-key menu

<Space> " Wait 1 second - menu appears

<Space>S " Shows Swift commands

<Space>d " Shows debug commands

Example Workflow


" 1. Build

<Space>Sb

" 2. Set breakpoint

<F9>

" 3. Debug

:SwiftBuildAndDebug

" 4. Navigate

<F10> " Step over

<F11> " Step into

" 5. Inspect

<Space>dv " Variables

" 6. Stop

<Space>dq

cabrerasiel · October 18, 2025, 7:59pm

Command to invoke the tests has always been, "<leader>St", that executes your test targets with swift test.

If you mean to run specific tests and not run them all as in xcode, I could work on that, as a new feature, you can open an issue with any feature you need and I will try to implement them.