sllm.nvim

sllm.nvim is a Neovim plugin that integrates Simon Willison’s llm CLI directly into your editor. Chat with large language models, stream responses in a scratch buffer, manage context files, switch models or tool integrations on the fly, and control everything asynchronously without leaving Neovim.

Philosophy & Comparison

The landscape of AI plugins for Neovim is growing. To understand the philosophy behind sllm.nvim and see how it compares to other popular plugins, please read the PREFACE.md.

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Features

• Interactive Chat Send prompts to any installed LLM backend, streaming replies line by line.
• Context Management Add or reset files, URLs, shell command outputs, selections, diagnostics, installed LLM tools, or on-the-fly Python functions in the context so the model can reference your code, web content, command results, or issues.
• Model and Tool Selection Browse and pick from your installed llm models and tools interactively and add selected tools to your context.
• On-the-fly Function Tools Define Python functions as tools for the LLM directly from your current buffer or a visual selection.
• Asynchronous & Non-blocking Requests run in the background, so you can keep editing.
• Split Buffer UI Responses appear in a dedicated markdown buffer with wrap/linebreak enabled.
• Token Usage Feedback Displays request/response token usage and estimated cost after each prompt (when show_usage is enabled).

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Installation

Prerequisites

1. Install the llm CLI Follow instructions at https://github.com/simonw/llm e.g. brew install llm or pip install llm.

   💡 If llm is not in your system's PATH, you can set the full path in the configuration via the llm_cmd option.

2. Install one or more llm extensions

   • llm install llm-openai
   • llm install llm-openrouter
   • llm install llm-gpt4all …or any other plugin supported by llm.

     💡 The llm-openrouter extension gives access to over 300 models (some free) via OpenRouter.

     See all available LLM plugins for the llm CLI at llm.datasette.io/plugins/directory.

3. Configure your API key(s)

   llm keys set openai
   # or for other services
   llm keys set openrouter

   or set environment variables like OPENAI_API_KEY.

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Plugin Managers

lazy.nvim

{
  "mozanunal/sllm.nvim",
  -- optional: will use vim.notify and vim.ui.select as fallback
  dependencies = {
    "echasnovski/mini.notify",
    "echasnovski/mini.pick",
  },
  config = function()
    require("sllm").setup({
      -- your custom options here
    })
  end,
}

packer.nvim

use({
  "mozanunal/sllm.nvim",
  -- optional: will use vim.notify and vim.ui.select as fallback
  requires = { "echasnovski/mini.notify", "echasnovski/mini.pick" },
  config = function()
    require("sllm").setup({
      -- your custom options here
    })
  end,
})

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Configuration

Call require("sllm").setup() with an optional table of overrides:

require("sllm").setup({
  llm_cmd                  = "llm", -- command or path for the llm CLI
  default_model            = "gpt-4.1", -- default llm model (set to "default" to use llm's default model)
  show_usage               = true, -- append usage stats to responses
  on_start_new_chat        = true, -- start fresh chat on setup
  reset_ctx_each_prompt    = true, -- clear file context each ask
  window_type              = "vertical", -- Default. Options: "vertical", "horizontal", "float"
  scroll_to_bottom         = true, -- whether to keep the cursor at the bottom of the LLM window
  -- function for item selection (like vim.ui.select)
  pick_func                = require("mini.pick").ui_select,
  -- function for notifications (like vim.notify)
  notify_func              = require("mini.notify").make_notify(),
  -- function for inputs (like vim.ui.input)
  input_func               = vim.ui.input,
  -- See the "Customizing Keymaps" section for more details
  keymaps = {
    -- Change a default keymap
    ask_llm = "<leader>a",
    -- Disable a default keymap
    add_url_to_ctx = false,
    -- Other keymaps will use their default values
  },
})

Option	Type	Default	Description
llm_cmd	string	"llm"	Command or path for the llm CLI tool.
default_model	string	"gpt-4.1"	Model to use on startup
show_usage	boolean	true	Include token usage summary in responses. If true, you'll see details after each interaction.
on_start_new_chat	boolean	true	Begin with a fresh chat buffer on plugin setup
reset_ctx_each_prompt	boolean	true	Automatically clear file context after every prompt (if true)
window_type	string	"vertical"	Window style: "vertical", "horizontal", or "float".
scroll_to_bottom	boolean	true	Whether to keep the cursor at the bottom of the LLM window.
pick_func	function	require('mini.pick').ui_select	UI function for interactive model selection
notify_func	function	require('mini.notify').make_notify()	Notification function
input_func	function	vim.ui.input	Input prompt function.
keymaps	table/false	(see defaults)	A table of keybindings. Set any key to false or nil to disable it. Set the whole keymaps option to false to disable all defaults.

Keybindings & Commands

The following table lists the default keybindings. All of them can be changed or disabled in your setup configuration (see Customizing Keymaps).

Keybind	Keymap	Mode	Action
<leader>ss	ask_llm	n,v	Prompt the LLM with an input box
<leader>sn	new_chat	n,v	Start a new chat (clears buffer)
<leader>sc	cancel	n,v	Cancel current request
<leader>sf	focus_llm_buffer	n,v	Focus the LLM output buffer
<leader>st	toggle_llm_buffer	n,v	Toggle LLM buffer visibility
<leader>sm	select_model	n,v	Pick a different LLM model
<leader>sa	add_file_to_ctx	n,v	Add current file to context
<leader>su	add_url_to_ctx	n,v	Add content of a URL to context
<leader>sv	add_sel_to_ctx	v	Add visual selection to context
<leader>sd	add_diag_to_ctx	n,v	Add diagnostics to context
<leader>sx	add_cmd_out_to_ctx	n,v	Add shell command output to context
<leader>sT	add_tool_to_ctx	n,v	Add an installed tool to context
<leader>sF	add_func_to_ctx	n,v	Add Python function from buffer/selection as a tool
<leader>sr	reset_context	n,v	Reset/clear all context files

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Customizing Keymaps

You have full control over the keybindings. Here are the common scenarios:

1. Use the Defaults

If you are happy with the default keymaps, you don't need to pass a keymaps table at all. Just call setup() with no arguments or with other options.

2. Change Some, Disable Others

To override specific keymaps, provide your new binding. To disable a keymap you don't use, set its value to false or nil. Any keymaps you don't specify will keep their default values.

-- In your setup() call:
require("sllm").setup({
  keymaps = {
    -- CHANGE: Use <leader>a for asking the LLM instead of <leader>ss
    ask_llm = "<leader>a",

    -- DISABLE: I don't use the "add URL" or "add tool" features
    add_url_to_ctx = false,
    add_tool_to_ctx = nil, -- `nil` also works for disabling
  },
})

3. Disable All Default Keymaps

If you prefer to set up all keybindings manually, you can disable all defaults by passing false or an empty table {}.

-- In your setup() call:
require("sllm").setup({
  keymaps = false,
})

-- Now you can define your own from scratch
local sllm = require("sllm")
vim.keymap.set({"n", "v"}, "<leader>a", sllm.ask_llm, { desc = "Ask LLM [custom]" })

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Workflow Example

1. Open any file and press <leader>ss; type your prompt and hit Enter.
2. Add the entire file to context: <leader>sa.
3. Add only a visual selection: (Visual mode) <leader>sv.
4. Add diagnostics: <leader>sd.
5. Add the content of a URL: <leader>su.
6. Add a shell command output: <leader>sx.
7. Add an installed tool to the context: <leader>sT, then pick from the list.
8. Define a tool from a Python function: <leader>sF (use visual mode for a selection, or normal mode for the whole file).
9. Reset context: <leader>sr.
10. Switch models: <leader>sm.
11. Cancel a running request: <leader>sc.

Visual Workflow

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Internals

• Context Manager (sllm.context_manager) Tracks a list of file paths, text snippets, tool names, and function definitions to include in subsequent prompts.
• Backend (sllm.backend.llm) Builds and executes the llm CLI command, optionally adding -T <tool> for each active tool or --functions <py_function> for ad-hoc functions.
• Job Manager (sllm.job_manager) Spawns a Neovim job for the CLI, streams stdout line-by-line.
• UI (sllm.ui) Creates and manages a scratch markdown buffer to display streaming output.
• Utils (sllm.utils) Helper functions for buffer/window checks, path utilities, and more.

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Contributions & Credits

• The core LLM interaction is powered by Simon Willison’s excellent llm CLI.
• The user interface components (notifications, pickers) are provided by the versatile echasnovski/mini.nvim library.
• sllm.nvim itself is created and maintained by mozanunal, focusing on integrating these tools smoothly into Neovim.

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License

Apache 2.0 — see LICENSE. llm and its extensions are copyright Simon Willison.