dbm.nvim 🪟

This plugin provides dynamic buffer window management for Neovim, inspired by tiling window managers like dwm. It automatically manages buffer windows in a tiled layout with a vertically maximized, lefthand "major" buffer window, and a stack of "minor" buffer windows on the right. The major window contains the buffer which currently needs most attention, whereas the stacking windows contain all other buffers. Buffer windows can be quickly rotated between major and minor, cycled through on screen, or maximized. Buffer windows are grouped by nine possible tabs. Each buffer window can be placed on one or multiple tabs. These tabs act more like virtual desktops or workspaces than they do tabs as implemented in most other applications.

Installing

Use git or your favorite package manager, and then add this configuration to your init.lua:

require('dbm').setup()

Subcommands

The plugin ships one command, :DBM with a few subcommands:

command	description
:DBM next	Cycle through buffer windows
:DBM split {target}	Open a new buffer window with an optional {target}*
:DBM swap	Minor buffer window → major buffer window
:DBM focus	Maximize/Minimize major buffer window
:DBM send {tab_number}	Send buffer window to {tab_number}
:DBM go {tab_number}	Navigate to tab {tab_number}

Note: the :DBM split {target} could be anything passed to a normal :split command.

Example configuration

If you'd like to use the plugin with the author's keybindings and settings, add this to your init.lua:

require('dbm').setup()

vim.opt.hidden = false

local nmap = function(input, output, options)
  vim.api.nvim_set_keymap('n', input, output, options)
end

-- Buffer window navigation
nmap('<M-h>', '<C-w>h', {noremap = true})
nmap('<M-j>', '<C-w>j', {noremap = true})
nmap('<M-k>', '<C-w>k', {noremap = true})
nmap('<M-l>', '<C-w>l', {noremap = true})

-- Buffer window management
nmap('<M-CR>', ':DBM swap<CR>',               {noremap = true, silent = true})
nmap('<M-e>',  ':DBM split ',                 {noremap = true})
nmap('<M-f>',  ':DBM focus<CR>',              {noremap = true, silent = true})
nmap('<M-n>',  ':DBM next<CR>',               {noremap = true, silent = true})
nmap('<M-q>',  ':quit<CR>',                   {noremap = true, silent = true})
nmap('<M-t>',  ':DBM split<CR>:terminal<CR>', {noremap = true, silent = true})

-- Tab navigation
nmap('<M-1>', ':DBM go 1<CR>', {noremap = true, silent = true})
nmap('<M-2>', ':DBM go 2<CR>', {noremap = true, silent = true})
nmap('<M-3>', ':DBM go 3<CR>', {noremap = true, silent = true})
nmap('<M-4>', ':DBM go 4<CR>', {noremap = true, silent = true})
nmap('<M-5>', ':DBM go 5<CR>', {noremap = true, silent = true})
nmap('<M-6>', ':DBM go 6<CR>', {noremap = true, silent = true})
nmap('<M-7>', ':DBM go 7<CR>', {noremap = true, silent = true})
nmap('<M-8>', ':DBM go 8<CR>', {noremap = true, silent = true})
nmap('<M-9>', ':DBM go 9<CR>', {noremap = true, silent = true})

-- Tab management
nmap('<M-m>1', ':DBM send 1<CR>', {noremap = true, silent = true})
nmap('<M-m>2', ':DBM send 2<CR>', {noremap = true, silent = true})
nmap('<M-m>3', ':DBM send 3<CR>', {noremap = true, silent = true})
nmap('<M-m>4', ':DBM send 4<CR>', {noremap = true, silent = true})
nmap('<M-m>5', ':DBM send 5<CR>', {noremap = true, silent = true})
nmap('<M-m>6', ':DBM send 6<CR>', {noremap = true, silent = true})
nmap('<M-m>7', ':DBM send 7<CR>', {noremap = true, silent = true})
nmap('<M-m>8', ':DBM send 8<CR>', {noremap = true, silent = true})
nmap('<M-m>9', ':DBM send 9<CR>', {noremap = true, silent = true})

-- Status and Tab lines
require('lualine').setup {
  options = {
    globalstatus = true,
    require'lualine'.setup({
      sections = {
        lualine_a = {'mode'},
        lualine_b = {'branch', 'diff', 'diagnostics'},
        lualine_c = {{'filename', path = 1}},
        lualine_x = {'encoding', 'fileformat', 'filetype'},
        lualine_y = {'progress'},
        lualine_z = {'location'}
      },
      tabline = {
        lualine_a = {'tabs'},
        lualine_b = {},
        lualine_c = {},
        lualine_x = {},
        lualine_y = {},
        lualine_z = {'buffers'}
      }
    })
  }
}