Public API surface

A taxonomy of the nvim_* API. The full reference is in runtime/doc/api.txt; this page is the orientation map.

Buffers

src/nvim/api/buffer.c plus src/nvim/api/extmark.c.

Function	Purpose
nvim_buf_get_lines(buf, start, end, strict)	Read a range of lines.
nvim_buf_set_lines(buf, start, end, strict, replacement)	Replace a range.
nvim_buf_get_text, nvim_buf_set_text	Byte-level get/set; useful for partial-line edits.
nvim_buf_attach, nvim_buf_detach	Subscribe to text changes.
nvim_buf_line_count	Line count.
nvim_buf_get_name, nvim_buf_set_name	File name.
nvim_buf_get_var, nvim_buf_set_var, nvim_buf_del_var	Buffer-scoped variables (b:).
nvim_buf_get_mark, nvim_buf_set_mark, nvim_buf_del_mark	Named marks.
nvim_buf_get_option, nvim_buf_set_option (deprecated)	Per-buffer options — superseded by nvim_get_option_value with {buf=}.
nvim_buf_set_keymap, nvim_buf_del_keymap	Buffer-local keymaps.
nvim_buf_create_user_command, nvim_buf_del_user_command	Buffer-local Ex commands.
nvim_buf_get_changedtick	Monotonic change counter.

Extmarks (src/nvim/api/extmark.c):

Function	Purpose
nvim_create_namespace(name)	Get a namespace handle.
nvim_buf_set_extmark, nvim_buf_del_extmark, nvim_buf_get_extmark_by_id, nvim_buf_get_extmarks	Extmark CRUD.
nvim_buf_clear_namespace	Clear all extmarks/highlights in a namespace within a range.

Windows

src/nvim/api/window.c plus src/nvim/api/win_config.c.

Function	Purpose
nvim_get_current_win, nvim_set_current_win	Active window.
nvim_win_get_buf, nvim_win_set_buf	Switch the buffer in a window.
nvim_win_get_cursor, nvim_win_set_cursor	Cursor position.
nvim_win_get_height, nvim_win_set_height, nvim_win_get_width, nvim_win_set_width	Resize.
nvim_win_close, nvim_win_hide	Close / hide.
nvim_open_win(buf, enter, config)	Floating windows. Most-used function in win_config.c.
nvim_win_set_config, nvim_win_get_config	Float config CRUD.
nvim_win_text_height	Compute pixel/line height of a range.

Tab pages

src/nvim/api/tabpage.c.

Function	Purpose
nvim_get_current_tabpage, nvim_set_current_tabpage	Active tab.
nvim_tabpage_list_wins	Windows in tab.
nvim_tabpage_get_var, nvim_tabpage_set_var	Tab-scoped variables.

Editor commands and Vimscript

src/nvim/api/vim.c plus src/nvim/api/vimscript.c.

Function	Purpose
nvim_command(cmd), nvim_exec2(src, opts)	Run an Ex command (or block).
nvim_eval(expr), nvim_call_function(fn, args), nvim_call_dict_function(dict, fn, args)	Vimscript expression / function.
nvim_input(keys), nvim_input_mouse(...)	Send input.
nvim_replace_termcodes(str, from_part, do_lt, special)	Encode <esc>-style strings.
nvim_feedkeys(keys, mode, escape_ks)	Like :execute "normal! " from Lua.
nvim_paste(data, crlf, phase)	Paste a chunk. Used by clipboard integration.
nvim_put(lines, type, after, follow)	Insert lines like :put.
nvim_strwidth(text)	Display width of a string.

Autocmds

src/nvim/api/autocmd.c. See Autocmds.

Function	Purpose
nvim_create_autocmd(event, opts)	Register.
nvim_clear_autocmds(opts)	Delete by filter.
nvim_create_augroup(name, opts)	Create an autocmd group.
nvim_get_autocmds(opts)	Inspect.
nvim_exec_autocmds(event, opts)	Manually fire.

User commands

src/nvim/api/command.c.

Function	Purpose
nvim_create_user_command(name, fn, opts)	Register a global Ex command.
nvim_buf_create_user_command(...)	Buffer-local.
nvim_del_user_command, nvim_buf_del_user_command	Delete.
nvim_get_commands(opts)	Inspect.
nvim_parse_cmd(str), nvim_cmd(cmd, opts)	Parse a command line / run a parsed command.

Options

src/nvim/api/options.c. See Options.

Function	Purpose
nvim_get_option_value(name, opts)	Read scoped option.
nvim_set_option_value(name, value, opts)	Write scoped option.
nvim_get_option_info(name)	Metadata.
nvim_get_all_options_info()	All options.

Highlights and namespaces

src/nvim/api/vim.c plus src/nvim/api/extmark.c.

Function	Purpose
nvim_set_hl(ns_id, name, val)	Set a highlight in a namespace.
nvim_get_hl(ns_id, opts)	Read.
nvim_set_hl_ns(ns_id)	Activate a namespace's highlights.
nvim_set_decoration_provider(ns_id, opts)	Register a decoration provider.

UI

src/nvim/api/ui.c. See UI events.

Function	Purpose
nvim_ui_attach(width, height, opts)	Attach as a UI.
nvim_ui_detach()	Detach.
nvim_ui_try_resize, nvim_ui_set_option	Reconfigure.
nvim_ui_pum_set_height etc.	Specific extension config.
nvim_ui_term_event(event, value)	Terminal-style events forwarded by the TUI.

Channels

src/nvim/msgpack_rpc/server.c + bits in vim.c.

Function	Purpose
nvim_chan_send(chan, data)	Write to a channel.
nvim_get_chan_info(chan), nvim_list_chans()	Inspect.
nvim_get_proc_children(pid), nvim_get_proc(pid)	Process info.

Miscellaneous

| Function | Purpose | | ------------------------------------------------------ | ------------------------------------------------ | --------- | | nvim_get_api_info() | The api-level metadata (UIs use this on attach). | | nvim_get_runtime_file, nvim_list_runtime_paths | Runtime files. | | nvim_get_color_by_name, nvim_get_color_map | Color helpers. | | nvim_get_current_line, nvim_set_current_line | Convenience. | | nvim_err_write, nvim_err_writeln, nvim_out_write | Output. | | nvim_echo(chunks, history, opts) | Like :echohl … | echom …. | | nvim_subscribe, nvim_unsubscribe | Notification routing for embedded clients. | | nvim_load_context, nvim_get_context | Capture/restore editor state for tests. |

Where to read more

• Per-area details are in the docstrings above each function in src/nvim/api/*.c.
• The user manual is runtime/doc/api.txt. Run :help api-... to jump to a specific function.
• Examples are scattered through test/functional/api/. Each function has at least one functional test.