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diffs.nvim/README.md
Barrett Ruth da7b76555a docs: add incomplete syntax context as known limitation 
Treesitter parses diff hunks in isolation without surrounding code
context, which can cause incorrect highlighting when hunks show partial
blocks (e.g., adding lines inside `return { ... }` without seeing the
`return`). Document this as a known limitation in README and vimdoc.
2026-02-04 13:16:22 -05:00

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diffs.nvim

Syntax highlighting for diffs in Neovim

Enhance vim-fugitive and Neovim's built-in diff mode with language-aware syntax highlighting.

diffs.nvim preview

Features

  • Treesitter syntax highlighting in :Git diffs and commit views
  • :Gdiffsplit / :Gvdiffsplit syntax through diff backgrounds
  • Background-only diff colors for any &diff buffer (:diffthis, vimdiff)
  • Vim syntax fallback for languages without a treesitter parser
  • Hunk header context highlighting (@@ ... @@ function foo())
  • Configurable debouncing, max lines, and diff prefix concealment

Requirements

  • Neovim 0.9.0+

Installation

Install with your package manager of choice or via luarocks:

luarocks install diffs.nvim

Documentation

:help diffs.nvim

Known Limitations

  • Incomplete syntax context: Treesitter parses each diff hunk in isolation without surrounding code context. When a hunk shows lines added to an existing block (e.g., adding a plugin inside return { ... }), the parser doesn't see the return statement and may produce incorrect highlighting. This is inherent to parsing code fragments—no diff tooling solves this without significant complexity.

  • Syntax flashing: diffs.nvim hooks into the FileType fugitive event triggered by vim-fugitive, at which point the buffer is preliminarily painted. The buffer is then re-painted after debounce_ms milliseconds, causing an unavoidable visual "flash" even when debounce_ms = 0.

  • Conflicting diff plugins: diffs.nvim may not interact well with other plugins that modify diff highlighting. Known plugins that may conflict:

    • diffview.nvim - provides its own diff highlighting and conflict resolution UI
    • mini.diff - visualizes buffer differences with its own highlighting system
    • gitsigns.nvim - generally compatible, but both plugins modifying line highlights may produce unexpected results
    • git-conflict.nvim - conflict marker highlighting may overlap with diffs.nvim

Acknowledgements