REST.nvim Documentation #

Welcome to REST.nvim documentation. This folder contains detailed information about the plugin.

Quick Links #

• Features - Complete feature overview
• Architecture - Technical design and module structure
• Development - Development guide for contributors
• Migration - Migration guide from old version

Documentation Structure #

For Users #

Start here if you're using REST.nvim:

1. Features - Learn what REST.nvim can do
2. Migration - Upgrade from old version (if needed)
3. Main README - Installation and basic usage

For Developers #

Start here if you want to contribute or extend REST.nvim:

1. Architecture - Understand how it works
2. Development - Set up development environment
3. Look at source code - lua/rest/ directory, especially lua/rest/types.lua

Key Concepts #

Dual-Pane Dashboard #

┌──────────────────────────────────┐
│  Request (30%) │ Response (70%) │
│  - Method      │ - Status       │
│  - URL         │ - Headers      │
│  - Headers     │ - Body         │
│  - Body        │ - Loader       │
└──────────────────────────────────┘

Async Execution #

HTTP requests execute without blocking the UI:

• You can continue editing while loading
• Spinner shows request progress
• Response appears when ready

State Management #

Central state store manages:

• Current request
• Current response
• Loading status
• Error messages

Modular Architecture #

init.lua (setup)
    ↓
cmd.lua (commands)
    ├─→ dashboard.lua (UI)
    └─→ http_client.lua (HTTP)
        └─→ state.lua (state)
            └─→ loader.lua (spinner)

Common Tasks #

Make an API Request #

:Rest GET https://api.example.com

Edit a Complex Request #

:Rest
" Edits request in left pane
" <C-s> to execute
" Results in right pane

Use from REST File #

" In api.rest file:
GET https://api.github.com/users

Accept: application/json

" Then: :Rest

Copy Response #

" After request completes:
<C-y>  " Copies response to clipboard

Advanced Topics #

Custom Configuration #

See Development

Creating Extensions #

See Architecture

Contributing #

See Development

FAQ #

Is REST.nvim backward compatible? #

Yes! See Migration for details.

Can I use my old REST files? #

Yes, format is unchanged.

How do I report bugs? #

Open an issue on GitHub with:

• Neovim version
• Error message
• Steps to reproduce

How do I request features? #

Open a feature request on GitHub with:

• Description of use case
• Why it would be helpful
• Suggested implementation

Where's the source code? #

In lua/rest/ directory:

• init.lua - Plugin entry point
• cmd.lua - Command routing
• ui/dashboard.lua - Main interface
• utils/ - Helper modules

Resources #

Neovim #

• Neovim Lua Guide
• Neovim API Docs

Dependencies #

• nui.nvim
• plenary.nvim

HTTP Testing #

• Postman - Inspiration
• curl - What we use under the hood
• httpbin.org - Test API

Getting Help #

1. Check documentation in this folder
2. Search GitHub issues
3. Open a new issue if not found
4. Check Development for debugging tips

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Last Updated: November 17, 2025
Version: 1.0
Status: Production Ready