Conan in Neovim: One Command to Rule Them All

Conan in Neovim: One Command to Rule Them All

Igor, a Ukrainian developer, introduced Conan support to his Neovim plugin, enabling one-command library installations for Python, Rust, and more. The plugin generates per-library build directories with CMake files for dependencies like fmt, glfw, and glm.

Why This Matters

The ideal of seamless dependency management clashes with the fragmented reality of language-specific tools. Manual installation of libraries across Python (pip), Rust (cargo), and C++ (Conan) introduces friction, costing developers hours in setup. Igor’s plugin automates this process, reducing setup time and error rates in multi-language projects.

Key Insights

• “Conan support added in 2025” (context: plugin update timeline)
• “Single-command installation for Python, Rust, and C++” (example: :LazyDevInstall fmt glfw glm)
• “Developed solo by Igor, with updates from 2025-11-12 to 2025-11-28” (context: plugin maintenance timeline)

Working Example

:LazyDevInstall fmt glfw glm

Resulting directories:

build_fmt/
├── fmt-config.cmake
├── fmt-release-x86_64-data.cmake
├── other files...
build_glfw/
├── glfw-config.cmake
├── glfw-release-x86_64-data.cmake
├── ...
build_glm/
├── glm-config.cmake
├── glm-release-x86_64-data.cmake
├── ...

Practical Applications

• Use Case: Neovim users managing cross-language projects (e.g., C++/Python hybrid apps)
• Pitfall: Over-reliance on plugin without understanding underlying toolchains (e.g., CMake configuration nuances)

References:

• https://dev.to/silletr/conan-in-neovim-one-command-to-rule-them-all-513g

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