pynvim

What it is and what it does

Pynvim bridges Python and Neovim by providing a client library that connects to Neovim instances via msgpack-rpc. It enables two main use patterns: writing remote plugins that handle Neovim function calls asynchronously without blocking the editor, and scripting Neovim from Python code (either embedded or via a socket connection). The library exposes Neovim's API through Python objects representing buffers, windows, and the editor state, and adds extensions like access to vimL functions via `nvim.funcs`, Lua integration, and thread-safe async requests.

The package depends on msgpack for serialization, greenlet for async support, and typing-extensions for type hints. It supports both connecting to running Neovim instances and embedding Neovim as a subprocess within a Python application. A known limitation is that Vimscript dictionaries are returned as copies rather than references, requiring the entire dictionary to be reassigned after modification.

Use it for:

• Write asynchronous Python remote plugins for Neovim that respond to editor events without blocking.
• Automate Neovim from Python scripts or applications by connecting to a running editor instance.
• Embed Neovim as a headless subprocess within a Python application for programmatic text editing.
• Access and manipulate Neovim buffers, windows, and settings from Python code via the msgpack-rpc API.
• Call vimL and Lua functions from Python plugins using the extended API.

Worth the install?

AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page — verify before relying

Pynvim is a Python client library that enables Python plugins for Neovim and allows scripting Neovim processes through its msgpack-rpc API.

Yes. Pynvim is actively maintained, has no known vulnerabilities, and low install friction. Install it if you need to write Python plugins for Neovim, automate the editor from Python, or embed Neovim in a Python application. The permissive Apache 2.0 license poses no restrictions. The main gotcha is understanding the socket/child-process connection model and the dictionary copy behavior documented in the known issues.

Install

pynvim on PyPI

pip install pynvim

uv add pynvim

poetry add pynvim

Installing pynvim

Before you install

Low install friction with a pure-Python wheel distribution. The package is actively maintained with recent commits and no known vulnerabilities. Requires Python 3.7 or later, though the description notes 3.10+ support.

License in practice

Licensed under Apache License 2.0 (permissive), allowing use in commercial and proprietary projects with minimal restrictions.

Quickstart

import pynvim
nvim = pynvim.attach('socket', path='/tmp/nvim.sock')
buffer = nvim.current.buffer
buffer[0] = 'replace first line'

Requires a running Neovim instance accessible via socket or child process; start Neovim with `nvim --listen /tmp/nvim.sock` before connecting.

Verify before relying

• Whether the package's async/thread-safety features are production-ready for concurrent plugin workloads.
• Performance characteristics when handling large buffers or frequent API calls across the msgpack-rpc boundary.

Package facts

Evidence: pynvim-0.6.0-py3-none-any.whl

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