How to run Python on Neovim like Jupyter

I am a Code Editor guy, and I am a Terminal Guy. I try all of the Editors from SublimeText VSCode to PyCharm and I keep coming back to Vim/Neovim.

Because I work on AI/ML there's no way to not develop in Python and not be confronted with people demo'ing code with Jupyter Notebooks. I confess that is really cool.

So, I went on the journey to figure out to solve this missing feature on Neovim.

So, for a start, I will show how to do it with LazyVim as it's package manager could not be easier to get stuff started for someone willing to try Neovim for a spin.

Neovim Installation

brew install neovim@0.9.0

Other Requirements

• Git
• Python

If you don't have it yet install them (or just stop here 😁):

brew install git
brew install python@3.11

Install Lazyim

Backup Old Config

If you already have another installation, do some backups:

# required
mv ~/.config/nvim ~/.config/nvim.bak

# optional but recommended
mv ~/.local/share/nvim ~/.local/share/nvim.bak
mv ~/.local/state/nvim ~/.local/state/nvim.bak
mv ~/.cache/nvim ~/.cache/nvim.bak

Download the lazyvim starter, and don't be surprised how *fast & furious" the installation is:

git clone https://github.com/LazyVim/starter ~/.config/nvim

Now, take the neovim to a spin, hold your seat and run:

nvim

Install Plugin to Run Code

After a successful install of Lazyvim, exit and let's add a plugin:

cd ~/.config/nvim
nvim .

Create a file ('a' command on the File Browser) on folder lua/plugins/code-runner.lua

return {
  "hkupty/iron.nvim",
  config = function(plugins, opts)
    local iron = require("iron.core")

    iron.setup({
      config = {
        -- Whether a repl should be discarded or not
        scratch_repl = true,
        -- Your repl definitions come here
        repl_definition = {
          python = {
            -- Can be a table or a function that
            -- returns a table (see below)
            command = { "python" },
          },
        },
        -- How the repl window will be displayed
        -- See below for more information
        repl_open_cmd = require("iron.view").right(60),
      },
      -- Iron doesn't set keymaps by default anymore.
      -- You can set them here or manually add keymaps to the functions in iron.core
      keymaps = {
        send_motion = "<space>rc",
        visual_send = "<space>rc",
        send_file = "<space>rf",
        send_line = "<space>rl",
        send_mark = "<space>rm",
        mark_motion = "<space>rmc",
        mark_visual = "<space>rmc",
        remove_mark = "<space>rmd",
        cr = "<space>r<cr>",
        interrupt = "<space>r<space>",
        exit = "<space>rq",
        clear = "<space>rx",
      },
      -- If the highlight is on, you can change how it looks
      -- For the available options, check nvim_set_hl
      highlight = {
        italic = true,
      },
      ignore_blank_lines = true, -- ignore blank lines when sending visual select lines
    })

    -- iron also has a list of commands, see :h iron-commands for all available commands
    vim.keymap.set("n", "<space>rs", "<cmd>IronRepl<cr>")
    vim.keymap.set("n", "<space>rr", "<cmd>IronRestart<cr>")
    vim.keymap.set("n", "<space>rF", "<cmd>IronFocus<cr>")
    vim.keymap.set("n", "<space>rh", "<cmd>IronHide<cr>")
  end,
}

Save a exit the file <space>qq

Test Code Runner

Open a python file test.py:

name = "AIOPS Again"
print(f"Hello, {name}")

name = "Another AIOPS"
print(f"Hello, {name}")

Type <space>r and ENTER and you should have the code execution window on the right side:

If you to execute the code you have several options:

1. Execute Line by Line <space>rl
2. Execute Selected Lines <space>rc
3. Execute the all file <space>rf

Try to execute a selection of line, by selecting some lines:

And them send the code to the runner:

In reality this plugin can run whatever you want: