Sync package for neovim

A fast, minimal Neovim plugin to sync code from local to remote servers using rsync. Built in Lua with background jobs and hot-reloading.

I built code_sync.nvim: A Lightweight Neovim Plugin to Sync Code to Remote Servers Code.

If you are stuck at some point reading through the article, please go through the README.md of the project. It has pretty much details.

Why I Built This:

  • As someone who works primarily inside Neovim, I constantly found myself needing to sync local files to remote servers during development whether for testing ML scripts, deploying feature branches to staging environments, or just backing up work.

What Didn't Work:

  • Existing Neovim plugins either:
    • Tried to do too much, bundling terminal multiplexers, remote FS interfaces, and more.
    • Were hard to configure especially with SSH keys, .rsyncignore behavior, or environmental targets.

So I said: "Why not build something simple and Lua-native that just syncs code?"

What Makes code_sync.nvim Different?

  • Unlike generic file sync tools or bloated Neovim plugins, code_sync.nvim is built with purpose and simplicity in mind.
  • Single Responsibility. It only does one thing sync code from local to remote and does it well. No terminals, no remotes-as-filesystem hacks.
  • Minimal Configuration. Just drop a Lua config in ~/.config/.code_sync.lua, no need to wrap your head around dozens of options.
  • Neovim-Native. Written entirely in Lua and built on top of Neovim async job APIs (vim.loop.spawn). No shims, wrappers, or FFI dependencies.
  • Hot Config Reloading. Detects changes to your config file and reloads them on the fly, no need to restart Neovim.
  • Multiple Environments. Easily define targets like test, stage, or dev per project, with support for multiple servers under each.
  • Flexible SSH Methods. Whether you're using password-based, key-based, or passwordless login via ~/.ssh/config, it's supported.
  • Non-blocking Execution. All sync operations run as background jobs. No freezing. Keep coding while your files sync in parallel.

Introducing code_sync.nvim

  • A single-purpose Neovim plugin to sync local projects to remote directories using rsync, written entirely in Lua, with async background jobs and minimal config.
  • Core Features:
    • Sync files/folders with one command.
    • Supports all SSH methods: password, key, keyless (via ~/.ssh/config).
    • Dotfile-based config (~/.config/.code_sync.lua).
    • Target specific environments (test, stage, dev) per project.
    • Hot reloads config no need to restart Neovim.

Installation

  • Add this to your Packer config:

use({
  "ayush-garg341/code_sync",
  config = function()
    require("code_sync").setup()
  end,
})

How It Works?

  • You define your sync strategy in ~/.config/.code_sync.lua. Each project can map to multiple environments, with config like:
{
  protocol = "rsync",
  ["my-project"] = {
    test = {
      {
        target = "ubuntu@192.168.1.42:/var/www/my-project",
        method = "key_less",
        exclude_file = "~/.rsyncignore"
      }
    },
    dev = {
      {
        target = "devops@devbox:/home/devops/codebase",
        method = "pwd_based",
        keypath = "myS3cretP@ss",
      }
    },
   stage = {
      {
        target = "ayush@<hostname>:/home/ayush/data-science",
        exclude_file = "/Users/elliott/.rsyncignore",
        keypath = "~/Downloads/some.pem",
        method = "key_based"
      }
    }
  }
}

SSH Auth Modes Supported:

  • Key-based: (.pem or id_rsa style)
  • Key-less: (ssh-copy-id + ~/.ssh/config)
  • Password-based via sshpass
# Setup passwordless SSH
ssh-keygen -t rsa
ssh-copy-id user@host

# Or install sshpass for password-based auth
brew install hudochenkov/sshpass/sshpass

Config Keys Reference

  • protocol: One of rsync, scp, ftp, sftp (currently rsync only)
  • keypath: Path to .pem or plain password
  • project: Source folder in Neovim
  • test, stage, dev : Environment labels
  • target: Full remote destination
  • exclude_file: Like .gitignore for rsync
  • method: key_based, pwd_based, key_less

Example Screenshot

  • Here's how :CodeSyncList looks when no jobs are running:
    Output

Usage from Neovim:

  • :CodeSync: Syncs file, cwd, or project to a remote env
  • :CodeSyncList: List active jobs
  • :CodeSyncCancel <id>: Cancel a specific sync job
  • Production syncing is intentionally not supported. Use CI/CD.
:CodeSync test --project    "Sync the whole project to your test env
:CodeSync stage --cwd      "Sync the current directory to stage env
:CodeSync dev            " Sync current file to dev env
:CodeSyncCancel 3        " Cancel job with ID 3

Technical Design Decisions:

  • Uses vim.fn.jobstart to avoid freezing Neovim
  • Supports parallel jobs and shows job status
  • Uses pure Lua no shell hacks

Roadmap & Todos:

  • Support dry run of rsync command before actually start syncing
  • Hot-reload config when modified
  • Add support for scp and sftp
  • Add auto-sync with user-defined intervals
  • Better logging for sync failures/success
  • Detect changes in files & only sync diffs

Want to Contribute?

  • Sure! Pick a task from above or suggest your own:
  • Fork the repo on GitHub
  • Test your patch locally
  • Submit a Pull Request with details

Who This Is For?

  • Neovim users who want simple remote syncing.
  • Developers working across local & remote setups.
  • Anyone tired of complex Rsync scripts or UI bloat.

Final Thoughts

  • This was a weekend project that scratched a real itch.
  • If you find it helpful, consider starring the repo or sharing feedback!

I use this plugin extensively, when I need to sync code from my mac to my other spare old machine. My mac has Silicon chip, so some intel programs do not run. I run them on intel architecture on my spare 4GB machine.