git-download-browse.nvim

Dealing with gitHub repositories from Neovim.

Three commands:

• Clone
• Browse clones
• Fork a clone in a [worktree].

The commands will prompt you for infos if/when necessary

Default keybindings:

• <leader>gc clone a repo
• <leader>gv view the cloned repos in telescope
• <leader>gk fork, branch then create a worktree

Viewing the folder of clones is done with telescope The telescope previewer shows the README.md of the current repo. The telescope picker opens the folder containing the selected clone.

See usage for more details. See screenshots See installation

TBD support other git hubs than github

Screenshots

browsing

Cloning

Forking

Requirements

• nvim-lua/plenary.nvim
• nvim-telescope/telescope.nvim
• git available in your $PATH

Installation (LazyVim)

Add the plugin to your LazyVim spec so dependencies load automatically.

return {
  {
    "cognominal/git-download-browse.nvim",
    dependencies = {
      "nvim-lua/plenary.nvim",
      "nvim-telescope/telescope.nvim",
    },
    config = function()
      require("git-download-browse").setup({
        reposDir = vim.fn.expand("~/git"),
        keymaps = {
          browse = "<leader>gv",
          clone = "<leader>gc",
          fork = "<leader>gk",
        },
      })
    end,
  },
}

For LazyVim, drop the spec into lua/plugins/git-download-browse.lua (or any plugin file under lua/plugins). LazyVim will pick it up automatically.

Usage

• :CloneGitRepo user/repo or :CloneGitRepo https://github.com/user/repo clones the repository (shallow) into <reposDir>/user---repo.
  • If you omit the argument, the command falls back to the clipboard contents (+ register first, then *). When the cursor is on such a string within double quotes. You can paste the string using yi"
• :GitRepos opens the Telescope picker listing downloaded repositories and switches Neovim's local directory (:lcd) to the selected entry when you confirm.
• :GitFork [path|user/repo] (or the default <leader>gk) forks the current repository using GitHub CLI, adds a fork remote, and creates a new worktree under forked_dir. Branch names start at forked and gain numeric suffixes if needed.
• The default keymaps.browse opens the picker (<leader>gv), keymaps.clone clones a repo (<leader>gc), and keymaps.fork forks the current repo (<leader>gk). Set any mapping to false/nil or override them inside setup() to rebind.
• Change reposDir in setup() to control where repositories are stored. The folder (and missing parents) is created automatically during setup().

The picker previews project READMEs when available; otherwise it shows a directory listing. Entries display an initial F when a fork remote is configured for that repository.

Tests

Run the Plenary test suite headlessly:

nvim --headless -u tests/minimal_init.lua -c "lua require('tests.run').run()"