Language Server Protocol

A client for Textadept that communicates over the Language Server Protocol (LSP) with language servers in order to provide autocompletion, calltips, go to definition, and more. It implements version 3.16.0 of the protocol, but does not support all protocol features. The Server.new() function contains the client's current set of capabilities.

Install this module by copying it into your ~/.textadept/modules/ directory or Textadept's modules/ directory, and then putting the following in your ~/.textadept/init.lua:

local lsp = require('lsp')

You can then set up some language server commands. For example:

lsp.server_commands.lua = 'lua-lsp'
lsp.server_commands.cpp = function()
  return 'cquery', {
    cacheDirectory = '/tmp/cquery-cache',
    compilationDatabaseDirectory = io.get_project_root(),
    progressReportFrequencyMs = -1
  }
end

When either Lua or cpp files are opened, their associated language servers are automatically started (one per language, though). Note that language servers typically require a root URI, so this module uses io.get_project_root() for this. If the file being opened is not part of a project recognized by Textadept, the language server will not be started.

Language Server features are available from the Tools > Language Server menu. Note that not all language servers may support the menu options. You can assign key bindings for these features, such as:

keys['ctrl+alt+ '] = function() textadept.editing.autocomplete('lsp') end
keys['ctrl+H'] = lsp.signature_help
keys.f12 = lsp.goto_definition

Note: If you want to inspect the LSP messages sent back and forth, you can use the Lua command entry to set require('lsp').log_rpc = true. It doesn't matter if any LSPs are already active -- from this point forward all messages will be logged to the "[LSP]" buffer.

Warning: Buggy language servers that do not respect the protocol may cause this module and Textadept to hang, waiting for a response. There is no recourse other than to force-quit Textadept and restart.

Fields defined by lsp

lsp.INDIC_ERROR (number)

The error diagnostic indicator number.

lsp.INDIC_WARN (number)

The warning diagnostic indicator number.

events.LSP_INITIALIZED (string)

Emitted when an LSP connection has been initialized. This is useful for sending server-specific notifications to the server upon init via Server:notify(). Emitted by lsp.start(). Arguments:

• lang: The lexer name of the LSP language.
• server: The LSP server.

events.LSP_NOTIFICATION (string)

Emitted when an LSP server emits an unhandled notification. This is useful for handling server-specific notifications. Responses can be sent via Server:respond(). An event handler should return true. Arguments:

• lang: The lexer name of the LSP language.
• server: The LSP server.
• method: The string LSP notification method name.
• params: The table of LSP notification params. Contents may be server-specific.

textadept.editing.autocompleters.lsp (function)

Autocompleter function for a language server.

lsp.log_rpc (bool)

Log RPC correspondence to the LSP message buffer. The default value is false.

lsp.show_all_diagnostics (bool)

Whether or not to show all diagnostics if show_diagnostics is true. The default value is false, and assumes any diagnostics on the current line or next line are due to an incomplete statement during something like an autocompletion, signature help, etc. request.

lsp.show_diagnostics (bool)

Whether or not to show diagnostics. The default value is true, and shows them as annotations.

Functions defined by lsp

Server.new(lang, cmd, init_options)

Starts, initializes, and returns a new language server.

Parameters:

• lang: Lexer name of the language server.
• cmd: String command to start the language server.
• init_options: Optional table of options to be passed to the language server for initialization.

Server:handle_data(data)

Helper function for processing a single message from the Language Server's notification stream. Cache any incoming messages (particularly responses) that happen to be picked up.

Parameters:

• data: String message from the Language Server.

Server:handle_notification(method, params)

Handles an unsolicited notification from this language server.

Parameters:

• method: String method name of the notification.
• params: Table of parameters for the notification.

Server:handle_stdout(output)

Processes unsolicited, incoming stdout from the Language Server, primarily to look for notifications and act on them.

Parameters:

• output: String stdout from the Language Server.

Server:log(message)

Silently logs the given message.

Parameters:

• message: String message to log.

Server:notify(method, params)

Sends a notification to this language server.

Parameters:

• method: String method name of the notification.
• params: Table of parameters for the notification.

Server:notify_opened()

Notifies this language server that the current buffer was opened, provided the language server has not previously been notified.

Server:read()

Reads and returns an incoming JSON message from this language server.

Return:

• table of data from JSON

Server:request(method, params)

Sends a request to this language server and returns the result of the request. Any intermediate notifications from the server are processed, but any intermediate requests from the server are ignored. Note: at this time, requests are synchronous, so the id number for a response will be the same as the id number for a request.

Parameters:

• method: String method name of the request.
• params: Table of parameters for the request.

Return:

• table result of the request, or nil if the result was json.null.

Server:respond(id, result)

Responds to an unsolicited request from this language server.

Parameters:

• id: Numeric ID of the request.
• result: Table result of the request.

Server:sync_buffer()

Synchronizes the current buffer with this language server. Changes are not synchronized in real-time, but whenever a request is about to be sent.

lsp.find_references()

Searches for project references to the current symbol and prints them.

lsp.goto_definition()

Jumps to the definition of the current symbol, returning whether or not a definition was found.

Return:

• true if a definition was found; false otherwise.

lsp.goto_definition()

Jumps to the definition of the current symbol, returning whether or not a definition was found.

Return:

• true if a definition was found; false otherwise.

lsp.goto_implementation()

Jumps to the implementation of the current symbol, returning whether or not an implementation was found.

Return:

• true if an implementation was found; false otherwise.

lsp.goto_symbol(symbol)

Jumps to a symbol selected from a list based on project symbols that match the given symbol, or based on buffer symbols.

Parameters:

• symbol: Optional string symbol to query for in the current project. If nil, symbols are presented from the current buffer.

lsp.goto_type_definition()

Jumps to the definition of the current type, returning whether or not a definition was found.

Return:

• true if a definition was found; false otherwise.

lsp.hover(position)

Shows a calltip with information about the identifier at the given or current position.

Parameters:

• position: Optional buffer position of the identifier to show information for. If nil, uses the current buffer position.

lsp.select_all_symbol()

Selects all instances of the symbol at the current position as multiple selections.

lsp.signature_help()

Shows a calltip for the current function. If a call tip is already shown, cycles to the next one if it exists.

lsp.start()

Starts a language server based on the current language.

lsp.stop()

Stops a running language server based on the current language.

Tables defined by lsp

lsp.server_commands

Map of lexer names to LSP language server commands or configurations, or functions that return either a server command or a configuration. Commands are simple string shell commands. Configurations are tables with the following keys:

• command: String shell command used to run the LSP language server.
• init_options: Table of initialization options to pass to the language server in the "initialize" request.

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