Workspace and standalone context
A workspace is an explicitly chosen root for one Neovim tab. A standalone file has no assigned root; its parent directory supplies the browsing context. Tabs can have different workspace roots.
| Command | Result |
|---|---|
nvim /path/to/directory | Open a workspace and its tree. |
nvim /path/to/file | Open the file in standalone context. |
:Workspace [directory] | Assign this tab's workspace. |
:OpenFile [file] | Open a file while preserving this tab's workspace. |
:Standalone [file] | Clear this tab's workspace and open a standalone file. |
Without a path, the three commands open the appropriate selection dialog. Escape spaces in explicit paths as you would with :edit. Existing buffers and unsaved edits remain available when changing context.
The file/workspace picker
Press f on the dashboard or run :Open. Telescope displays results and previews; AutoVim supplies file/directory discovery and literal path matching.
| Key | Selection action |
|---|---|
| Enter | Browse a directory or open a file. |
| Space, Enter | Open the selected directory as a workspace. On a file, use the current search directory. |
| Ctrl-H | Browse to the parent directory. |
| Ctrl-C | Return the search root to home and clear the query. |
| Ctrl-N / Ctrl-P / arrows | Move the selection. |
| Escape | Cancel and restore the preceding screen. |
In picker Normal mode, - also goes up and q cancels. The workspace action is exclusive to selection; it does not redefine Enter behaviour in the editor's file tree.
Search semantics
Matching is literal, case-insensitive, and relative to the current search root. Typing tfc finds matching directory paths and their descendants. tfc/src narrows that path. Unrelated scattered-letter matches are filtered out.
An empty prompt lists immediate children and a selectable ./ entry. With fd/find, a query searches recursively, includes hidden and ignored paths, and excludes .git internals. Changes to the query cancel the previous scan so its results cannot populate the new search.
Search backend selection
- Use
fdwhen present. - Otherwise use Debian's
fdfindexecutable. - Otherwise use GNU
find. - Use the native scanner when no external scanner is available.
No alias or manual backend setting is needed. The native fallback scans differently and respects ignore rules; prefer Debian's fd-find package for the documented streaming workflow.
File tree
Space, Tab opens the native netrw tree in the shared panel. Its root comes from the workspace, or the standalone file's directory. Enter expands a directory or opens a file in the editor; - goes up.
The tree owns browsing, while the workspace module owns the assigned root. Browsing upward does not silently choose a new workspace.
Return to the dashboard
:AutoVim reopens the animated start menu without discarding your editing buffers. From terminal input, use Ctrl-\ to return to the editor before typing a colon command. The dashboard hides the editor bars and rail, then restores them on return.