Palimpsest

A dead-simple LLM interface for Neovim.

Palimpsest is an alternative way to interact with LLMs, dissolving the distinction between user and clanker that is presumed in the chat paradigm. Instead, it focuses on a shared material substrate, the text buffer. If not immediately apparent, this is influenced by the Plan9 Acme text editor.

1. Built atop of simonw/llm, allowing user to configure their own API keys or local models independently.
2. Replaces "chat" metaphor with a palimpsest—layers of writing on top of each other. No distinction between user input and machine output by sharing the same editable text buffer.
3. Complete control over context. I'm often frustrated by a chat where editing a query is harder than just appending a new one, leading to previous wrong replies polluting the context, wasting tokens, and slowing down responses. Optionally mark lines as relevant context with <leader>cm. Then, select the query and send with <leader>cc.
4. Does a lot less than other tools (e.g. Cursor), but more than you'd expect with just ~150 loc. There's tons of functionality "for free" by being embedded in a powerful text editor.
5. Allows for easy "folk tools" along the lines of the Acme text editor by toggling lines in and out of context with ease, akin to incantations.
6. Simple patch review mode with inline diffs.

Configuation

require('palimpsest').setup({

  -- simonw/llm setup
  model = "anthropic/claude-3-5-sonnet-latest",
  system = "Be concise and direct in your responses. Respond without unnecessary explanation.",
  
  -- Display of context and line-by-line diff markers
  signs = {
    context  = "∙",
    add      = "+",
    delete   = "-",
    accepted = "✓",
  },
  
  keymaps = {
    -- Keymaps for core functionality
    ask      = "<leader>cc",  -- ask selected question, append response
    mark     = "<leader>cm",  -- add line to context
    
    -- Keymaps for patch review using diffs
    review   = "<leader>cr",  -- ask selected question, review response diff 
    accept   = "<leader>ca",  -- accept diff proposal
    decline  = "<leader>cd",  -- decline diff proposal
    finalize = "<leader>cf"   -- finalize review
  }
})

Highlight groups

highlight DiagnosticInfo cterm=none ctermfg=4         ctermbg=none
highlight DiffAdd        cterm=none ctermfg=DarkGreen ctermbg=none
highlight DiffAddLine    cterm=none ctermfg=none      ctermbg=LightGreen
highlight DiffDelete     cterm=none ctermfg=DarkRed   ctermbg=none
highlight DiffDeleteLine cterm=none ctermfg=none      ctermbg=LightRed

To Do

1. [bug] check for bug in indexing between patch.accepted and patch.lines
2. [feature] make loading state more apparent, perhaps with sign
3. [feature] support two models (fast vs quality) and figure out good key bindings for this
4. [feature] add numbered macros/markers to support concurrent "tools" throughout the file
5. [feature] stream in output for more immediate feedback