Vala Language Server

This is a language server for the Vala programming language.

Installation

We recommend using VSCode with the Vala plugin.

• Arch Linux (via AUR): yay -S vala-language-server or yay -S vala-language-server-git

• Ubuntu, Fedora, Debian, openSUSE, and Mageia: install from the OBS repo

• Fedora (official): sudo dnf install vala-language-server

• elementaryOS: sudo apt install vala-language-server

• Alpine Linux: apk add vala-language-server

• Guix: guix install vala-language-server

• Void Linux: xbps-install vala-language-server

• Windows (via MSYS2): pacman -S mingw-w64-x86_64-vala-language-server

...and more. See below:

Table of Contents

• Vala Language Server
  • Table of Contents
  • Features
  • Dependencies
  • Building from Source
  • Editors
    • Vim and Neovim
    • Visual Studio Code
    • GNOME Builder
    • Kate
    • Emacs
    • Sublime Text
  • Contributing

Features

• diagnostics
• code completion
  • member access and scope-visible completion
  • context-sensitive suggestions
    • completions for abstract methods/properties to implement
• symbol outline
• goto definition
• symbol references
• goto implementation
• signature help
• hover
• symbol documentation
  • from comments in source code
  • from GIR and VAPI files
• search for symbols in workspace
• highlight active symbol in document
• rename
• snippets
  • for implementing abstract methods/properties
• code lenses
• code actions / quick fixes
• code formatting
• call hierarchy
• inlay hints
• workspaces
• supported projects
  • meson
  • compile_commands.json
  • Vala script (file beginning with #!/usr/bin/env -S vala shebang)
  • cmake
  • autotools

Dependencies

• glib-2.0
• gobject-2.0
• gio-2.0 and either gio-unix-2.0 or gio-windows-2.0
• gee-0.8
• json-glib-1.0
• jsonrpc-glib-1.0 >= 3.28
• libvala >= 0.48.12
• you also need the posix VAPI, which should come preinstalled
• uncrustify, for formatting (optional)

Install dependencies with Guix

If you're using Guix, to launch a shell with build dependencies satisfied:

guix environment vala-language-server

Building from Source

meson -Dprefix=/usr build
ninja -C build
sudo ninja -C build install

This will install vala-language-server to /usr/bin

Editors

An important note: VLS cannot know what arguments are used for the file you are editing unless it can locate a build script, compile commands list, or shebang to analyze. (This is generally true for most language servers of compiled languages.) Before making an issue, check whether you have a build script or shebang for your file.

vim and neovim

coc.nvim

1. Make sure coc.nvim is installed.
2. After successful installation, in Vim run :CocConfig and add a new entry for VLS to the languageserver property like below:

{
    "languageserver": {
        "vala": {
            "command": "vala-language-server",
            "filetypes": ["vala", "genie"]
        }
    }
}

vim-lsp

1. Make sure vim-lsp is installed
2. Add the following to your .vimrc:

if executable('vala-language-server')
  au User lsp_setup call lsp#register_server({
        \ 'name': 'vala-language-server',
        \ 'cmd': {server_info->[&shell, &shellcmdflag, 'vala-language-server']},
        \ 'whitelist': ['vala', 'genie'],
        \ })
endif

nvim-lspconfig

• For Neovim 0.5.0 or higher
• Make sure nvim-lspconfig is installed
• see the recommended config in that project

require'lspconfig'.vala_ls.setup {
  -- defaults, no need to specify these
  cmd = { "vala-language-server" },
  filetypes = { "vala", "genie" },
  root_dir = root_pattern("meson.build", ".git"),
  single_file_support = true,
}

Visual Studio Code

• Official Vala plugin

GNOME Builder

• requires GNOME Builder >= 3.35
• Running ninja -C build install should install the third-party plugin to $PREFIX/lib/gnome-builder/plugins. Enable Vala and disable GNOME Vala Language Server.

Kate

• officially supported in Kate git master
• Warning: Kate will silently fail to find symbols when meson cannot be found in path without notifying the user.

Emacs

• supported with the lsp-mode plugin

Sublime Text

• Install the Vala-TMBundle and LSP packages
• Add this to your LSP.sublime-settings:

{
    "clients": {
        "vala-language-server": {
            "command": [
                "/usr/bin/vala-language-server"
            ],
            "selector": "source.vala | source.genie",
            "enabled": true
        }
    }
}

• Run Tools > LSP > Enable Language Server Globally... > vala-language-server

Specifying dependencies

If you're using meson, vala-language-server will automatically detect the packages you depend on.

If you just want to write a quick script without a build system, you can add a shebang line to the top of your .vala file:

#!/usr/bin/env -S vala --pkg gtk4

Contributing

Want to help out? Here are some helpful resources:

• Help is wanted on these issues
• #vala on gimpnet/IRC is for general discussions about Vala and collaboration with upstream
• Discord server is for general discussions about Vala, discussions about this project, and support
• Gitter room is also for project discussions and support, but is less active: https://gitter.im/vala-language-server/community
• Vala wiki: https://wiki.gnome.org/Projects/Vala/
• libvala documentation: https://gnome.pages.gitlab.gnome.org/vala/docs/index.html