[FEAT] Sessions

[tgaldi]

Did you check the docs and looked for existing issues?

• I have read CONTRIBUTING.md
• I have read the docs (README.md, :h project-nvim, etc.)
• I have checked for existing issues related to this one, whether open or closed

Operating System and, if possible, what version?

Win11

What would you like integrated?

Integrate session management or integration with a session plugin so that opening a project opens the associated session.

How would this plugin improve?

I work on multiple projects and I need to re-open files whenever I open a project with this plugin. I don't use a session plugin (yet), but I'd love to see this plugin automate session management based on opening a project.

Have you considered alternative solutions?

No response

Is there any code implementation you'd suggest?

-- Leave this unchanged if there is no code you can include

Are there any bug issues related?

No response

Additional Context

No response

[DrKJeff16]

@tgaldi Do you have any session plugin in mind? I use https://github.com/gennaro-tedesco/nvim-possession but I'm wondering if some would prefer an alternative first.

[tgaldi]

No, seems like there are quite a few plugins for session management. I imagine the two big ones would be:

https://github.com/folke/persistence.nvim
https://github.com/nvim-mini/mini.sessions

I know the mini suite is pretty popular. I use some specific plugins instead of the entire suite.

Maybe an easy first pass would be to look for or create a session file in the root directory when a project is added? I'd rather just use your plugin :)

[DrKJeff16]

I'll look right into it.

[DrKJeff16]

@tgaldi

P.S. Please be patient. I'll be reading a ton of documentation and code before I can appropriately figure out how to integrate this properly. You'll be able to track the progress in #21.

[DrKJeff16]

@tgaldi Hey! I've managed to do a rough implementation for persistence.nvim in my PR #21.

Unfortunately persistence.nvim already does automatic session loading/saving regardless (unless you set it up very weirdly).

Logfile output.

=============================================    29/09/25  (18:35:55)    =============================================
18:35:55  ==>  [DEBUG]   (project.config.setup): `g:project_setup` set to `1`.
18:35:55  ==>  [INFO]    (telescope._extensions.projects.main.setup): `projects` picker setup successful!
18:35:55  ==>  [INFO]    (project.api.set_pwd): Current directory is selected project.
18:35:55  ==>  [DEBUG]   (project.extensions.session.persistence.is_current): Current session: `/home/drjeff16/Projects/nvim/project.nvim`
18:35:55  ==>  [INFO]    (project.extensions.session.persistence.open_session): Session already loaded for `/home/drjeff16/Projects/nvim/project.nvim`
18:35:55  ==>  [INFO]    (project.api.set_pwd): Current directory is selected project.
18:35:57  ==>  [DEBUG]   (project.utils.history.write_history): Writing to file...
18:35:57  ==>  [DEBUG]   (project.utils.history.write_history): File descriptor closed!
18:35:57  ==>  [INFO]    (project.extensions.session.persistence.save_session): Saving project `/home/drjeff16/Projects/nvim/project.nvim`.

Regardless, I've implemented hooks to load a session on buf enter, and saving the project.nvim sessions if enabled in setup():

project.nvim/lua/project/config/defaults.lua

Lines 228 to 244 in 6219682

	---Integration with [folke/persistence.nvim](https://github.com/folke/persistence.nvim).
	---@class Project.Config.Integrations.Persistence
	DEFAULTS.integrations.persistence = {
	---Enables integration with the plugin.
	--- ---
	---Default: `true`
	--- ---
	---@type boolean
	enabled = true,
	---If enabled the integration will auto-save the current project
	---if not found in session list.
	--- ---
	---Default: `false`
	--- ---
	---@type boolean
	auto_save = false,
	}

Note

Bear in mind this needs some polishing, as I've seen errors being triggered on special cases.

I need feeback from you, nonetheless!

[DrKJeff16]

Update

@tgaldi I've just realized there's BARE session management from require('project.utils.history').session_projects. It is a carryover from the original project.nvim.

It holds the opened projects on runtime, but I haven't elaborated on it. You can see the output with :ProjectSession.

Are you aware of the :Project user command? I could add an entry to navigate between your session projects. That could also allow me to extend the capabilities of :ProjectSession.

[DrKJeff16]

@tgaldi I've updated the main branch. Try running either :ProjectSession or :Project -> Project Session.
I'd love to see what you think!

Warning

The current implementation needs fd installed to work.
I'm trying to figure out a viable alternative.

Note

Used require('fzf-lua').register_ui_select() in my config to improve the appearance
of vim.ui operations.

project_sessions.mp4

[tgaldi]

I tried the ProjectSession command but wasn't sure what it was doing. I was hoping the session integration would automatically restore the buffers for a project when you select a project.

I tried running ProjectSession and I get:

Error executing vim.schedule lua callback: .../Local/nvim-data/lazy/project.nvim/lua/project/popup.lua:121: bad argument #1 to 'fs_stat' (string expected, got nil) stack traceback: [C]: in function 'fs_stat' .../Local/nvim-data/lazy/project.nvim/lua/project/popup.lua:121: in function 'fn' vim/_editor.lua:366: in function <vim/_editor.lua:365>

I have the fd executable in my path. I should also mention that I use Telescope with Project and use manual mode:

return {
	"DrKJeff16/project.nvim",
	lazy = false,
	dependencies = {
		"nvim-lua/plenary.nvim",
		"nvim-telescope/telescope.nvim",
	}, -- OPTIONAL
	config = function()
		require("project").setup({
			manual_mode = true,
		})
	end,
}

[DrKJeff16]

@tgaldi Interesting. I can't seem to replicate that error, even with manual_mode = true.

Regardless of that, I've added a check in cb554e7 . Does it work for you?

---

:ProjectSession looks into the projects you have opened during a Neovim session. Meaning that using manual_mode = true will initially show as empty. Whenever you add a project using :ProjectAdd, it will be added to the session_projects list and now when you re-run :ProjectSession, it should appear in the list.

Example video coming in a sec.

[tgaldi]

I tried removing a project and then re-adding it. When I open the project and use :ProjectSession it does show the project in the list, but when I select it I get another prompt to select a file (which is an empty list).

[DrKJeff16]

@tgaldi I tried replicating your steps, but nothing bad happened. I hope my new patches could've fixed it.
Unless the UI shows items separated by a \ for you...
If so , please tell me so that I can patch it. I use Linux so I can't test it on Windows myself right now.

I appreciate your patience, by the way.

---

Demonstration

This is not related to your latest issue, by the way.

project_nvim_example.mp4

[tgaldi]

No worries at all I appreciate you wanting to add this feature, I really love this plugin. I'm on Windows so maybe that is part of the issue.

Maybe I'm misunderstanding the concept of sessions though... What I was imagining is some mechanism to save the current windows/buffers for a project, so that when you open the project again it restores everything.

[DrKJeff16]

That can be achieved, but I'll have to rework how sessions are stored in the first placce, then add checks if bufnr/winid is available.

I'll try some proof of concepts. It'll take me a bit.

P.S. Don't worry, I've had something like that in mind for a while, but had to tend to stabilizing stuff.

[DrKJeff16]

@tgaldi Hey there! #23 is my attempt.

To be brief with my progress so far:

LIFE IS PAIN

[DrKJeff16]

@tgaldi After debating myself for a while I've come to the conclusion I'm not following up on this (entirely). I LOVE the idea, don't get me wrong, but until I am able to deal with #24, and with the original plugin's implementations getting in the way (without absolutely wrecking this plugin), I think I'm going to address this later.

In the meanwhile, I think this plugin can be paired with far more capable and complete session management plugins (that I know of).
I can do some fixes in the future to enhance compatibility with some of these.

I'll move this to the Discussions section and pin it so that I don't forget about this (unlikely since I am very interested). I hope you'll understand.

Sorry for the inconvenience!

[DrKJeff16]

That can be achieved, but I'll have to rework how sessions are stored in the first placce, then add checks if bufnr/winid is available.

I'll try some proof of concepts. It'll take me a bit.

P.S. Don't worry, I've had something like that in mind for a while, but had to tend to stabilizing stuff.

@tgaldi Hello there! If you're still interested in this plugin, this has been implemented for good!