Window Configuration

Customize Avante.nvim’s window appearance, position, and layout

Avante.nvim provides extensive window customization options to match your workflow and preferences.

Window Position

windows.position · 'right' | 'left' | 'top' | 'bottom' | 'smart' · default: "right"

Position of the sidebar window:

• right - Right side of the screen
• left - Left side of the screen
• top - Top of the screen (horizontal layout)
• bottom - Bottom of the screen (horizontal layout)
• smart - Automatically choose best position

windows = {
  position = "right", -- right | left | top | bottom | smart
}

Window Dimensions

windows.width · number · default: "30"

Width of the sidebar as percentage of available width (for vertical layouts)

windows.height · number · default: "30"

Height of the sidebar as percentage of available height (for horizontal layouts)

windows = {
  position = "right",
  width = 30,  -- 30% of screen width
  height = 30, -- 30% of screen height (for horizontal layout)
}

Text Wrapping

windows.wrap · boolean · default: "true"

Enable text wrapping in windows (similar to vim.o.wrap)

windows = {
  wrap = true, -- Enable text wrapping
}

Fill Characters

windows.fillchars · string · default: "eob: "

Characters used to fill empty lines (end of buffer)

windows = {
  fillchars = "eob: ", -- Hide end-of-buffer ~ characters
}

Sidebar Header

Customize the sidebar header appearance:

windows.sidebar_header.enabled · boolean · default: "true"

Enable or disable the sidebar header

windows.sidebar_header.align · 'left' | 'center' | 'right' · default: "center"

Alignment of the header title

windows.sidebar_header.rounded · boolean · default: "true"

Use rounded borders for the header

windows.sidebar_header.include_model · boolean · default: "false"

Include the current model name in the header

windows = {
  sidebar_header = {
    enabled = true,
    align = "center", -- left | center | right
    rounded = true,
    include_model = false,
  },
}

Example: Minimal Header

windows = {
  sidebar_header = {
    enabled = true,
    align = "left",
    rounded = false,
    include_model = true, -- Show model in header
  },
}

Spinner Animation

Customize the loading spinner characters:

windows.spinner.editing · string[]

Spinner frames shown while editing code

windows.spinner.generating · string[]

Spinner frames shown while generating responses

windows.spinner.thinking · string[]

Spinner frames shown while AI is thinking

windows = {
  spinner = {
    editing = { "⡀", "⠄", "⠂", "⠁", "⠈", "⠐", "⠠", "⢀", "⣀", "⢄", "⢂", "⢁", "⢈", "⢐", "⢠", "⣠", "⢤", "⢢", "⢡", "⢨", "⢰", "⣰", "⢴", "⢲", "⢱", "⢸", "⣸", "⢼", "⢺", "⢹", "⣹", "⢽", "⢻", "⣻", "⢿", "⣿" },
    generating = { "·", "✢", "✳", "∗", "✻", "✽" },
    thinking = { "🤯", "🙄" },
  },
}

Example: Simple Spinner

windows = {
  spinner = {
    editing = { "|", "/", "-", "\\" },
    generating = { ".", "..", "..." },
    thinking = { "💭", "💡" },
  },
}

Input Window

windows.input.prefix · string · default: "> "

Prefix shown in the input window

windows.input.height · number · default: "8"

Height of the input window in vertical layout (number of lines)

windows = {
  input = {
    prefix = "> ",
    height = 8, -- 8 lines tall
  },
}

Selected Files Window

windows.selected_files.height · number · default: "6"

Maximum height of the selected files window

windows = {
  selected_files = {
    height = 6, -- Max 6 lines
  },
}

Edit Window

windows.edit.border · string | table · default: "{ ' ', ' ', ' ', ' ', ' ', ' ', ' ', ' ' }"

Border style for the edit window

windows.edit.start_insert · boolean · default: "true"

Automatically enter insert mode when opening edit window

windows = {
  edit = {
    border = "rounded", -- or { " ", " ", " ", " ", " ", " ", " ", " " }
    start_insert = true,
  },
}

Border Styles

Available border styles:

• "rounded" - Rounded corners
• "single" - Single line border
• "double" - Double line border
• "solid" - Solid border
• "shadow" - Shadow effect
• { " ", " ", " ", " ", " ", " ", " ", " " } - Custom characters (top, right, bottom, left, topleft, topright, bottomright, bottomleft)

Ask Window

windows.ask.floating · boolean · default: "false"

Open the Ask prompt in a floating window instead of sidebar

windows.ask.border · string | table · default: "{ ' ', ' ', ' ', ' ', ' ', ' ', ' ', ' ' }"

Border style for the ask window

windows.ask.start_insert · boolean · default: "true"

Automatically enter insert mode when opening ask window

windows.ask.focus_on_apply · 'ours' | 'theirs' · default: "ours"

Which diff to focus after applying changes

windows = {
  ask = {
    floating = false,
    border = "rounded",
    start_insert = true,
    focus_on_apply = "ours", -- ours | theirs
  },
}

Complete Window Configuration Example

windows = {
  -- Layout
  position = "right",
  width = 30,
  height = 30,
  wrap = true,
  fillchars = "eob: ",
  
  -- Sidebar header
  sidebar_header = {
    enabled = true,
    align = "center",
    rounded = true,
    include_model = false,
  },
  
  -- Spinner animations
  spinner = {
    editing = { "⡀", "⠄", "⠂", "⠁", "⠈", "⠐", "⠠", "⢀", "⣀", "⢄", "⢂", "⢁", "⢈", "⢐", "⢠", "⣠", "⢤", "⢢", "⢡", "⢨", "⢰", "⣰", "⢴", "⢲", "⢱", "⢸", "⣸", "⢼", "⢺", "⢹", "⣹", "⢽", "⢻", "⣻", "⢿", "⣿" },
    generating = { "·", "✢", "✳", "∗", "✻", "✽" },
    thinking = { "🤯", "🙄" },
  },
  
  -- Input window
  input = {
    prefix = "> ",
    height = 8,
  },
  
  -- Selected files window
  selected_files = {
    height = 6,
  },
  
  -- Edit window
  edit = {
    border = { " ", " ", " ", " ", " ", " ", " ", " " },
    start_insert = true,
  },
  
  -- Ask window
  ask = {
    floating = false,
    border = { " ", " ", " ", " ", " ", " ", " ", " " },
    start_insert = true,
    focus_on_apply = "ours",
  },
}

Recommended Neovim Settings

For best results with Avante windows, set these Neovim options:

-- Global statusline (allows full collapse of views)
vim.opt.laststatus = 3

-- Better window splitting
vim.opt.splitright = true
vim.opt.splitbelow = true

Layout Examples

Right Sidebar (Default)

windows = {
  position = "right",
  width = 30,
}

┌─────────────────┬─────────┐
│                 │         │
│  Code Editor    │ Avante  │
│                 │ Sidebar │
│                 │         │
└─────────────────┴─────────┘

Left Sidebar

windows = {
  position = "left",
  width = 30,
}

┌─────────┬─────────────────┐
│         │                 │
│ Avante  │  Code Editor    │
│ Sidebar │                 │
│         │                 │
└─────────┴─────────────────┘

Bottom Panel

windows = {
  position = "bottom",
  height = 30,
}

┌─────────────────────────┐
│                         │
│     Code Editor         │
│                         │
├─────────────────────────┤
│   Avante Sidebar        │
└─────────────────────────┘

Window Focus Behavior

behaviour.auto_focus_sidebar · boolean · default: "true"

Automatically focus the sidebar when opening Avante

behaviour.auto_focus_on_diff_view · boolean · default: "false"

Automatically focus the diff view when changes are applied

behaviour = {
  auto_focus_sidebar = true,
  auto_focus_on_diff_view = false,
}

Tips

Use position = "right" with width = 30 for a comfortable vertical layout that doesn’t take too much screen space.

For ultrawide monitors, increase width to 40-50 to take advantage of extra screen space.

Set wrap = true to avoid horizontal scrolling in the sidebar, especially useful for longer AI responses.

Use sidebar_header.include_model = true if you frequently switch between different AI models.