Why I Moved to LazyVim (And Why You Should Too)

For the longest time, I was a dedicated VS Code user. It was the industry standard—rich ecosystem, great extensions, and it "just worked." I looked at Neovim users with a mix of awe and confusion. Why would anyone spend weeks configuring a text editor?

I tried configuring Neovim from scratch. I installed Mason, I messed around with Packer, and I spent more time debugging my Lua config than writing code. It felt like a part-time job.

But recently, I made the switch to LazyVim. And honestly? It changed everything. It's not just "Neovim pre-configured"; it's a completely different paradigm.

If you've been hesitant to try Neovim because of the "configuration hell," I have good news: LazyVim in 2026 is the answer.

1. LazyVim > Manual Setup (The "Modern" Way)

The biggest myth about Neovim is that you need to build your Personal Development Environment (PDE) from scratch to "truly" understand it. People tell you to install a plugin manager, then install Mason for LSPs, then manually wire up completion, linting, and formatting.

That is the old way.

LazyVim is powered by lazy.nvim, the modern plugin manager that makes startup times blazingly fast by only loading plugins when they are actually needed. Unlike older distros or manual setups where you might struggle to get nvim-cmp to talk to LSP, LazyVim handles the plumbing for you.

It gives you a fully fledged IDE experience without the bloat. It’s opinionated but extensible. You don't "set up" LazyVim; you just use it.

2. Integrated Tooling Management

In a manual setup, even with Mason, you still have to configure handlers, ensure your LSP attaches to buffers, and set up your formatters.

LazyVim treats tooling as a first-class citizen. It leverages Mason, but it automates it.

• Open a Python file? It suggests installing Pyright.
• Need formatting? Stylua and Prettier are often configured out of the box or with a single line.
• Syntax highlighting? Treesitter is pre-tuned for performance.

It takes the power of these underlying tools and wraps them in a coherent user experience. You get the raw power of the Neovim ecosystem without the headache of wiring the cables yourself.

3. Speed That Actually Matters

This is the cliché, but it's true. VS Code is an Electron app. It’s a web browser running on your desktop. Even on a powerful machine, there is a perceptible millisecond delay.

LazyVim is native. But more importantly, because of its architecture (lazy loading), it stays fast even with 50+ plugins installed.

• Startup: Under 50ms.
• File Opening: Instant.
• Search: Telescope (fuzzy finder) flies through large codebases instantly.

This speed keeps you in the "flow state." When your tool moves as fast as your thought process, you stay focused on the problem, not the UI.

4. A Community-Driven Standard

When you roll your own config, you are an army of one. If an update breaks your LSP config, you have to fix it.

LazyVim is backed by a massive community. The defaults are chosen by consensus on what works best for most developers. You get "sensible defaults" for keymaps (like <leader> keys) that have been battle-tested by thousands of users.

Moving to LazyVim wasn't about being an "elitist" developer. It was about finding a tool that respected my time. I get the easy setup of a modern IDE, the LSP power of VS Code, and the speed and efficiency of Vim, all without spending my weekends maintaining a config file.

If you're still on the fence, give LazyVim a try. It is the modern standard for a reason.