feat(lsp): deprecate vim.lsp.start_client #31341

Problem:
LSP module has multiple "start" interfaces.

Solution:
- Enhance vim.lsp.start
- Deprecate vim.lsp.start_client

runtime/doc/deprecated.txt

@@ -64,6 +64,7 @@ LSP
 • `client.is_stopped()`			Use |Client:is_stopped()| instead.
 • `client.supports_method()`		Use |Client:supports_method()| instead.
 • `client.on_attach()`			Use |Client:on_attach()| instead.
+• `vim.lsp.start_client()`		Use |vim.lsp.start()| instead.
 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 DEPRECATED IN 0.10					*deprecated-0.10*

runtime/doc/lsp.txt

@@ -841,12 +841,11 @@ start({config}, {opts})                                      *vim.lsp.start()*
         })
 <
 
-    See |vim.lsp.start_client()| for all available options. The most important
+    See |vim.lsp.ClientConfig| for all available options. The most important
     are:
     • `name` arbitrary name for the LSP client. Should be unique per language
       server.
-    • `cmd` command string[] or function, described at
+    • `cmd` command string[] or function.
-      |vim.lsp.start_client()|.
     • `root_dir` path to the project root. By default this is used to decide
       if an existing client should be re-used. The example above uses
       |vim.fs.root()| to detect the root by traversing the file system upwards
@@ -868,7 +867,7 @@ start({config}, {opts})                                      *vim.lsp.start()*
     Parameters: ~
       • {config}  (`vim.lsp.ClientConfig`) Configuration for the server. See
                   |vim.lsp.ClientConfig|.
-      • {opts}    (`table?`) Optional keyword arguments
+      • {opts}    (`table?`) Optional keyword arguments.
                   • {reuse_client}?
                     (`fun(client: vim.lsp.Client, config: vim.lsp.ClientConfig): boolean`)
                     Predicate used to decide if a client should be re-used.
@@ -876,25 +875,15 @@ start({config}, {opts})                                      *vim.lsp.start()*
                     re-uses a client if name and root_dir matches.
                   • {bufnr}? (`integer`) Buffer handle to attach to if
                     starting or re-using a client (0 for current).
+                  • {attach}? (`boolean`) Whether to attach the client to a
+                    buffer (default true). If set to `false`, `reuse_client`
+                    and `bufnr` will be ignored.
                   • {silent}? (`boolean`) Suppress error reporting if the LSP
                     server fails to start (default false).
 
     Return: ~
         (`integer?`) client_id
 
-start_client({config})                                *vim.lsp.start_client()*
-    Starts and initializes a client with the given configuration.
-
-    Parameters: ~
-      • {config}  (`vim.lsp.ClientConfig`) Configuration for the server. See
-                  |vim.lsp.ClientConfig|.
-
-    Return (multiple): ~
-        (`integer?`) client_id |vim.lsp.get_client_by_id()| Note: client may
-        not be fully initialized. Use `on_init` to do any actions once the
-        client has been initialized.
-        (`string?`) Error message, if any
-
 status()                                                    *vim.lsp.status()*
     Consumes the latest progress messages from all clients and formats them as
     a string. Empty if there are no clients or if no new messages
@@ -968,8 +957,7 @@ Lua module: vim.lsp.client                                        *lsp-client*
                                 server.
       • {config}                (`vim.lsp.ClientConfig`) copy of the table
                                 that was passed by the user to
-                                |vim.lsp.start_client()|. See
+                                |vim.lsp.start()|. See |vim.lsp.ClientConfig|.
-                                |vim.lsp.ClientConfig|.
       • {server_capabilities}   (`lsp.ServerCapabilities?`) Response from the
                                 server sent on `initialize` describing the
                                 server's capabilities.
@@ -1093,7 +1081,7 @@ Lua module: vim.lsp.client                                        *lsp-client*
       • {commands}?           (`table<string,fun(command: lsp.Command, ctx: table)>`)
                               Table that maps string of clientside commands to
                               user-defined functions. Commands passed to
-                              start_client take precedence over the global
+                              `start()` take precedence over the global
                               command registry. Each key must be a unique
                               command name, and the value is a function which
                               is called if any LSP action (code action, code
@@ -1122,9 +1110,9 @@ Lua module: vim.lsp.client                                        *lsp-client*
                               Callback invoked before the LSP "initialize"
                               phase, where `params` contains the parameters
                               being sent to the server and `config` is the
-                              config that was passed to
+                              config that was passed to |vim.lsp.start()|. You
-                              |vim.lsp.start_client()|. You can use this to
+                              can use this to modify parameters before they
-                              modify parameters before they are sent.
+                              are sent.
       • {on_init}?            (`elem_or_list<fun(client: vim.lsp.Client, initialize_result: lsp.InitializeResult)>`)
                               Callback invoked after LSP "initialize", where
                               `result` is a table of `capabilities` and
@@ -2296,7 +2284,7 @@ connect({host_or_path}, {port})                        *vim.lsp.rpc.connect()*
     • a host and port via TCP
 
     Return a function that can be passed to the `cmd` field for
-    |vim.lsp.start_client()| or |vim.lsp.start()|.
+    |vim.lsp.start()|.
 
     Parameters: ~
       • {host_or_path}  (`string`) host to connect to or path to a pipe/domain

runtime/lua/vim/lsp.lua

@@ -211,17 +211,117 @@ local function reuse_client_default(client, config)
   return false
 end
 
+--- Reset defaults set by `set_defaults`.
+--- Must only be called if the last client attached to a buffer exits.
+local function reset_defaults(bufnr)
+  if vim.bo[bufnr].tagfunc == 'v:lua.vim.lsp.tagfunc' then
+    vim.bo[bufnr].tagfunc = nil
+  end
+  if vim.bo[bufnr].omnifunc == 'v:lua.vim.lsp.omnifunc' then
+    vim.bo[bufnr].omnifunc = nil
+  end
+  if vim.bo[bufnr].formatexpr == 'v:lua.vim.lsp.formatexpr()' then
+    vim.bo[bufnr].formatexpr = nil
+  end
+  vim._with({ buf = bufnr }, function()
+    local keymap = vim.fn.maparg('K', 'n', false, true)
+    if keymap and keymap.callback == vim.lsp.buf.hover and keymap.buffer == 1 then
+      vim.keymap.del('n', 'K', { buffer = bufnr })
+    end
+  end)
+end
+
+--- @param code integer
+--- @param signal integer
+--- @param client_id integer
+local function on_client_exit(code, signal, client_id)
+  local client = all_clients[client_id]
+
+  vim.schedule(function()
+    for bufnr in pairs(client.attached_buffers) do
+      if client and client.attached_buffers[bufnr] and api.nvim_buf_is_valid(bufnr) then
+        api.nvim_exec_autocmds('LspDetach', {
+          buffer = bufnr,
+          modeline = false,
+          data = { client_id = client_id },
+        })
+      end
+
+      client.attached_buffers[bufnr] = nil
+
+      if #lsp.get_clients({ bufnr = bufnr, _uninitialized = true }) == 0 then
+        reset_defaults(bufnr)
+      end
+    end
+
+    local namespace = vim.lsp.diagnostic.get_namespace(client_id)
+    vim.diagnostic.reset(namespace)
+  end)
+
+  local name = client.name or 'unknown'
+
+  -- Schedule the deletion of the client object so that it exists in the execution of LspDetach
+  -- autocommands
+  vim.schedule(function()
+    all_clients[client_id] = nil
+
+    -- Client can be absent if executable starts, but initialize fails
+    -- init/attach won't have happened
+    if client then
+      changetracking.reset(client)
+    end
+    if code ~= 0 or (signal ~= 0 and signal ~= 15) then
+      local msg = string.format(
+        'Client %s quit with exit code %s and signal %s. Check log for errors: %s',
+        name,
+        code,
+        signal,
+        lsp.get_log_path()
+      )
+      vim.notify(msg, vim.log.levels.WARN)
+    end
+  end)
+end
+
+--- Creates and initializes a client with the given configuration.
+--- @param config vim.lsp.ClientConfig Configuration for the server.
+--- @return integer? client_id |vim.lsp.get_client_by_id()| Note: client may not be
+---         fully initialized. Use `on_init` to do any actions once
+---         the client has been initialized.
+--- @return string? # Error message, if any
+local function create_and_initialize_client(config)
+  local ok, res = pcall(require('vim.lsp.client').create, config)
+  if not ok then
+    return nil, res --[[@as string]]
+  end
+
+  local client = assert(res)
+
+  --- @diagnostic disable-next-line: invisible
+  table.insert(client._on_exit_cbs, on_client_exit)
+
+  all_clients[client.id] = client
+
+  client:initialize()
+
+  return client.id, nil
+end
+
 --- @class vim.lsp.start.Opts
 --- @inlinedoc
 ---
 --- Predicate used to decide if a client should be re-used. Used on all
 --- running clients. The default implementation re-uses a client if name and
 --- root_dir matches.
---- @field reuse_client? fun(client: vim.lsp.Client, config: vim.lsp.ClientConfig): boolean
+--- @field reuse_client? (fun(client: vim.lsp.Client, config: vim.lsp.ClientConfig): boolean)
 ---
 --- Buffer handle to attach to if starting or re-using a client (0 for current).
 --- @field bufnr? integer
 ---
+--- Whether to attach the client to a buffer (default true).
+--- If set to `false`, `reuse_client` and `bufnr` will be ignored.
+--- @field attach? boolean
+---
 --- Suppress error reporting if the LSP server fails to start (default false).
 --- @field silent? boolean
 
@@ -239,10 +339,10 @@ end
 --- })
 --- ```
 ---
---- See |vim.lsp.start_client()| for all available options. The most important are:
+--- See |vim.lsp.ClientConfig| for all available options. The most important are:
 ---
 --- - `name` arbitrary name for the LSP client. Should be unique per language server.
---- - `cmd` command string[] or function, described at |vim.lsp.start_client()|.
+--- - `cmd` command string[] or function.
 --- - `root_dir` path to the project root. By default this is used to decide if an existing client
 ---   should be re-used. The example above uses |vim.fs.root()| to detect the root by traversing
 ---   the file system upwards starting from the current directory until either a `pyproject.toml`
@@ -262,7 +362,7 @@ end
 --- `ftplugin/<filetype_name>.lua` (See |ftplugin-name|)
 ---
 --- @param config vim.lsp.ClientConfig Configuration for the server.
---- @param opts vim.lsp.start.Opts? Optional keyword arguments
+--- @param opts vim.lsp.start.Opts? Optional keyword arguments.
 --- @return integer? client_id
 function lsp.start(config, opts)
   opts = opts or {}
@@ -271,6 +371,10 @@ function lsp.start(config, opts)
 
   for _, client in pairs(all_clients) do
     if reuse_client(client, config) then
+      if opts.attach == false then
+        return client.id
+      end
+
       if lsp.buf_attach_client(bufnr, client.id) then
         return client.id
       else
@@ -279,7 +383,7 @@ function lsp.start(config, opts)
     end
   end
 
-  local client_id, err = lsp.start_client(config)
+  local client_id, err = create_and_initialize_client(config)
   if err then
     if not opts.silent then
       vim.notify(err, vim.log.levels.WARN)
@@ -287,6 +391,10 @@ function lsp.start(config, opts)
     return nil
   end
 
+  if opts.attach == false then
+    return client_id
+  end
+
   if client_id and lsp.buf_attach_client(bufnr, client_id) then
     return client_id
   end
@@ -383,78 +491,7 @@ function lsp._set_defaults(client, bufnr)
   end
 end
 
---- Reset defaults set by `set_defaults`.
+--- @deprecated
---- Must only be called if the last client attached to a buffer exits.
-local function reset_defaults(bufnr)
-  if vim.bo[bufnr].tagfunc == 'v:lua.vim.lsp.tagfunc' then
-    vim.bo[bufnr].tagfunc = nil
-  end
-  if vim.bo[bufnr].omnifunc == 'v:lua.vim.lsp.omnifunc' then
-    vim.bo[bufnr].omnifunc = nil
-  end
-  if vim.bo[bufnr].formatexpr == 'v:lua.vim.lsp.formatexpr()' then
-    vim.bo[bufnr].formatexpr = nil
-  end
-  vim._with({ buf = bufnr }, function()
-    local keymap = vim.fn.maparg('K', 'n', false, true)
-    if keymap and keymap.callback == vim.lsp.buf.hover and keymap.buffer == 1 then
-      vim.keymap.del('n', 'K', { buffer = bufnr })
-    end
-  end)
-end
-
---- @param code integer
---- @param signal integer
---- @param client_id integer
-local function on_client_exit(code, signal, client_id)
-  local client = all_clients[client_id]
-
-  vim.schedule(function()
-    for bufnr in pairs(client.attached_buffers) do
-      if client and client.attached_buffers[bufnr] and api.nvim_buf_is_valid(bufnr) then
-        api.nvim_exec_autocmds('LspDetach', {
-          buffer = bufnr,
-          modeline = false,
-          data = { client_id = client_id },
-        })
-      end
-
-      client.attached_buffers[bufnr] = nil
-
-      if #lsp.get_clients({ bufnr = bufnr, _uninitialized = true }) == 0 then
-        reset_defaults(bufnr)
-      end
-    end
-
-    local namespace = vim.lsp.diagnostic.get_namespace(client_id)
-    vim.diagnostic.reset(namespace)
-  end)
-
-  local name = client.name or 'unknown'
-
-  -- Schedule the deletion of the client object so that it exists in the execution of LspDetach
-  -- autocommands
-  vim.schedule(function()
-    all_clients[client_id] = nil
-
-    -- Client can be absent if executable starts, but initialize fails
-    -- init/attach won't have happened
-    if client then
-      changetracking.reset(client)
-    end
-    if code ~= 0 or (signal ~= 0 and signal ~= 15) then
-      local msg = string.format(
-        'Client %s quit with exit code %s and signal %s. Check log for errors: %s',
-        name,
-        code,
-        signal,
-        lsp.get_log_path()
-      )
-      vim.notify(msg, vim.log.levels.WARN)
-    end
-  end)
-end
-
 --- Starts and initializes a client with the given configuration.
 --- @param config vim.lsp.ClientConfig Configuration for the server.
 --- @return integer? client_id |vim.lsp.get_client_by_id()| Note: client may not be
@@ -462,21 +499,8 @@ end
 ---         the client has been initialized.
 --- @return string? # Error message, if any
 function lsp.start_client(config)
-  local ok, res = pcall(require('vim.lsp.client').create, config)
+  vim.deprecate('vim.lsp.start_client()', 'vim.lsp.start()', '0.13')
-  if not ok then
+  return create_and_initialize_client(config)
-    return nil, res --[[@as string]]
-  end
-
-  local client = assert(res)
-
-  --- @diagnostic disable-next-line: invisible
-  table.insert(client._on_exit_cbs, on_client_exit)
-
-  all_clients[client.id] = client
-
-  client:initialize()
-
-  return client.id, nil
 end
 
 ---Buffer lifecycle handler for textDocument/didSave

runtime/lua/vim/lsp/client.lua

@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ local validate = vim.validate
 --- @field settings? table
 ---
 --- Table that maps string of clientside commands to user-defined functions.
---- Commands passed to start_client take precedence over the global command registry. Each key
+--- Commands passed to `start()` take precedence over the global command registry. Each key
 --- must be a unique command name, and the value is a function which is called if any LSP action
 --- (code action, code lenses, ...) triggers the command.
 --- @field commands? table<string,fun(command: lsp.Command, ctx: table)>
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ local validate = vim.validate
 --- @field on_error? fun(code: integer, err: string)
 ---
 --- Callback invoked before the LSP "initialize" phase, where `params` contains the parameters
---- being sent to the server and `config` is the config that was passed to |vim.lsp.start_client()|.
+--- being sent to the server and `config` is the config that was passed to |vim.lsp.start()|.
 --- You can use this to modify parameters before they are sent.
 --- @field before_init? fun(params: lsp.InitializeParams, config: vim.lsp.ClientConfig)
 ---
@@ -167,7 +167,7 @@ local validate = vim.validate
 --- @field requests table<integer,{ type: string, bufnr: integer, method: string}>
 ---
 --- copy of the table that was passed by the user
---- to |vim.lsp.start_client()|.
+--- to |vim.lsp.start()|.
 --- @field config vim.lsp.ClientConfig
 ---
 --- Response from the server sent on `initialize` describing the server's
@@ -307,7 +307,7 @@ local function default_get_language_id(_bufnr, filetype)
   return filetype
 end
 
---- Validates a client configuration as given to |vim.lsp.start_client()|.
+--- Validates a client configuration as given to |vim.lsp.start()|.
 --- @param config vim.lsp.ClientConfig
 local function validate_config(config)
   validate('config', config, 'table')

runtime/lua/vim/lsp/rpc.lua

@@ -617,7 +617,7 @@ end
 ---  - a host and port via TCP
 ---
 --- Return a function that can be passed to the `cmd` field for
---- |vim.lsp.start_client()| or |vim.lsp.start()|.
+--- |vim.lsp.start()|.
 ---
 ---@param host_or_path string host to connect to or path to a pipe/domain socket
 ---@param port integer? TCP port to connect to. If absent the first argument must be a pipe

test/functional/plugin/lsp/diagnostic_spec.lua

@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ describe('vim.lsp.diagnostic', function()
         return extmarks
       end
 
-      client_id = assert(vim.lsp.start_client {
+      client_id = assert(vim.lsp.start({
         cmd_env = {
           NVIM_LUA_NOTRACK = '1',
         },
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ describe('vim.lsp.diagnostic', function()
           '--headless',
         },
         offset_encoding = 'utf-16',
-      })
+      }, { attach = false }))
     end)
 
     fake_uri = 'file:///fake/uri'

test/functional/plugin/lsp/semantic_tokens_spec.lua

@@ -456,7 +456,7 @@ describe('semantic token highlighting', function()
         vim.notify = function(...)
           table.insert(_G.notifications, 1, { ... })
         end
-        return vim.lsp.start_client({ name = 'dummy', cmd = _G.server.cmd })
+        return vim.lsp.start({ name = 'dummy', cmd = _G.server.cmd }, { attach = false })
       end)
       eq(false, exec_lua('return vim.lsp.buf_is_attached(0, ...)', client_id))
 

test/functional/plugin/lsp_spec.lua

@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ describe('LSP', function()
       exec_lua(function()
         _G.lsp = require('vim.lsp')
         function _G.test__start_client()
-          return vim.lsp.start_client {
+          return vim.lsp.start({
             cmd_env = {
               NVIM_LOG_FILE = fake_lsp_logfile,
               NVIM_APPNAME = 'nvim_lsp_test',
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ describe('LSP', function()
                 name = 'test_folder',
               },
             },
-          }
+          }, { attach = false })
         end
         _G.TEST_CLIENT1 = _G.test__start_client()
       end)