How do I add a description to a Neovim keymapping so it appears in which-key and :map output?

Explanation

When defining keymaps with vim.keymap.set(), passing a desc field in the options table attaches a human-readable description to the mapping. This description appears in :map output and is automatically picked up by plugins like which-key.nvim — no extra configuration needed.

How it works

• vim.keymap.set(mode, lhs, rhs, opts) — Neovim's standard Lua mapping function
• opts.desc — a string describing what the mapping does
• :map <key> — verifies the description is attached; it appears in the rightmost column
• vim.keymap.get() — programmatically retrieves mapping info including the description

Example

Without description:

vim.keymap.set('n', '<leader>ff', telescope.find_files)

With description:

vim.keymap.set('n', '<leader>ff', telescope.find_files, {
  desc = 'Find files',
})

Now :nmap <leader>ff shows Find files alongside the binding. which-key automatically uses this as the label for <leader>ff.

Tips

• Keep descriptions short (2–4 words) so they fit in which-key's popup
• Prefix related mappings for clarity: 'LSP: hover', 'LSP: rename', 'LSP: references'
• :Telescope keymaps — search all described mappings interactively if using Telescope
• Descriptions are stored in the same table as noremap, silent, and buffer opts — no separate call needed