How do I evaluate and pretty-print a Lua expression from the Neovim command line without writing print(vim.inspect(...))?

Explanation

In Neovim, :lua = expr is a shorthand that evaluates a Lua expression and pretty-prints the result using vim.inspect(). This is equivalent to :lua print(vim.inspect(expr)) but far faster to type, making it an invaluable tool for debugging configuration, inspecting API return values, and exploring Neovim's Lua environment interactively.

How it works

• :lua = expr evaluates expr and calls print(vim.inspect(result)) on it
• Works with any Lua expression: tables, strings, functions, API calls
• Modeled after Lua's interactive mode where = expr prints the value

Example

Inspect the currently attached LSP clients:

:lua = vim.lsp.get_clients()

Check a specific option value:

:lua = vim.opt.foldexpr:get()

Inspect a table:

:lua = { a = 1, b = { nested = true } }

All three commands print a formatted, readable representation — no extra typing required.

Tips

• Combine with vim.fn.* calls to inspect Vimscript function results: :lua = vim.fn.expand('%:p')
• Use :lua = (no expression) to get an error — it expects a value, not a statement
• For statements (no return value), use plain :lua without =: :lua vim.opt.number = true
• Available since Neovim 0.7