fix(#3178): handle Windows paths in ignore_dirs and add .zig-cache to defaults by Uanela · Pull Request #3261 · nvim-tree/nvim-tree.lua

Uanela · 2026-02-11T09:07:37Z

This PR fixes a critical memory leak issue on Windows where nvim-tree.lua spawns infinite filesystem watchers when the .zig-cache/tmp folder creates temporary files during a build process. The watcher locks these files, preventing Zig from deleting them and causing memory to grow by 10-20 MB/second.

Changes

Added .zig-cache to default ignore_dirs - This directory contains build artifacts not under version control, similar to existing defaults like node_modules and build.
Fixed Windows path handling in ignore_dirs - The forward slash prefix (e.g., /node_modules) used in default ignore patterns wasn't matching Windows paths (e.g., M:\path\to\node_modules). The fix converts forward slashes to backslashes on Windows to ensure proper pattern matching.

Technical Details

The existing utils.escape_special_characters utility was not suitable for this fix as it only handles parentheses and curly braces in paths, not the fundamental path separator difference between Unix (/) and Windows (\).

The solution implements OS-specific path normalization in is_folder_ignored() by converting forward slashes to backslashes on Windows systems before pattern matching with vim.fn.match().

Testing

Tested on Windows 10 with Zig build process. The .zig-cache directory is now properly ignored, and existing defaults like node_modules now correctly match on Windows paths.

Closes #3178

alex-courtis

The existing utils.escape_special_characters utility was not suitable for this fix as it only handles parentheses and curly braces in paths, not the fundamental path separator difference between Unix (/) and Windows ().

Good call. There may be unintended side effects.

Tested on Windows 10 with Zig build process.

Many thanks for the detailed testing!

Please:

revert all unrelated formatting changes
double escape the backslashes https://github.com/nvim-tree/nvim-tree.lua/pull/3261/changes#r2806727955

alex-courtis · 2026-02-14T01:05:26Z

lua/nvim-tree/explorer/watch.lua

+      notify.error(
+        string.format(
+          "Observed %d consecutive file system events with interval < %dms, exceeding filesystem_watchers.max_events=%s. Disabling watcher for directory '%s'. Consider adding this directory to filesystem_watchers.ignore_dirs",
+          watcher.data.outstanding_events,
+          M.config.filesystem_watchers.max_events,
+          M.config.filesystem_watchers.debounce_delay,
+          node.absolute_path
+        )
+      )


Please do not make any formatting changes unrelated to this PR.

alex-courtis · 2026-02-14T01:08:25Z

lua/nvim-tree/explorer/watch.lua

  if type(M.config.filesystem_watchers.ignore_dirs) == "table" then
    for _, ignore_dir in ipairs(M.config.filesystem_watchers.ignore_dirs) do
+      if utils.is_windows or true then
+        ignore_dir = ignore_dir:gsub("/", "\\") or ignore_dir


We will need to double escape the backslashes as per testing: #3178 (comment)

Uanela · 2026-02-15T20:32:35Z

I've reverted the unrelated formatting (sorry for this one) and double escaped the backslashes I searched about what it would cause and makes sense thanks again for the call.

Even after reverting the formatting there still some checks that are not passing even on my local I need to commit with --no-verify.

alex-courtis · 2026-02-15T23:18:11Z

lua/nvim-tree/explorer/watch.lua

+	end
+
+	if type(M.config.filesystem_watchers.ignore_dirs) == "table" then
+		print(vim.inspect(M.config.filesystem_watchers.ignore_dirs))


Please remove the print...

alex-courtis

I've reverted the unrelated formatting (sorry for this one) and double escaped the backslashes I searched about what it would cause and makes sense thanks again for the call.

Even after reverting the formatting there still some checks that are not passing even on my local I need to commit with --no-verify.

I see. It looks like is_folder_ignored is indented with tabs, not spaces. You can format just that file with :lua vim.lsp.buf.format() or gg=G

You have identified a bigger problem: style-check does not identify all the issue that style-fix does. Issue incoming... #3271

Please:

format watch.lua
remove the print statement

…-tree/nvim-tree.lua into fix/windows-path-resolution

Uanela · 2026-02-17T11:43:15Z

All good to go Sir Alex

alex-courtis

Getting close...

Please:

Add zig-cache to defaults https://github.com/nvim-tree/nvim-tree.lua/pull/3261/changes#r2819702785
Resolve regression https://github.com/nvim-tree/nvim-tree.lua/pull/3261/changes#r2819704632

alex-courtis · 2026-02-18T00:21:38Z

doc/nvim-tree-lua.txt

          "/build",
          "/node_modules",
          "/target",
+          "/.zig-cache",


This is not present in nvim-tree.lua DEFAULT_OPTS

Please add it and re-generate the help: https://github.com/nvim-tree/nvim-tree.lua/blob/master/CONTRIBUTING.md#help-documentation

alex-courtis · 2026-02-18T00:22:22Z

lua/nvim-tree/explorer/watch.lua


  if type(M.config.filesystem_watchers.ignore_dirs) == "table" then
    for _, ignore_dir in ipairs(M.config.filesystem_watchers.ignore_dirs) do
+      if utils.is_windows or true then


Should that true be there?

Testing shows a regression:

mkdir foo mkdir .ccls-cache

Set filters.dotfiles and git_ignored false
Open tree and directories

touch foo/1

Expected: 1 appears immediately.

touch .ccls-cache/2

Expected: 2 does not appear until R
Actual: appears immediately

This was a testing I was doing my bad, I should have removed it

…-tree/nvim-tree.lua into fix/windows-path-resolution

Uanela · 2026-02-18T07:07:20Z

@alex-courtis I've opened 3 PR so far and some issues, where 2 PR's refactors and one bug fix (very simple and with clear hints).

How would you rate my contributions from 0-10 so far, only rate if possible, maybe you lack some data I don't know.

alex-courtis · 2026-02-19T02:29:18Z

Tested OK:

mkdir foo
mkdir .ccls-cache
mkdir .zig-cache

Set filters.dotfiles and git_ignored false
Open tree and directories

touch foo/1

Expected: 1 appears immediately.

touch .ccls-cache/2

Expected: 2 does not appear until R

touch .zig-cache/3

Expected: 3 does not appear until R

alex-courtis

Tested OK: #3261 (comment) on linux and you have tested windows.

Please accept my deepest apologies, I missed this one: we need to update the defaults in lua/nvim-tree/_meta/config/filesystem_watchers.lua and generate help.

How do you like to handle these tiny nits?

Fix it yourself
I push a fix
No drama either way, everyone has their preference.

Uanela · 2026-02-19T05:50:12Z

Done.

alex-courtis

Love your work @Uanela

Edit: apologies, approved too early.

We're getting a CI fail on the help txt for the new default: https://github.com/nvim-tree/nvim-tree.lua/actions/runs/22170271960/job/64106472696?pr=3261

Please:

Regenerate help to include the recent change https://github.com/nvim-tree/nvim-tree.lua/blob/master/CONTRIBUTING.md#help-documentation

Uanela · 2026-02-20T07:07:42Z

Docs regeneration done.

I got the problem that wasn't allowing me to regenerate the docs:

/tmp/src/neovim-stable/src/gen/gen_vimdoc.lua.org -> /tmp/src/neovim-stable/src/gen/gen_vimdoc.lua
scripts/help-defaults.sh
sed: -e: No such file or directory
make: *** [help-update] Error 1
uanela_como@Uanelas-MacBook-Pro nvim-tree.lua % sudo make help-update

the sed command on macos is gsed for (GNU sed) so I need to export gsed to sed in order to be able to update the docs.

Uanela added 4 commits February 11, 2026 09:51

feat: add .zig-cache in default ignored_dirs

181bbe8

feat: correctly add .zig-cache in default ignored_dirs

9b0c6a6

fix(#3178): handle windows paths in ignore_dirs

56fa77f

fix: remove unsed print statement

dc30754

Uanela requested a review from alex-courtis February 11, 2026 09:07

Uanela and others added 3 commits February 11, 2026 11:15

fix: tab formatting

7ac15cc

chore: match with documentation

71b699e

Merge branch 'master' into fix/windows-path-resolution

876b734

alex-courtis requested changes Feb 14, 2026

View reviewed changes

Uanela and others added 4 commits February 15, 2026 03:29

Merge branch 'master' into fix/windows-path-resolution

ff41e83

chore: double espace backslashes and revert unrelated formatting

723eecf

merge branch master

a20e7c6

chore: correctly rever unrelated formatting

e1083b8

Uanela requested a review from alex-courtis February 15, 2026 20:32

alex-courtis reviewed Feb 15, 2026

View reviewed changes

alex-courtis requested changes Feb 15, 2026

View reviewed changes

alex-courtis mentioned this pull request Feb 15, 2026

style-check and style-fix do not agree #3271

Closed

Uanela and others added 4 commits February 17, 2026 13:25

Merge branch 'master' into fix/windows-path-resolution

a0d0b3b

chore: indenting explorer/watch

1cc4556

Merge branch 'fix/windows-path-resolution' of https://github.com/nvim…

5c37a31

…-tree/nvim-tree.lua into fix/windows-path-resolution

fix: remove unneeded print

b75ec4d

Uanela requested a review from alex-courtis February 17, 2026 11:43

alex-courtis requested changes Feb 18, 2026

View reviewed changes

Uanela and others added 4 commits February 18, 2026 08:07

Merge branch 'master' into fix/windows-path-resolution

bd286e1

chore: remove unneeded true check

55ffc05

Merge branch 'fix/windows-path-resolution' of https://github.com/nvim…

39e0aa2

…-tree/nvim-tree.lua into fix/windows-path-resolution

chore: adding .zig-cache into nvim-tree.lua

91020c1

Uanela requested review from alex-courtis February 18, 2026 07:07

alex-courtis requested changes Feb 19, 2026

View reviewed changes

chore: add /.zig-cache under filesystem_watchers

1b97cb8

alex-courtis approved these changes Feb 19, 2026

View reviewed changes

alex-courtis self-requested a review February 19, 2026 23:14

chore: regenerate docs

6f3e948

Uh oh!

Conversation

Uanela commented Feb 11, 2026

Changes

Technical Details

Testing

Uh oh!

alex-courtis left a comment • edited Loading Uh oh! There was an error while loading. Please reload this page.

Uh oh!

Choose a reason for hiding this comment

Uh oh!

alex-courtis Feb 14, 2026

Choose a reason for hiding this comment

Uh oh!

alex-courtis Feb 14, 2026

Choose a reason for hiding this comment

Uh oh!

Uanela commented Feb 15, 2026

Uh oh!

alex-courtis Feb 15, 2026

Choose a reason for hiding this comment

Uh oh!

alex-courtis left a comment • edited by Uanela Loading Uh oh! There was an error while loading. Please reload this page.

Uh oh!

Choose a reason for hiding this comment

Uh oh!

Uanela commented Feb 17, 2026

Uh oh!

alex-courtis left a comment • edited by Uanela Loading Uh oh! There was an error while loading. Please reload this page.

Uh oh!

Choose a reason for hiding this comment

Uh oh!

alex-courtis Feb 18, 2026

Choose a reason for hiding this comment

Uh oh!

alex-courtis Feb 18, 2026

Choose a reason for hiding this comment

Uh oh!

Uanela Feb 18, 2026

Choose a reason for hiding this comment

Uh oh!

Uanela commented Feb 18, 2026

Uh oh!

alex-courtis commented Feb 19, 2026

Uh oh!

alex-courtis left a comment

Choose a reason for hiding this comment

Uh oh!

Uanela commented Feb 19, 2026

Uh oh!

alex-courtis left a comment • edited by Uanela Loading Uh oh! There was an error while loading. Please reload this page.

Uh oh!

Choose a reason for hiding this comment

Uh oh!

Uanela commented Feb 20, 2026

Uh oh!

Reviewers

Assignees

Labels

Projects

Milestone

Development

Uh oh!

2 participants

Comments

alex-courtis left a comment •

edited

Loading

alex-courtis left a comment •

edited by Uanela

Loading

alex-courtis left a comment •

edited by Uanela

Loading

alex-courtis left a comment •

edited by Uanela

Loading