Building the ultimate Rust environment with Vesper

A fast feedback loop is everything in Rust. The cycle of writing code, compiling, and running tests needs to be as seamless as possible. In this guide, we'll walk through setting up a perfect, persistent, multi-pane Vesper layout to create an ultimate Rust development workspace.

The goal: a four-pane command center

Our target layout will give us a dedicated space for every part of our workflow, giving us instant feedback at a glance:

• Main Pane (Left): Our code editor (Neovim).
• Compiler Pane (Top-Right): A dedicated space for `cargo watch` to automatically check our code on every save.
• Test Pane (Middle-Right): A second `cargo watch` instance specifically for running our unit tests.
• Shell Pane (Bottom-Right): A clean shell for Git commands and running the final binary.

Step 1: start a named session

First, let's create a dedicated session for our project so we can easily detach and have the entire environment waiting for us later.

vesper new -s my-rust-project

Step 2: build the layout

From the single starting pane, perform the following splits. Remember that all commands start with the Ctrl+a prefix, and navigation uses Vim keys.

1. Press Ctrl+a, then v to create our main vertical split.
2. Press Ctrl+a, then l (for 'right') to navigate to the new right-hand pane.
3. Press Ctrl+a, then h to create a horizontal split.
4. Press Ctrl+a, then j (for 'down') to navigate to the new bottom-right pane and press Ctrl+a, then h one more time.

You now have your four-pane layout. Use your mouse to drag the borders to the exact size you want.

Step 3: run the processes

Now, navigate to each pane (using Ctrl+a followed by h/j/k/l) and start the correct process:

• In the main left pane: nvim src/main.rs
• In the top-right pane: cargo watch -x check
• In the middle-right pane: cargo watch -x test
• The bottom-right pane is your command shell, ready for `git` or `cargo run`.

Pro-tip: use a floating pane for docs

Need to quickly look up a crate? Press Ctrl+a, then f to toggle a floating pane. You can run your documentation viewer inside it without disrupting your main layout. When you're done, just close the pane.

Your persistent workflow

You now have a complete Rust command center. The best part? You can press Ctrl+a, then d to detach, close your terminal, and come back hours later. Running vesper attach -s my-rust-project will restore your entire workspace exactly as you left it.