Install lua-language-server with Homebrew, apk, chocolatey, MacPorts, Nix, pacman, scoop, winget, zypper

Project links

• Homepage
• Repository
• Upstream docs
• Package manager page

Commands and aliases

• lua-language-server

Project history

The project grew out of the VS Code extension historically published as sumneko.lua and evolved into the broader LuaLS project. The official LuaLS homepage describes it as a language server using the Language Server Protocol to make Lua development easier, safer, and faster in many editors, while the repository README links the language server to the website, changelog, wiki, issue tracker, and discussions.

LuaLS is tightly coupled to modern editor workflows rather than to the Lua runtime itself. Its feature set tracks practical IDE needs: support for Lua 5.1 through Lua 5.5 and LuaJIT, annotations, dynamic type checking, syntax diagnostics, workspace libraries, formatting, custom plugins, translations, and generated documentation.

Adoption history

LuaLS adoption is visible through editor distribution. The official homepage shows Visual Studio Code install counts in the millions and gives install paths for VS Code, Neovim, JetBrains, and generic command-line/LSP clients. The supplied package-manager facts also show packaging across apk, Homebrew, Chocolatey, MacPorts, Nix, pacman, Scoop, winget, and zypper.

The package became the default answer for Lua editor support because it speaks LSP instead of being bound to one editor. That let package managers distribute the same lua-language-server executable for Neovim, VS Code-adjacent setups, terminal editors, and custom LSP clients.

How it is used

Users install the lua-language-server executable and point an LSP client at it. Configuration can come from an explicit --configpath, a workspace .luarc.json file, or settings sent by the LSP client. The official docs recommend .luarc.json for configuration shared across clients and show examples for VS Code, Neovim, coc.nvim, and Kakoune.

Typical package-manager usage is installing the binary into PATH and letting editor configuration discover it. Project teams add .luarc.json when they need shared runtime version, library paths, diagnostics settings, or hints.

Why package nerds care

LuaLS matters to package nerds because it is a language-tooling package whose value depends on editor integration, binary distribution, and fast updates to match new Lua versions. The formula is not just a compiler or interpreter; it is the piece that makes Lua feel modern inside editors and CI-adjacent code-quality workflows.

Timeline

• 2022: The changelog records the 3.6.x series and removal of telemetry in v3.6.5.
• 2026: The official changelog records Lua 5.5-related fixes in the 3.18.x series.
• 2026: Official homepage reports multi-million Visual Studio Code installs and documents installation for VS Code, Neovim, JetBrains, and other LSP clients.

Related projects

• Lua is the target language supported by LuaLS.
• Language Server Protocol is the editor protocol LuaLS implements.
• Neovim, VS Code, JetBrains IDEs, coc.nvim, and Kakoune are documented client environments.
• EmmyLua is listed by the project as related credit material for annotation-style Lua tooling.

Sources

• https://luals.github.io/
• https://luals.github.io/wiki/
• https://luals.github.io/wiki/configuration/
• https://raw.githubusercontent.com/LuaLS/lua-language-server/master/README.md
• https://raw.githubusercontent.com/LuaLS/lua-language-server/master/changelog.md
• source_facts.package-manager