compile_on_install flag

[thisduck]

Problem

Typically when installing new plugins, the plugin authors will suggest the installation code which will usually include a config function. This needs to get compiled after the install.

The packer README suggest an autocommand that run PackerCompile after every save. This results in an error when we copy paste any plugins that include a config function.

We could run PackerSync (which does a compile) but that updates plugins which could cause issues with breaking changes.

Ideally I want to be able to run PackerInstall and PackerCompile in one command so that I don't have to worry about the issues listed above. I know that I could write an autocommand based on PackerComplete, but I think it's too much to ask of casual neovim users that just want to install plugins without getting errors (in the case they use the packer_user_config from the readme), or have to remember to run multiple command in the right order in order to get the plugins to install properly.

Suggestion

Similar to the compile_on_sync options, we could have a compile_on_install option. So all I have to remember to do is to save my file and run PackerInstall.

It would be false by default to maintain current functionality. (But I do think it should be on by default for a smoother user experience).

Btw, I'm happy to write an autocommand with PackerComplete. This is more for new and intermediate users.

[thisduck]

Or maybe add something like this to the readme as an example in the user autocommand section:

augroup packer_user_config
  autocmd!
  autocmd User PackerComplete PackerCompile
  autocmd BufWritePost plugins.lua source <afile> | PackerInstall
augroup end