return {
	-- allow seamless navigation between vim buffers and tmux/wezterm splits
	{
		"numToStr/Navigator.nvim",
		branch = "master",
		config = true,
		event = "VeryLazy",
		keys = {
			{
				"<c-w>h",
				function()
					require("Navigator").left()
				end,
				{ silent = true },
			},
			{
				"<c-w>k",
				function()
					require("Navigator").up()
				end,
				{ silent = true },
			},
			{
				"<c-w>l",
				function()
					require("Navigator").right()
				end,
				{ silent = true },
			},
			{
				"<c-w>j",
				function()
					require("Navigator").down()
				end,
				{ silent = true },
			},
			{
				"<c-w>p",
				function()
					require("Navigator").previous()
				end,
				{ silent = true },
			},
		},
	},
	-- jump between letters with improved fFtT quicksearch, mimics sneak
	{
		"folke/flash.nvim",
		event = "VeryLazy",
		opts = {
			modes = {
				search = {
					enabled = false,
				},
			},
		},
		keys = {
			{
				"s",
				mode = { "n", "x" },
				function()
					require("flash").jump()
				end,
				desc = "Flash",
			},
			{
				"S",
				mode = { "n", "x", "o" },
				function()
					require("flash").treesitter()
				end,
				desc = "Flash Treesitter",
			},
			{
				"r",
				mode = "o",
				function()
					require("flash").remote()
				end,
				desc = "Remote Flash",
			},
		},
	},

	-- generic tool installer; automatic external dependency mgmt for neovim
	-- used in my config for LSPs, formatters and linters
	{
		"williamboman/mason.nvim",
		cmd = {
			"Mason",
			"MasonInstall",
			"MasonUninstall",
			"MasonUninstallAll",
			"MasonLog",
			"MasonUpdate",
		},
		opts = {},
		build = ":MasonUpdate",
		keys = {
			{ "<leader>vm", ":Mason<cr>", desc = "Mason" },
		},
	},
	-- personal dict improvements for git sync
	{ "micarmst/vim-spellsync", event = "VeryLazy" },
	{
		"folke/which-key.nvim",
		event = "CursorHold",
		opts = { icons = { mappings = false } },
	},
	-- collection of plugins
	{
		"echasnovski/mini.base16",
		dependencies = { "rktjmp/fwatch.nvim" }, -- for colorscheme updating
		event = "VimEnter",
		config = function()
			-- automatic callback to invoke 'mini.base16' when colorscheme file is changed
			local colorsfile = vim.fn.stdpath("state") .. "/colorscheme.lua"
			local function source_colors()
				if vim.fn.filereadable(colorsfile) == 1 then
					vim.cmd("source " .. colorsfile)
				end
			end
			-- set on startup
			source_colors()
			-- continuously watch colors file for changes
			local fwatch = require("fwatch")
			fwatch.watch(colorsfile, {
				on_event = vim.schedule_wrap(function()
					source_colors()
				end),
			})
		end,
	},
	{
		"echasnovski/mini.starter",
		event = "StartScreen",
		config = function()
			local starter = require("mini.starter")
			starter.setup({
				evaluate_single = true,
				items = {
					starter.sections.builtin_actions(),
					{
						name = "Scratchpad",
						action = "lua require('personal.scratchpad').create()",
						section = "Builtin actions",
					},
					starter.sections.recent_files(10, true),
					starter.sections.recent_files(10, false),
					-- Use this if you set up 'mini.sessions'
					-- starter.sections.sessions(),
					starter.sections.telescope(),
				},
				content_hooks = {
					starter.gen_hook.adding_bullet(),
					starter.gen_hook.padding(3, 2),
					starter.gen_hook.aligning("center", "center"),
				},
			})
		end,
		keys = {
			{
				"<leader>ss",
				function()
					require("mini.starter").open()
				end,
				silent = true,
				desc = "startpage",
			},
		},
	},
	{
		"echasnovski/mini.files",
		event = { "VeryLazy" },
		config = function()
			require("mini.files").setup({
				mappings = {
					synchronize = "S",
					go_in = "L", -- switch go-ins around
					go_in_plus = "l",
					go_out = "H",
					go_out_plus = "h",
				},
				options = {
					use_as_default_explorer = true,
				},
			})
			vim.api.nvim_create_autocmd("User", {
				pattern = "MiniFilesWindowUpdate",
				callback = function(args)
					local win_id = args.data.win_id
					vim.wo[win_id].number = true
				end,
			})
		end,
		keys = {
			{
				"<leader>e",
				function()
					local mf = require("mini.files")
					if not mf.close() then
						mf.open()
					end
				end,
				desc = "floating file browser",
			},
		},
	},
	{
		"echasnovski/mini.nvim",
		event = { "InsertEnter", "VeryLazy" },
		config = function()
			local ai = require("mini.ai")
			local function ai_buffer(ai_type)
				local start_line, end_line = 1, vim.fn.line("$")
				if ai_type == "i" then
					-- Skip first and last blank lines for `i` textobject
					local first_nonblank, last_nonblank = vim.fn.nextnonblank(start_line), vim.fn.prevnonblank(end_line)
					-- Do nothing for buffer with all blanks
					if first_nonblank == 0 or last_nonblank == 0 then
						return { from = { line = start_line, col = 1 } }
					end
					start_line, end_line = first_nonblank, last_nonblank
				end

				local to_col = math.max(vim.fn.getline(end_line):len(), 1)
				return { from = { line = start_line, col = 1 }, to = { line = end_line, col = to_col } }
			end
			ai.setup({
				custom_textobjects = {
					c = ai.gen_spec.treesitter({ a = "@class.outer", i = "@class.inner" }), -- class
					d = { "%f[%d]%d+" }, -- digits
					e = { -- single part of MultiCaseWords
						{
							"%u[%l%d]+%f[^%l%d]",
							"%f[%S][%l%d]+%f[^%l%d]",
							"%f[%P][%l%d]+%f[^%l%d]",
							"^[%l%d]+%f[^%l%d]",
						},
						"^().*()$",
					},
					f = ai.gen_spec.treesitter({ a = "@function.outer", i = "@function.inner" }), -- function
					g = ai_buffer, -- buffer with or without whitespace
					o = ai.gen_spec.treesitter({ -- current 'codeblock'
						a = { "@block.outer", "@conditional.outer", "@loop.outer" },
						i = { "@block.inner", "@conditional.inner", "@loop.inner" },
					}),
					u = ai.gen_spec.function_call(), -- function [u]sage
					U = ai.gen_spec.function_call({ name_pattern = "[%w_]" }), -- function [U]sage of last dot element
				},
			})
			-- Align tables and other alignable things
			require("mini.align").setup({})

			require("mini.bracketed").setup({
				buffer = { suffix = "b", options = {} },
				comment = { suffix = "k", options = {} },
				conflict = { suffix = "" }, -- disable to use git-conflict instead
				diagnostic = { suffix = "e", options = {} },
				file = { suffix = "f", options = {} },
				indent = { suffix = "" }, -- disable since we use indentscope
				jump = { suffix = "j", options = {} },
				location = { suffix = "l", options = {} },
				oldfile = { suffix = "o", options = {} },
				quickfix = { suffix = "q", options = {} },
				treesitter = { suffix = "t", options = {} },
				undo = { suffix = "" }, -- disable since I don't need it
				window = { suffix = "w", options = {} },
				yank = { suffix = "y", options = {} },
			})
			require("mini.comment").setup({
				hooks = {
					pre = function()
						-- use treesitter commentstring functionality if it's installed
						if require("core.util").is_available("ts_context_commentstring") then
							require("ts_context_commentstring.internal").update_commentstring()
						end
					end,
				},
			})

			require("mini.cursorword").setup({ delay = 500 })
			vim.api.nvim_set_hl(0, "MiniCursorword", { bold = true, underline = false })
			vim.api.nvim_set_hl(0, "MiniCursorwordCurrent", { bold = true, underline = false })

			require("mini.fuzzy").setup()
			require("mini.indentscope").setup({
				symbol = "│",
				draw = { animation = require("mini.indentscope").gen_animation.none() },
				options = { indent_at_cursor = false, n_lines = 2000 },
			})
			-- disable indentlines for terminals
			vim.api.nvim_create_autocmd("TermOpen", {
				pattern = "*",
				callback = function()
					vim.b.miniindentscope_disable = true
				end,
			})
			vim.api.nvim_create_autocmd("FileType", {
				pattern = {
					"lazy",
					"mason",
					"help",
					"lspinfo",
					"packer",
					"checkhealth",
					"man",
					"gitcommit",
					"TelescopePrompt",
					"TelescopeResults",
					"trouble",
				},
				callback = function()
					vim.b.miniindentscope_disable = true
				end,
			})

			require("mini.map").setup()
			require("mini.move").setup()
			require("mini.operators").setup()
			require("mini.pairs").setup({
				mappings = {
					-- these mappings ensure that when trying to _close_ any of the pairs
					-- it will not double insert:
					-- " <- you are here. Normal pairs will do """. This config will do "".
					['"'] = {
						action = "closeopen",
						pair = '""',
						neigh_pattern = '[^\\"].',
						register = { cr = false },
					},
					["'"] = {
						action = "closeopen",
						pair = "''",
						neigh_pattern = "[^%a\\'].",
						register = { cr = false },
					},
					["`"] = {
						action = "closeopen",
						pair = "``",
						neigh_pattern = "[^\\`].",
						register = { cr = false },
					},
					["<"] = { action = "open", pair = "<>", neigh_pattern = "\r." },
					[">"] = { action = "close", pair = "<>" },
				},
			})
			require("mini.trailspace").setup()
		end,
		keys = {
			{
				"<leader>sm",
				function()
					require("mini.map").toggle()
				end,
				silent = true,
				desc = "minimap",
			},
			{
				"<localleader>w",
				function()
					require("mini.trailspace").trim()
				end,
				desc = "Trim trailing whitespace",
			},
			{
				"[si",
				function()
					local c = vim.api.nvim_get_hl(0, { name = "Comment" })
					vim.api.nvim_set_hl(0, "Comment", vim.tbl_extend("force", c, { italic = false }))
				end,
				desc = "no italic comments",
			},
			{
				"]si",
				function()
					local c = vim.api.nvim_get_hl(0, { name = "Comment" })
					vim.api.nvim_set_hl(0, "Comment", vim.tbl_extend("force", {}, c, { italic = true }))
				end,
				desc = "italic comments",
			},
		},
	},
	-- try to avoid putting files in util buffers, e.g. filetree, aerial, undotree, ..
	{ "stevearc/stickybuf.nvim", config = true },
	-- make it a little less painful to open really big (>2mb) files by disabling features
	-- { "LunarVim/bigfile.nvim", lazy = false },
	-- set plenary to follow master branch here, but let individual plugins actually load it
	{ "nvim-lua/plenary.nvim", version = false, optional = true },
}