How to Install the Latest neovim from the Official Site on Ubuntu 26.04 LTS Server

Installing the Latest Version of neovim

This article explains the steps for installing the latest version of neovim from the official site.

Downloading and Installing neovim

These steps download the latest release and extract it under /opt.

Download and Install Commands
curl -LO https://github.com/neovim/neovim/releases/latest/download/nvim-linux-x86_64.tar.gz
sudo rm -rf /opt/nvim-linux-x86_64
sudo tar -C /opt -xzf nvim-linux-x86_64.tar.gz

Example of Downloading and Installing
kazu@ubuntu2604:~$ curl -LO https://github.com/neovim/neovim/releases/latest/download/nvim-linux-x86_64.tar.gz
  % Total    % Received % Xferd  Average Speed  Time    Time    Time   Current
                                 Dload  Upload  Total   Spent   Left   Speed
  0      0   0      0   0      0      0      0                              0
  0      0   0      0   0      0      0      0                              0
100 10.87M 100 10.87M   0      0 16.51M      0                              0
kazu@ubuntu2604:~$ sudo rm -rf /opt/nvim-linux-x86_64
kazu@ubuntu2604:~$ sudo tar -C /opt -xzf nvim-linux-x86_64.tar.gz
kazu@ubuntu2604:~$ ls -ltr /opt
total 4
drwxr-xr-x 5 root root 4096 Jul 19 18:34 nvim-linux-x86_64
kazu@ubuntu2604:~$

The downloaded nvim-linux-x86_64.tar.gz file remains in the directory where you ran the command — delete it if you no longer need it.

Setting the PATH Environment Variable

Since neovim is installed under /opt, add it to your PATH.

Setting the PATH Environment Variable
echo 'export PATH="$PATH:/opt/nvim-linux-x86_64/bin"' >> ~/.bashrc
source ~/.bashrc

Launching neovim

Command to Launch nvim
nvim

Example of Running nvim
kazu@ubuntu2604:~$ nvim
~
~
~
~                      │ ╲ ││
~                      ││╲╲││
~                      ││ ╲ │
~
~                   NVIM v0.12.4
~   ────────────────────────────────────────────
~   Nvim is open source and freely distributable
~             https://neovim.io/#chat
~   ────────────────────────────────────────────
~   type  :help nvim<Enter>     if you are new!
~   type  :checkhealth<Enter>   to optimize Nvim
~   type  :q<Enter>             to exit
~   type  :help<Enter>          for help
~   ────────────────────────────────────────────
~   type  :help news<Enter>     for v0.12 notes
~   ────────────────────────────────────────────
~          Help poor children in Uganda!
~   type  :help Kuwasha<Enter>  for information
~
~
[No Name]                         0,0-1          All

References

【Official Site】neovim Install