Multiple changes:

1. Enable custom plugins
  - add nvim tree
2. Enable custom options

init.lua

@@ -154,6 +154,9 @@ vim.opt.cursorline = true
 -- Minimal number of screen lines to keep above and below the cursor.
 vim.opt.scrolloff = 10
 
+-- [[ Load custom options ]]
+require 'options'
+
 -- [[ Basic Keymaps ]]
 --  See `:help vim.keymap.set()`
 
@@ -359,6 +362,9 @@ require('lazy').setup({
         --   },
         -- },
         -- pickers = {}
+        defaults = {
+          file_ignore_patterns = { '__pycache__/*' },
+        },
         extensions = {
           ['ui-select'] = {
             require('telescope.themes').get_dropdown(),
@@ -885,7 +891,7 @@ require('lazy').setup({
   --
   --  Uncomment the following line and add your plugins to `lua/custom/plugins/*.lua` to get going.
   --    For additional information, see `:help lazy.nvim-lazy.nvim-structuring-your-plugins`
-  -- { import = 'custom.plugins' },
+  { import = 'custom.plugins' },
 }, {
   ui = {
     -- If you are using a Nerd Font: set icons to an empty table which will use the

lua/custom/plugins/init.lua

@@ -2,4 +2,55 @@
 --  I promise not to create any merge conflicts in this directory :)
 --
 -- See the kickstart.nvim README for more information
-return {}
+return {
+  -- Nvim-tree
+  {
+    'nvim-tree/nvim-tree.lua',
+    version = '*',
+    lazy = false,
+    dependencies = {
+      'nvim-tree/nvim-web-devicons',
+    },
+    config = function()
+      local nvimtree = require 'nvim-tree'
+
+      -- recommended settings from nvim-tree documentation
+      vim.g.loaded_netrw = 1
+      vim.g.loaded_netrwPlugin = 1
+
+      nvimtree.setup {
+        view = {
+          width = 35,
+          relativenumber = true,
+        },
+        renderer = {
+          indent_markers = {
+            enable = true,
+          },
+        },
+        -- disable window_picker for
+        -- explorer to work well with
+        -- window splits
+        actions = {
+          open_file = {
+            window_picker = {
+              enable = false,
+            },
+          },
+        },
+        filters = {
+          custom = { '.DS_Store' },
+        },
+        git = {
+          ignore = false,
+        },
+      }
+
+      local keymap = vim.keymap
+      keymap.set('n', '<leader>ee', '<cmd>NvimTreeToggle<CR>', { desc = 'Toggle file explorer' })
+      keymap.set('n', '<leader>ef', '<cmd>NvimTreeFindFileToggle<CR>', { desc = 'Toggle file explorer' })
+      keymap.set('n', '<leader>ec', '<cmd>NvimTreeCollapse<CR>', { desc = 'Collapse file explorer' })
+      keymap.set('n', '<leader>er', '<cmd>NvimTreeRefresh<CR>', { desc = 'Refresh file explorer' })
+    end,
+  },
+}

lua/options.lua

@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+vim.opt.expandtab = true
+vim.opt.tabstop = 4
+vim.opt.shiftwidth = 4
+vim.opt.softtabstop = 4