diff --git a/.gitmodules b/.gitmodules
index 0ea8f8f..88a7311 100644
--- a/.gitmodules
+++ b/.gitmodules
@@ -52,12 +52,6 @@
 [submodule "vim/bundle/lightline-ale"]
 	path = vim/bundle/lightline-ale
 	url = https://github.com/maximbaz/lightline-ale
-[submodule "vim/bundle/deoplete.nvim"]
-	path = vim/bundle/deoplete.nvim
-	url = https://github.com/Shougo/deoplete.nvim
-[submodule "vim/bundle/neco-syntax"]
-	path = vim/bundle/neco-syntax
-	url = https://github.com/Shougo/neco-syntax.git
 [submodule "vim/bundle/vim-gutentags"]
 	path = vim/bundle/vim-gutentags
 	url = https://github.com/ludovicchabant/vim-gutentags.git
@@ -70,3 +64,27 @@
 [submodule "vim/bundle/nvim-treesitter"]
 	path = vim/bundle/nvim-treesitter
 	url = https://github.com/nvim-treesitter/nvim-treesitter
+[submodule "vim/bundle/nvim-cmp"]
+	path = vim/bundle/nvim-cmp
+	url = https://github.com/hrsh7th/nvim-cmp
+[submodule "vim/bundle/nvim-snippy"]
+	path = vim/bundle/nvim-snippy
+	url = https://github.com/dcampos/nvim-snippy
+[submodule "vim/bundle/vim-snippets"]
+	path = vim/bundle/vim-snippets
+	url = https://github.com/honza/vim-snippets
+[submodule "vim/bundle/cmp-treesitter"]
+	path = vim/bundle/cmp-treesitter
+	url = https://github.com/ray-x/cmp-treesitter
+[submodule "vim/bundle/cmp-nvim-tags"]
+	path = vim/bundle/cmp-nvim-tags
+	url = https://github.com/quangnguyen30192/cmp-nvim-tags
+[submodule "vim/bundle/cmp-snippy"]
+	path = vim/bundle/cmp-snippy
+	url = https://github.com/dcampos/cmp-snippy
+[submodule "vim/bundle/cmp-buffer"]
+	path = vim/bundle/cmp-buffer
+	url = https://github.com/hrsh7th/cmp-buffer
+[submodule "vim/bundle/cmp-omni"]
+	path = vim/bundle/cmp-omni
+	url = https://github.com/hrsh7th/cmp-omni
diff --git a/init.vim b/init.vim
index bd79692..cd64f2f 100644
--- a/init.vim
+++ b/init.vim
@@ -32,7 +32,15 @@ if &term != "linux"
 endif
 
 "load user config:
-runtime local/user.vim
+runtime user.vim
+
+"set default values for user settings
+let g:autostartchecker = get(g:, "autostartchecker", 0)
+let g:autostarttagbar = get(g:, "autostarttagbar", 0)
+let g:enabletreesitter = get(g:, "enabletreesitter", 0)
+let g:enablecompletion = get(g:, "enablecompletion", 0)
+let g:enableautotags = get(g:, "enableautotags", 0)
+let g:enablepowerline = get(g:, "enablepowerline", 0)
 
 "load settings:
 runtime config/settings.vim
@@ -40,44 +48,21 @@ runtime config/settings.vim
 "initialize plugins:
 let g:pathogen_disabled = get(g:, "pathogen_disabled", [])
 
-if has('python3')
-    "check for python-neovim
-    redir => python_neovim_check
-    silent python3 exec("import pkgutil\nneovim = pkgutil.find_loader('neovim')\nfound = neovim is not None\nprint(found)")
-    redir END
-
-    if substitute(python_neovim_check, '^\n*\([^\n]*\)\n*$', '\1', '') == 'True'
-        let g:python_neovim = 1
-    else
-        let g:python_neovim = 0
-    endif
-
-    "check for python-msgpack
-    redir => python_msgpack_check
-    silent python3 exec("import pkgutil\nmsgpack = pkgutil.find_loader('msgpack')\nfound = msgpack is not None\nprint(found)")
-    redir END
-
-    if substitute(python_msgpack_check, '^\n*\([^\n]*\)\n*$', '\1', '') == 'True'
-        let g:python_msgpack = 1
-    else
-        let g:python_msgpack = 0
-    endif
-else
-    "if python isn't available disable plugins that depend on it and set library variables to false
-    call add(g:pathogen_disabled, 'MatchTagAlways')
-    let g:python_neovim = 0
-    let g:python_msgpack = 0
-endif
-
-"don't load vim-gutentags if ctags can't be found
-if !executable('ctags')
+"don't load vim-gutentags if g:enableautotags is false or ctags isn't in path
+if !g:enableautotags || !executable('ctags')
     call add(g:pathogen_disabled, 'vim-gutentags')
 endif
 
-if !g:python_neovim || !g:python_msgpack
-    "don't load deoplete if either of its python dependencies are missing
-    call add(g:pathogen_disabled, 'deoplete.nvim')
-    call add(g:pathogen_disabled, 'neco-syntax')
+"don't load nvim-cmp or its dependencies if g:enablecompletion is false
+if !g:enablecompletion
+    call add(g:pathogen_disabled, 'nvim-cmp')
+    call add(g:pathogen_disabled, 'cmp-buffer')
+    call add(g:pathogen_disabled, 'cmp-nvim-tags')
+    call add(g:pathogen_disabled, 'cmp-omni')
+    call add(g:pathogen_disabled, 'cmp-snippy')
+    call add(g:pathogen_disabled, 'cmp-treesitter')
+    call add(g:pathogen_disabled, 'nvim-snippy')
+    call add(g:pathogen_disabled, 'vim-snippets')
 endif
 
 "use pathogen to load plugins that haven't been disabled
diff --git a/readme.md b/readme.md
index ce40c01..323b12b 100644
--- a/readme.md
+++ b/readme.md
@@ -11,12 +11,9 @@ A theme, config and collection of plugins for Neovim
 
 ## Optional Requirements
 
-* **Compilers, Linters and Runtimes**: The ale plugin can use compilers, linters and runtimes to provide real-time syntax checking
-* **CTags**: Required by _tagbar_ and optional for _coc.nvim_ ([ctags website](http://ctags.sourceforge.net))
-* **Powerline Fonts**: Required to enable the fancier looking status line ([powerline-fonts repo](https://github.com/Lokaltog/powerline-fonts))
-* **Python**: Required for _deoplete_ autocompletion functionality
-* **Neovim Python Module**: Required for _deoplete_ autocompletion
-* **Python Msgpack**: Required for _deoplete_ autocompletion
+* **Powerline Fonts**: Required to enable the fancier looking status line
+* **Universal CTags**: Required by _vim-gutentags_, _tagbar_ and optional for _nvim-cmp_
+* **Compilers, Linters and Runtimes**: The _ale_ plugin can use compilers, linters and runtimes to provide real-time syntax checking
 
 ## Distribution Features
 
@@ -120,11 +117,17 @@ For a complete list of mappings specific to **darkcloud-nvimconfig**, check the
 * [ale](https://github.com/w0rp/ale): Asynchronous Lint Engine
 * [Comment.nvim](https://github.com/numToStr/Comment.nvim): Smart and Powerful commenting plugin for neovim
   * [nvim-ts-context-commentstring](https://github.com/JoosepAlviste/nvim-ts-context-commentstring): A Neovim plugin for setting the commentstring option based on the cursor location in the file. The location is checked via treesitter queries
-* [deoplete.nvim](https://github.com/Shougo/deoplete.nvim): Dark powered asynchronous completion framework for neovim/Vim8
-  * [neco-syntax](https://github.com/Shougo/neco-syntax): Syntax source for neocomplete/deoplete/ncm
 * [editorconfig-vim](https://github.com/editorconfig/editorconfig-vim): EditorConfig plugin for Vim that auto-configures certain settings when a .editorconfig file is present
 * [lightline.vim](https://github.com/itchyny/lightline.vim): A light and configurable statusline/tabline for Vim
   * [lightline-ale](https://github.com/maximbaz/lightline-ale): Provides ALE indicator for the lightline vim plugin
+* [nvim-cmp](https://github.com/hrsh7th/nvim-cmp): A completion engine plugin for neovim written in Lua
+  * [cmp-buffer](https://github.com/hrsh7th/cmp-buffer): Buffer words source for nvim-cmp
+  * [cmp-nvim-tags](https://github.com/quangnguyen30192/cmp-nvim-tags): Tags source for nvim-cmp
+  * [cmp-omni](https://github.com/hrsh7th/cmp-omni): Omnifunc source for cmp-nvim
+  * [cmp-snippy](https://github.com/dcampos/cmp-snippy): Nvim-snippy completion source for nvim-cmp
+  * [cmp-treesitter](https://github.com/ray-x/cmp-treesitter): Treesitter source for nvim-cmp
+  * [nvim-snippy](https://github.com/dcampos/nvim-snippy): Snippet plugin for Neovim written in Lua
+  * [vim-snippets](https://github.com/honza/vim-snippets): Snippets files for various programming languages
 * [nvim-treesitter](https://github.com/nvim-treesitter/nvim-treesitter): Treesitter configurations and abstraction layer for Neovim
 * [ReplaceWithRegister](https://github.com/vim-scripts/ReplaceWithRegister): Replace text with the contents of a register (for paste+replace without writing over the buffer)
 * [splitjoin.vim](https://github.com/AndrewRadev/splitjoin.vim): Simplifies the transition between multiline and single-line code
diff --git a/update b/update
index b223677..dd14b44 100755
--- a/update
+++ b/update
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ local_bundle_dir=local/bundle
 error_log=update-errors.log
 
 script_name="${0//*\/}"
-script_home="${0%$script_name}"
+script_home="${0%"$script_name"}"
 
 if [[ -z "$script_home" ]]; then
     script_home="$PWD"
@@ -70,6 +70,16 @@ function show_help {
     printf '%s\n' 'Run with no arguments to update darkcloud-nvimconfig'
 }
 
+# update coq_nvim dependencies
+function update_coq_dependencies {
+    coq_nvim_bundle=vim/bundle/coq_nvim
+    [[ -d "$coq_nvim_bundle" ]] || return 1
+    pushd "$coq_nvim_bundle" >/dev/null || return 1
+    python3 -m coq deps >/dev/null 2>&1 || error 'python3 -m coq deps' 'Updating COQ dependencies failed'
+    popd >/dev/null || return 1
+    return 0
+}
+
 #
 # SETUP
 #
@@ -301,6 +311,20 @@ else
     error "nvim -c ':UpdateRemotePlugins|qa!'" 'Updating remote plugins for neovim failed'
 fi
 
+#
+# INSTALL/UPDATE COQ DEPENDENCIES
+#
+
+printf '%s' "$cbg_blue >> Updating coq_nvim dependencies:$c_reset"
+update_coq_dependencies
+
+if (( ! $? )); then
+    printf '%s\n' "$cfg_green_bold SUCCESS! $c_reset"
+else
+    printf '%s\n' "$cfg_red_bold FAIL! $c_reset"
+    error 'python3 -m coq deps' 'Updating coq_nvim dependencies failed'
+fi
+
 #
 # FINISH
 #
diff --git a/vim/bundle/cmp-buffer b/vim/bundle/cmp-buffer
new file mode 160000
index 0000000..3022dbc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/vim/bundle/cmp-buffer
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Subproject commit 3022dbc9166796b644a841a02de8dd1cc1d311fa
diff --git a/vim/bundle/cmp-nvim-tags b/vim/bundle/cmp-nvim-tags
new file mode 160000
index 0000000..30bdc2e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/vim/bundle/cmp-nvim-tags
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Subproject commit 30bdc2eec86eb66730af541bb06d24d4a67e3eeb
diff --git a/vim/bundle/cmp-omni b/vim/bundle/cmp-omni
new file mode 160000
index 0000000..4ef610b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/vim/bundle/cmp-omni
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Subproject commit 4ef610bbd85a5ee4e97e09450c0daecbdc60de86
diff --git a/vim/bundle/cmp-snippy b/vim/bundle/cmp-snippy
new file mode 160000
index 0000000..6e39210
--- /dev/null
+++ b/vim/bundle/cmp-snippy
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Subproject commit 6e39210aa3a74e2bf6462f492eaf0d436cd2b7d3
diff --git a/vim/bundle/cmp-treesitter b/vim/bundle/cmp-treesitter
new file mode 160000
index 0000000..13e4ef8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/vim/bundle/cmp-treesitter
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Subproject commit 13e4ef8f4dd5639fca2eb9150e68f47639a9b37d
diff --git a/vim/bundle/deoplete.nvim b/vim/bundle/deoplete.nvim
deleted file mode 160000
index 00a1799..0000000
--- a/vim/bundle/deoplete.nvim
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Subproject commit 00a179968eb5f53408dafc22567c1e2933c01079
diff --git a/vim/bundle/neco-syntax b/vim/bundle/neco-syntax
deleted file mode 160000
index f8d7b74..0000000
--- a/vim/bundle/neco-syntax
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Subproject commit f8d7b748b022aac8ce73458574da5616f1c5fb65
diff --git a/vim/bundle/nvim-cmp b/vim/bundle/nvim-cmp
new file mode 160000
index 0000000..04e0ca3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/vim/bundle/nvim-cmp
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Subproject commit 04e0ca376d6abdbfc8b52180f8ea236cbfddf782
diff --git a/vim/bundle/nvim-snippy b/vim/bundle/nvim-snippy
new file mode 160000
index 0000000..6295b6c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/vim/bundle/nvim-snippy
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Subproject commit 6295b6cb30725c343a8986096c9f04b0e7646c52
diff --git a/vim/bundle/vim-polyglot-darkcloud b/vim/bundle/vim-polyglot-darkcloud
index a07a3e8..25afe7e 160000
--- a/vim/bundle/vim-polyglot-darkcloud
+++ b/vim/bundle/vim-polyglot-darkcloud
@@ -1 +1 @@
-Subproject commit a07a3e86ea173dd71525ee8a6fb0fcc58122cd87
+Subproject commit 25afe7ebbc7c34f711685f5d29308a82ed5350ac
diff --git a/vim/bundle/vim-snippets b/vim/bundle/vim-snippets
new file mode 160000
index 0000000..393d980
--- /dev/null
+++ b/vim/bundle/vim-snippets
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Subproject commit 393d980157b8149b3ff65a48bc4aae24dca9c846
diff --git a/vim/config/plugins/ale.vim b/vim/config/plugins/ale.vim
index c6dd599..01ffe04 100644
--- a/vim/config/plugins/ale.vim
+++ b/vim/config/plugins/ale.vim
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
-"autostart syntax checking when vim opens to a compatible filetype (default: 0)
-if !exists("g:autostartchecker") || &diff
+"always disable ale in diff mode
+if &diff
     let g:autostartchecker = 0
 endif
 
diff --git a/vim/config/plugins/deoplete.vim b/vim/config/plugins/deoplete.vim
deleted file mode 100644
index fb59e9e..0000000
--- a/vim/config/plugins/deoplete.vim
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,8 +0,0 @@
-"enable completion (default: 0)
-if !exists("g:enablecompletion")
-    let g:enablecompletion = 0
-endif
-
-if !g:enablecompletion && g:python_neovim
-    let g:deoplete#enable_at_startup = 1
-endif
diff --git a/vim/config/plugins/nvim-cmp.lua b/vim/config/plugins/nvim-cmp.lua
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7c97b52
--- /dev/null
+++ b/vim/config/plugins/nvim-cmp.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+if (vim.g.enablecompletion == 1) then
+    local snippy = require("snippy")
+    local cmp = require"cmp"
+
+    local has_words_before = function()
+        unpack = unpack or table.unpack
+        local line, col = unpack(vim.api.nvim_win_get_cursor(0))
+        return col ~= 0 and vim.api.nvim_buf_get_lines(0, line - 1, line, true)[1]:sub(col, col):match("%s") == nil
+    end
+
+    cmp.setup({
+        snippet = {
+            expand = function(args)
+                require "snippy".expand_snippet(args.body)
+            end
+        },
+        window = {
+            completion = cmp.config.window.bordered(),
+            documentation = cmp.config.window.bordered(),
+        },
+        mapping = cmp.mapping.preset.insert({
+            ["<Tab>"] = cmp.mapping(function(fallback)
+                if cmp.visible() then
+                    cmp.select_next_item()
+                elseif snippy.can_expand_or_advance() then
+                    snippy.expand_or_advance()
+                elseif has_words_before() then
+                    cmp.complete()
+                else
+                    fallback()
+                end
+            end, { "i", "s" }),
+
+            ["<S-Tab>"] = cmp.mapping(function(fallback)
+                if cmp.visible() then
+                    cmp.select_prev_item()
+                elseif snippy.can_jump(-1) then
+                    snippy.previous()
+                else
+                    fallback()
+                end
+            end, { "i", "s" }),
+
+            ["<Leader>"] = cmp.mapping.abort(),
+            ["<CR>"] = cmp.mapping.confirm({ select = true }), -- Accept currently selected item. Set `select` to `false` to only confirm explicitly selected items.
+        }),
+        sources = cmp.config.sources({
+            { name = "buffer" },
+            { name = "treesitter" },
+            { name = "omni" },
+            { name = "tags", option = { current_buffer_only = true } },
+            { name = "snippy" },
+        })
+    })
+end
diff --git a/vim/config/plugins/nvim-treesitter.lua b/vim/config/plugins/nvim-treesitter.lua
index 942a08b..5eb5951 100644
--- a/vim/config/plugins/nvim-treesitter.lua
+++ b/vim/config/plugins/nvim-treesitter.lua
@@ -1,26 +1,24 @@
-if (vim.g.enabletreesitter ~= nill) then
-    if (vim.g.enabletreesitter == 1) then
-        local parser_dir
+if (vim.g.enabletreesitter == 1) then
+    local parser_dir
 
-        if (vim.g.treesitterparserdir == nill) then
-            parser_dir = "~/.config/nvim/treesitter-parsers"
-        else
-            parser_dir = vim.g.treesitterparserdir
-        end
-
-        vim.opt.runtimepath:append(parser_dir)
-
-        require'nvim-treesitter.configs'.setup {
-            ensure_installed = { "bash", "c", "cpp", "git_config", "html", "java", "javascript", "json", "lua", "php", "python", "query", "rust", "toml", "typescript", "vim", "vue" },
-            sync_install = false,
-            auto_install = false,
-            parser_install_dir = parser_dir,
-
-            highlight = {
-                enable = true,
-                disable = {},
-                additional_vim_regex_highlighting = false,
-            }
-        }
+    if (vim.g.treesitterparserdir == nill) then
+        parser_dir = "~/.config/nvim/treesitter-parsers"
+    else
+        parser_dir = vim.g.treesitterparserdir
     end
+
+    vim.opt.runtimepath:append(parser_dir)
+
+    require'nvim-treesitter.configs'.setup {
+        ensure_installed = { "bash", "c", "cpp", "git_config", "html", "java", "javascript", "json", "lua", "php", "python", "query", "rust", "toml", "typescript", "vim", "vue" },
+        sync_install = false,
+        auto_install = false,
+        parser_install_dir = parser_dir,
+
+        highlight = {
+            enable = true,
+            disable = {},
+            additional_vim_regex_highlighting = false,
+        }
+    }
 end
diff --git a/vim/config/plugins/tagbar.vim b/vim/config/plugins/tagbar.vim
index 802b279..16c3075 100644
--- a/vim/config/plugins/tagbar.vim
+++ b/vim/config/plugins/tagbar.vim
@@ -1,9 +1,5 @@
-"autostart tagbar when vim opens to a compatible filetype (default: 0)
-if !exists("g:autostarttagbar")
-    let g:autostarttagbar = 0
-endif
-
-if !&diff && (g:autostarttagbar == 1)
+"start the tagbar if g:autostarttagbar is true while not in diff mode
+if g:autostarttagbar == 1 && !&diff
     autocmd VimEnter * nested :call tagbar#autoopen(1)
 endif
 
diff --git a/vim/config/plugins/vim-gutentags.vim b/vim/config/plugins/vim-gutentags.vim
index fc7d47f..9d3b0f0 100644
--- a/vim/config/plugins/vim-gutentags.vim
+++ b/vim/config/plugins/vim-gutentags.vim
@@ -1,12 +1,18 @@
 let g:gutentags_cache_dir = get(g:, "gutentags_cache_dir", "~/.config/nvim/gutentags")
 
+let g:gutentags_ctags_exclude = [
+    \ '*.json',
+    \ '*.lock',
+    \ '*.min.*',
+    \ 'node_modules/*',
+    \ 'vendor/*',
+\ ]
+
 let g:gutentags_file_list_command = {
     \ 'markers': {
-    \ '.git': 'git ls-files',
+    \     '.git': 'git ls-files',
     \ },
 \ }
 
 "prevent automatically generating the tagfile and syntax highlighting tags (default: 0)
-if !exists("g:enableautotags") || g:enableautotags == 0
-    let g:gutentags_enabled = 0
-endif
+let g:gutentags_enabled = g:enableautotags