return {

  {
    "NvChad/base46",
    branch = "v3.0",
    build = function()
      require("base46").load_all_highlights()
    end,
  },

  {
    "NvChad/ui",
    branch = "v3.0",
    lazy = false,
    config = function()
      require "nvchad"
    end,
  },

  {
    "NvChad/nvim-colorizer.lua",
    event = "User FilePost",
    config = function(_, opts)
      require("colorizer").setup(opts)

      -- execute colorizer as soon as possible
      vim.defer_fn(function()
        require("colorizer").attach_to_buffer(0)
      end, 0)
    end,
  },

  {
    "nvim-tree/nvim-web-devicons",
    opts = function()
      return { override = require "nvchad.icons.devicons" }
    end,
    config = function(_, opts)
      dofile(vim.g.base46_cache .. "devicons")
      require("nvim-web-devicons").setup(opts)
    end,
  },

  {
    "lukas-reineke/indent-blankline.nvim",
    event = "User FilePost",
    opts = {
      indent = { char = "│", highlight = "IblChar" },
      scope = { char = "│", highlight = "IblScopeChar" },
    },
    config = function(_, opts)
      dofile(vim.g.base46_cache .. "blankline")

      local hooks = require "ibl.hooks"
      hooks.register(hooks.type.WHITESPACE, hooks.builtin.hide_first_space_indent_level)
      require("ibl").setup(opts)
    end,
  },

  -- file managing , picker etc
  {
    "nvim-tree/nvim-tree.lua",
    cmd = { "NvimTreeToggle", "NvimTreeFocus" },
    opts = function()
      return require "nvchad.configs.nvimtree"
    end,
    config = function(_, opts)
      dofile(vim.g.base46_cache .. "nvimtree")
      require("nvim-tree").setup(opts)
    end,
  },

  {
    "folke/which-key.nvim",
    keys = { "<leader>", "<c-r>", "<c-w>", '"', "'", "`", "c", "v", "g" },
    cmd = "WhichKey",
    config = function(_, opts)
      dofile(vim.g.base46_cache .. "whichkey")
      require("which-key").setup(opts)
    end,
  },
}