What I do currently is run an LS per repo with its configuration stored in the repo, so: + ~/repos/repoA | - CMakeLists.txt | - compile_commands.json ->

What I do currently is run an LS per repo with its configuration stored in the repo, so: + ~/repos/repoA | - CMakeLists.txt | - compile_commands.json -> ../../build/repoA_config1/compile_commands.json | + ~/build/repoA_config1 | - CMakeCache.txt | - build.ninja | - compile_commands.json | + ~/build/repoA_config2 | - CMakeCache.txt | - build.ninja | - compile_commands.json etc. for repoB, C, ... That said I'm thinking on flipping it around - keep the LS configuration in the build folder, and symlink the source folder in it. That way I can have several different configurations in effect at once and switch between them easily. Currently I have to change where compile_commands.json points to if I want to change YouCompleteMe's completions. Your editor should manage the language server and you should just have to provide the configuration it expects in the directory you start it in.