diff --git a/KEYBIND_ANALYSIS.md b/KEYBIND_ANALYSIS.md
index 0bd1b49e..baebc632 100644
--- a/KEYBIND_ANALYSIS.md
+++ b/KEYBIND_ANALYSIS.md
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 ## Current Active Keybindings (Modular Config)
 
 ### Leader Key
-- **Leader**: `<Space>`
+- **Leader**: `<Space>` (Fixed: was missing from config!)
 
 ### Core Navigation & Editing
 - `<Esc>` - Clear search highlights (in normal mode)
@@ -170,6 +170,16 @@ Navigation between occurrences:
 - `<Alt-n>` or `]]` - Next occurrence (if configured)
 - `<Alt-p>` or `[[` - Previous occurrence (if configured)
 
+### Visual Feedback
+- **Yank Highlighting** - Text flashes when yanked/copied (automatic)
+- **Cursor Line** - Current line is highlighted
+- **Search Highlighting** - Search results are highlighted (clear with `<Esc>`)
+
+### System Integration
+- **Clipboard** - System clipboard integration enabled (yank/paste works with OS)
+- **Mouse** - Full mouse support in all modes
+- **Undo** - Persistent undo history across sessions
+
 ### Which-Key Groups
 Groups that organize keybindings:
 - `<leader>c` - **[C]ode** operations
diff --git a/lua/core/autocmds.lua b/lua/core/autocmds.lua
index e69de29b..ec36a675 100644
--- a/lua/core/autocmds.lua
+++ b/lua/core/autocmds.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+-- [[ Basic Autocommands ]]
+-- See `:help lua-guide-autocommands`
+
+-- Highlight when yanking (copying) text
+-- Try it with `yap` in normal mode
+-- See `:help vim.hl.on_yank()`
+vim.api.nvim_create_autocmd('TextYankPost', {
+  desc = 'Highlight when yanking (copying) text',
+  group = vim.api.nvim_create_augroup('highlight-yank', { clear = true }),
+  callback = function()
+    vim.hl.on_yank()
+  end,
+})
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/lua/core/bootstrap.lua b/lua/core/bootstrap.lua
index 7420e268..e21b1f46 100644
--- a/lua/core/bootstrap.lua
+++ b/lua/core/bootstrap.lua
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 -- Lazy.nvim installation
 local lazypath = vim.fn.stdpath 'data' .. '/lazy/lazy.nvim'
-if not vim.loop.fs_stat(lazypath) then
+if not (vim.uv or vim.loop).fs_stat(lazypath) then
   vim.fn.system {
     'git',
     'clone',
diff --git a/lua/core/keymaps.lua b/lua/core/keymaps.lua
index f32998b0..495d79f0 100644
--- a/lua/core/keymaps.lua
+++ b/lua/core/keymaps.lua
@@ -1,6 +1,18 @@
 -- [[ Basic Keymaps ]]
 -- See `:help vim.keymap.set()`
 
+-- Clear search highlights with Escape in normal mode
+vim.keymap.set('n', '<Esc>', '<cmd>nohlsearch<CR>')
+
+-- Diagnostic keymaps
+vim.keymap.set('n', '<leader>q', vim.diagnostic.setloclist, { desc = 'Open diagnostic [Q]uickfix list' })
+
+-- Exit terminal mode with double Escape
+vim.keymap.set('t', '<Esc><Esc>', '<C-\\><C-n>', { desc = 'Exit terminal mode' })
+
+-- NOTE: Window navigation is handled by nvim-tmux-navigator plugin
+-- which provides seamless navigation between vim splits and tmux panes
+
 -- LSP reload function
 local function reload_lsp()
   local clients = vim.lsp.get_clients()
diff --git a/lua/core/options.lua b/lua/core/options.lua
index b3b15566..169b8309 100644
--- a/lua/core/options.lua
+++ b/lua/core/options.lua
@@ -1,22 +1,68 @@
+-- Set <space> as the leader key
+-- See `:help mapleader`
+-- NOTE: Must happen before plugins are loaded (otherwise wrong leader will be used)
+vim.g.mapleader = ' '
+vim.g.maplocalleader = ' '
+
 -- Place custom vim options here
 
 -- Set based on your font installation
 vim.g.have_nerd_font = true
 
--- Indentation settings
-vim.o.smartindent = true
-vim.o.autoindent = true
-vim.o.expandtab = true
-vim.o.tabstop = 2
-vim.o.shiftwidth = 2
-vim.o.softtabstop = 2
+-- [[ Essential Options from Kickstart ]]
+-- These MUST be set since we're not loading kickstart's defaults
 
--- Add any other custom vim.o or vim.g settings from your old config here
--- For example, if you changed defaults for:
--- vim.opt.number = true -- (Already default in kickstart)
--- vim.opt.mouse = 'a' -- (Already default in kickstart)
--- etc... Review the options section of your old init.lua and add any *changed* values here.
--- The kickstart defaults are generally sensible, so you might not need many overrides.
+-- Line numbers
+vim.opt.number = true
+vim.opt.relativenumber = true
+
+-- Mouse and interaction
+vim.opt.mouse = 'a' -- Enable mouse mode
+vim.opt.showmode = false -- Don't show mode since we have a statusline
+
+-- Clipboard - sync with system clipboard
+vim.opt.clipboard = 'unnamedplus'
+
+-- Indentation settings
+vim.opt.breakindent = true -- Enable break indent
+vim.opt.smartindent = true
+vim.opt.autoindent = true
+vim.opt.expandtab = true
+vim.opt.tabstop = 2
+vim.opt.shiftwidth = 2
+vim.opt.softtabstop = 2
+
+-- Save undo history
+vim.opt.undofile = true
+
+-- Search settings
+vim.opt.ignorecase = true -- Case insensitive searching
+vim.opt.smartcase = true -- Unless capital in search
+vim.opt.hlsearch = true -- Highlight search results
+
+-- Keep signcolumn on by default
+vim.opt.signcolumn = 'yes'
+
+-- Decrease update time
+vim.opt.updatetime = 250
+vim.opt.timeoutlen = 300 -- Time to wait for mapped sequence
+
+-- Configure how new splits should be opened
+vim.opt.splitright = true
+vim.opt.splitbelow = true
+
+-- Sets how neovim will display certain whitespace characters
+vim.opt.list = true
+vim.opt.listchars = { tab = '» ', trail = '·', nbsp = '␣' }
+
+-- Preview substitutions live
+vim.opt.inccommand = 'split'
+
+-- Show which line your cursor is on
+vim.opt.cursorline = true
+
+-- Minimal number of screen lines to keep above and below the cursor
+vim.opt.scrolloff = 10
 
 -- Function to check if running in a shared tmux session
 local function is_shared_tmux_session()