diff --git a/init.lua b/init.lua
index 5814654..07896a8 100644
--- a/init.lua
+++ b/init.lua
@@ -29,12 +29,12 @@
                   (c) Frank Zechert 2026
 ]]
 
--- enable loading of precompiled lua modules to improve startup time
-vim.loader.enable()
-
 vim.g.mapleader = " "
 vim.g.maplocalleader = " "
 
+-- enable loading of precompiled lua modules to improve startup time
+vim.loader.enable()
+
 -- load configuration
 require("config.ui")
 require("config.options")
diff --git a/lua/config/autocommands.lua b/lua/config/autocommands.lua
index cd38fa4..601eca1 100644
--- a/lua/config/autocommands.lua
+++ b/lua/config/autocommands.lua
@@ -62,6 +62,15 @@ create_cmd({"BufRead", "BufNewFile"}, {
 	end,
 })
 
+-- disable list chars in specific filetypes, e.g. netrw
+create_cmd({"FileType"}, {
+	desc = "Disable list chars for some filetypes",
+	pattern = { "netrw" },
+	callback = function(args)
+		vim.opt_local.list = false
+	end,
+})
+
 -- automatically remove trailing whitespace on save file
 create_cmd({"BufWritePre"}, {
 	desc = "Remove trailing whitespace when saving",
diff --git a/lua/config/keymaps.lua b/lua/config/keymaps.lua
index aff8838..3adb5fa 100644
--- a/lua/config/keymaps.lua
+++ b/lua/config/keymaps.lua
@@ -36,3 +36,67 @@ map("t", "<Esc><Esc>", "<C-\\><C-n>", { desc = "exit terminanl" })
 
 -- Pressing ESC removes search highlights
 map("n", "<Esc>", "<Cmd>nohlsearch<Cr>")
+
+-- Smart buffer switch (to alternative, previous, or next) if possible
+local function smart_buffer_switch(current)
+	local alternative = vim.fn.bufnr("#")
+
+	-- get all listed buffers
+	local buffers = vim.fn.getbufinfo({ buflisted = 1 })
+
+	-- find index of the current buffer
+	local current_index = nil
+	for index, buffer in ipairs(buffers) do
+		if buffer.bufnr == current then
+			current_index = i
+			break
+		end
+	end
+
+	-- try to switch to alternate buffer
+	if alternative > 0 and vim.fn.buflisted(alternative) == 1 and alternative ~= current then
+		vim.api.nvim_set_current_buf(alternative)
+	-- try to switch to previous buffer
+	elseif current_index and current_index > 1 then
+		vim.api.nvim_set_current_buf(buffers[current_index -1].bufnr)
+	-- try to switch to next buffer
+	elseif current_index and current_index < #buffers then
+		vim.api.nvim_set_current_buf(buffers[current_index + 1].bufnr)
+	end
+end
+
+local function smart_buffer_delete()
+	local current = vim.api.nvim_get_current_buf()
+	smart_buffer_switch(current)
+	-- delete current buffer
+	vim.cmd(":confirm bdelete " .. current)
+end
+map("n", "<leader>bd", smart_buffer_delete, { desc = "Close Current Buffer" })
+
+local function smart_buffer_wipeout()
+	local current = vim.api.nvim_get_current_buf()
+	smart_buffer_switch(current)
+	-- delete current buffer
+	vim.cmd(":confirm bwipeout " .. current)
+end
+map("n", "<leader>bw", smart_buffer_wipeout, { desc = "Wipeout Current Buffer" })
+
+local function delete_other_buffers()
+	local current = vim.api.nvim_get_current_buf()
+	for _, buffer in ipairs(vim.api.nvim_list_bufs()) do
+		if buffer ~= current and vim.bo[buffer].buflisted and not vim.bo[buffer].modified then
+			vim.api.nvim_buf_delete(buffer, {})
+		end
+	end
+end
+map("n", "<leader>bD", delete_other_buffers, { desc = "Close All Other Buffers" })
+
+local function wipeout_other_buffers()
+	local current = vim.api.nvim_get_current_buf()
+	for _, buffer in ipairs(vim.api.nvim_list_bufs()) do
+		if buffer ~= current and vim.bo[buffer].buflisted and not vim.bo[buffer].modified then
+			vim.cmd("bwipeout " .. buffer)
+		end
+	end
+end
+map("n", "<leader>bW", wipeout_other_buffers, { desc = "Wipeout All Other Buffers" })
diff --git a/lua/plugins/lualine.lua b/lua/plugins/lualine.lua
index 8bd32fe..79d8052 100644
--- a/lua/plugins/lualine.lua
+++ b/lua/plugins/lualine.lua
@@ -128,6 +128,28 @@ return {
 				lualine_y = {},
 				lualine_z = {},
 			}
+		},
+		keys = {
+			{ "<leader>b1", "<Cmd>:LualineBuffersJump! 1<CR>", desc = "Show Buffer 1" },
+			{ "<leader>b2", "<Cmd>:LualineBuffersJump! 2<CR>", desc = "Show Buffer 2" },
+			{ "<leader>b3", "<Cmd>:LualineBuffersJump! 3<CR>", desc = "Show Buffer 3" },
+			{ "<leader>b4", "<Cmd>:LualineBuffersJump! 4<CR>", desc = "Show Buffer 4" },
+			{ "<leader>b5", "<Cmd>:LualineBuffersJump! 5<CR>", desc = "Show Buffer 5" },
+			{ "<leader>b6", "<Cmd>:LualineBuffersJump! 6<CR>", desc = "Show Buffer 6" },
+			{ "<leader>b7", "<Cmd>:LualineBuffersJump! 7<CR>", desc = "Show Buffer 7" },
+			{ "<leader>b8", "<Cmd>:LualineBuffersJump! 8<CR>", desc = "Show Buffer 8" },
+			{ "<leader>b9", "<Cmd>:LualineBuffersJump! 9<CR>", desc = "Show Buffer 9" },
+			{ "<leader>b0", "<Cmd>:LualineBuffersJump! 10<CR>", desc = "Show Buffer 10" },
+			{
+				"<leader>bb",
+				function()
+					local index = tonumber(vim.fn.input("Jump to Buffer: "))
+					if index then
+						vim.cmd("LualineBuffersJump! " .. index)
+					end
+				end,
+				desc = "Show Buffer ?"
+			},
 		}
 	}
 }
diff --git a/lua/plugins/whichkey.lua b/lua/plugins/whichkey.lua
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c2722ff
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lua/plugins/whichkey.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+--[[
+
+⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢀⣠⣴⣾⣷⣦⣄⡀
+⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢀⣠⣴⣾⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣷⣦⣄⡀
+⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢀⣠⣴⣾⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣷⣦⣄⡀
+⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⡀⠚⢿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡿⠗⢀
+⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣀⣤⣄⡉⠓⠦⣌⡙⠻⢿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡿⠟⢋⣡⠴⠚⢉⣠⣤⣀
+⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣤⣶⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣷⣦⣄⡉⠓⠦⣌⡙⠻⢿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡿⠟⢋⣡⠴⠚⢉⣠⣴⣾⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣶⣤
+⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠐⣦⣄⡉⠛⠿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣷⣦⣄⡉⠓⠦⣌⡙⠻⠟⢋⣡⠴⠚⢉⣠⣴⣾⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠿⠛⢉⣠⣴⠂
+⠀⠀⠀⠀⢀⣠⣴⣆⡈⠻⢿⣿⣷⣦⣄⡉⠛⠿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣷⣦⣄⡉⠃⠘⢉⣠⣴⣾⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠿⠛⢉⣠⣴⣾⣿⡿⠟⢁⣰⣦⣄⡀
+⠀⠀⠐⠾⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣷⣦⣌⡙⠻⢿⣿⣷⣦⣄⡉⠛⠿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣷⣾⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠿⠛⢉⣠⣴⣾⣿⡿⠟⢋⣡⣴⣾⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠷⠂
+⠀⢸⣷⣦⣄⡉⠛⠿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣷⣦⣌⡙⠻⢿⣿⣷⣦⣄⡉⠛⠿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠿⠛⢉⣠⣴⣾⣿⡿⠟⢋⣡⣴⣾⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠿⠛⢉⣠⣴⣾⡇
+⠀⢸⣿⣿⣿⣿⣷⣦⣄⡉⠛⠿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣷⣦⣌⡙⠻⢿⣿⣷⣦⣄⡉⠛⠿⠿⠛⢉⣠⣴⣾⣿⡿⠟⢋⣡⣴⣾⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠿⠛⢉⣠⣴⣾⣿⣿⣿⣿⡇
+⠀⠀⠉⠛⠿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣷⣦⣄⡉⠛⠿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣷⣦⣌⡙⠻⢿⣿⣷⡆⢰⣾⣿⡿⠟⢋⣡⣴⣾⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠿⠛⢉⣠⣴⣾⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠿⠛⠉
+⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠉⠛⠿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣷⣦⣄⡉⠛⠿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣷⣦⣌⡙⠃⠘⢋⣡⣴⣾⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠿⠛⢉⣠⣴⣾⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠿⠛⠉
+⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠉⠛⠿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣷⣦⣄⡉⠛⠿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣷⣾⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠿⠛⢉⣠⣴⣾⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠿⠛⠉
+⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠉⠛⠿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣷⣦⣄⡉⠛⠿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠿⠛⢉⣠⣴⣾⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠿⠛⠉
+⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠉⠛⠿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣷⣦⣄⡉⢉⣠⣴⣾⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠿⠛⠉
+⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠉⠛⠿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡇⢸⣿⣿⣿⣿⠿⠛⠉
+⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠉⠛⠿⡇⢸⠿⠛⠉
+
+              __             _             _
+             / _|___     ___| |_ __ _  ___| | __
+            | ||_  /____/ __| __/ _` |/ __| |/ /
+            |  _/ /_____\__ \ || (_| | (__|   <
+            |_|/___|    |___/\__\__,_|\___|_|\_\
+
+                Neovim 0.12 configuration
+                  (c) Frank Zechert 2026
+]]
+
+return {
+	{
+		"folke/which-key.nvim",
+		dependencies = {
+			{ "nvim-mini/mini.icons" },
+			{ "nvim-tree/nvim-web-devicons" },
+		},
+		event = "VeryLazy",
+		opts = {
+			preset = "modern",
+			spec = {
+				{ "<leader>b", group = "Buffers" },
+			},
+		},
+		keys = {
+			{
+				"<leader>?",
+				function()
+					require("which-key").show({ global = false })
+				end,
+				desc = "Buffer Local Keymaps"
+			},
+		}
+	}
+}