diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 592b768e..86069bd2 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
 - [x] add / rename / delete file in directory
 - [ ] update tree when altering the FS
 
-- [ ] syntax highlighting
+- [x] syntax highlighting
 - [ ] simple git integration (color of file changing when staged/changed)
 
 - [ ] quickly find file in the directory structure
@@ -25,3 +25,4 @@
 - [ ] handle permissions properly (TODO: display error on Read access denied)
 - [ ] buffer / window should always stay on the left and never change size (open a file with only the tree open to reproduce this bug)
 - [ ] buffer / window should not disappear when only the tree is opened
+
diff --git a/lua/lib/format.lua b/lua/lib/format.lua
index d9c1e323..8ed7f663 100644
--- a/lua/lib/format.lua
+++ b/lua/lib/format.lua
@@ -23,7 +23,9 @@ end
 local function dev_icons(pathname, isdir, open)
     if isdir == true then return default_icons(pathname, isdir, open) end
 
-    return api.nvim_call_function('WebDevIconsGetFileTypeSymbol', { pathname, isdir }) .. " "
+    local icon = api.nvim_call_function('WebDevIconsGetFileTypeSymbol', { pathname, isdir })
+    if icon == "" then return "" end
+    return icon  .. " "
 end
 
 local function get_icon_func_gen()
@@ -51,6 +53,67 @@ local function format_tree(tree)
     return dirs
 end
 
+local HIGHLIGHT_GROUPS = {
+    ['^.*%.md$'] = 'MarkdownFile';
+    ['^LICENSE$'] = 'LicenseFile';
+    ['^.*%.vim$'] = 'VimFile';
+    ['^.*%.c$'] = 'CFile';
+    ['^.*%.cpp$'] = 'CFile';
+    ['^.*%.cxx$'] = 'CFile';
+    ['^.*%.h$'] = 'CFile';
+    ['^.*%.hpp$'] = 'CFile';
+    ['^.*%.py$'] = 'PythonFile';
+    ['^.*%.lua$'] = 'LuaFile';
+    ['^.*%.rs$'] = 'RustFile';
+    ['^.*%.sh$'] = 'ShellFile';
+    ['^.*%.zsh$'] = 'ShellFile';
+    ['^.*%.csh$'] = 'ShellFile';
+    ['^.*%.rs$'] = 'RustFile';
+    ['^.*%.js$'] = 'JavascriptFile';
+    ['^.*%.json$'] = 'JsonFile';
+    ['^.*%.toml$'] = 'TomlFile';
+    ['^.*%.yml$'] = 'YamlFile';
+    ['^.*%.gitignore$'] = 'GitignoreFile';
+    ['^.*%.ts$'] = 'TypescriptFile';
+    ['^.*%.jsx$'] = 'ReactFile';
+    ['^.*%.tsx$'] = 'ReactFile';
+    ['^.*%.html?$'] = 'HtmlFile';
+    ['^.*%.png$'] = 'ImageFile';
+    ['^.*%.jpe?g$'] = 'ImageFile';
+}
+
+local function highlight_line(buffer)
+    local function highlight(group, line, from, to)
+        vim.api.nvim_buf_add_highlight(buffer, -1, group, line, from, to)
+    end
+    return function(line, node)
+        local text_start = node.depth * 2 + 4
+        if node.dir then
+            if node.name ~= '..' then
+                highlight('LuaTreeFolderIcon', line, 0, text_start)
+                highlight('LuaTreeFolderName', line, text_start, -1)
+            else
+                highlight('LuaTreeFolderName', line, 0, -1)
+            end
+        else
+            for k, v in pairs(HIGHLIGHT_GROUPS) do
+                if string.match(node.name, k) ~= nil then
+                    highlight('LuaTree' .. v, line, 0, text_start)
+                    break
+                end
+            end
+        end
+    end
+end
+
+local function highlight_buffer(buffer, tree)
+    local highlight = highlight_line(buffer)
+    for i, node in pairs(tree) do
+        highlight(i - 1, node)
+    end
+end
+
 return {
     format_tree = format_tree;
+    highlight_buffer = highlight_buffer;
 }
diff --git a/lua/tree.lua b/lua/tree.lua
index 9ad2a682..815befb9 100644
--- a/lua/tree.lua
+++ b/lua/tree.lua
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 local lib_file = require 'lib/file'
 local format = require 'lib/format'.format_tree
+local highlight = require 'lib/format'.highlight_buffer
 
 local api = vim.api
 local function syslist(v) return api.nvim_call_function('systemlist', { v }) end
@@ -143,6 +144,7 @@ local function update_view(update_cursor)
 
     api.nvim_buf_set_option(buf, 'modifiable', true)
     api.nvim_buf_set_lines(buf, 0, -1, false, format(Tree))
+    highlight(buf, Tree)
     api.nvim_buf_set_option(buf, 'modifiable', false)
 
     if update_cursor == true then
diff --git a/plugin/tree.vim b/plugin/tree.vim
index 06c8cc0b..cab011c7 100644
--- a/plugin/tree.vim
+++ b/plugin/tree.vim
@@ -6,10 +6,31 @@ set cpo&vim
 hi def link LuaTreePopup Normal
 hi def LuaTreeEndOfBuffer guifg=bg
 
+execute 'hi def LuaTreeFolderName guifg='.g:terminal_color_4.' gui=bold'
+execute 'hi def LuaTreeFolderIcon guifg='.g:terminal_color_11
+
+execute 'hi def LuaTreeLicenseFile guifg='.g:terminal_color_3
+execute 'hi def LuaTreeMarkdownFile guifg='.g:terminal_color_5
+execute 'hi def LuaTreeImageFile guifg='.g:terminal_color_5
+execute 'hi def LuaTreeYamlFile guifg='.g:terminal_color_3
+execute 'hi def LuaTreeTomlFile guifg='.g:terminal_color_3
+execute 'hi def LuaTreeGitignoreFile guifg='.g:terminal_color_3
+execute 'hi def LuaTreeJsonFile guifg='.g:terminal_color_3
+
+hi def LuaTreeLuaFile guifg=#2947b1
+execute 'hi def LuaTreePythonFile guifg='.g:terminal_color_2
+execute 'hi def LuaTreeShellFile guifg='.g:terminal_color_2
+execute 'hi def LuaTreeJavascriptFile guifg='.g:terminal_color_3
+execute 'hi def LuaTreeCFile guifg='.g:terminal_color_4
+execute 'hi def LuaTreeReactFile guifg='.g:terminal_color_14
+execute 'hi def LuaTreeHtmlFile guifg='.g:terminal_color_11
+execute 'hi def LuaTreeRustFile guifg='.g:terminal_color_11
+execute 'hi def LuaTreeVimFile guifg='.g:terminal_color_10
+execute 'hi def LuaTreeTypescriptFile guifg='.g:terminal_color_12
+
 command! LuaTree lua require'tree'.toggle()
 
 let &cpo = s:save_cpo
 unlet s:save_cpo
 
 let g:loaded_tree = 1
-