snip

snip stores shell commands as templates with {{placeholders}}, then resolves and runs them with the changing parts supplied as key=value arguments or filled in interactively. The fully-resolved command is shown for confirmation before it runs, and the last value used for each variable is remembered as the next default.

Install

With Go (recommended):

go install github.com/54L1M/snip@latest   # or @v0.2.0 for a specific release

The binary is installed to $(go env GOPATH)/bin (or $GOBIN) as snip; make sure that directory is on your PATH. The version is taken from the release tag automatically.

From source:

make build          # -> ./bin/snip
make install        # builds the latest git tag into /usr/local/bin (needs a tag)
make install-config # writes ~/.config/snip/.snip

Usage

# Save a snippet (mark changing parts with {{...}})
snip add deploy --cmd 'docker run -d --name {{app}} \
  -p {{port}}:8080 -e ENV={{env}} \
  registry.example.com/{{app}}:{{tag}}' -d "Run a service container"

# Or start from the last command you ran: it opens in your editor so you can
# swap the changing parts for {{placeholders}}, then it's saved.
snip add deploy --last

# Run it: pass what you know, get prompted for the rest (defaults pre-filled)
snip run deploy app=web tag=1.4.2

# Pick interactively and fill everything in a form
snip run

# Print the resolved command without running it
snip run deploy app=web tag=1.4.2 --print

# Manage
snip ls
snip show deploy
snip edit deploy
snip rm deploy

# Share (see below)
snip export deploy -o deploy.json
snip import deploy.json

By default snip run shows the resolved command and asks Run this? [y/N] before executing. Pass -y to skip the prompt, or set AUTO_CONFIRM=true in ~/.config/snip/.snip.

snip add --last

--last reads your shell history file ($HISTFILE, else ~/.zsh_history or ~/.bash_history based on $SHELL), grabs the most recent command — skipping snip invocations so it never captures itself — and opens it in your editor so you can turn the changing parts into {{placeholders}}. It understands zsh EXTENDED_HISTORY, bash HISTTIMEFORMAT timestamps, and multi-line commands.

Note: by default zsh only writes history to the file when the shell exits, so --last may see an older command than the one you just ran. Enable immediate writes with setopt INC_APPEND_HISTORY (or SHARE_HISTORY, which oh-my-zsh turns on) in your ~/.zshrc. bash users: history is written on exit unless PROMPT_COMMAND='history -a' is set.

Sharing snippets

snip export writes snippets as JSON that snip import reads back, so you can hand commands to a teammate or move them between machines. share is an alias for export.

# Pick snippets from a checklist (space toggles, a toggles all, enter confirms)
snip export

# Or name them, or take everything
snip export deploy deploy-worker
snip export --all

# Output goes to stdout by default, or to a file with -o
snip export --all | bat -l json
snip export deploy -o deploy.json

By default a snippet is exported as its template: {{placeholders}} stay in place and your last-used values are left out. To share the full command instead, pass --resolve: each placeholder is filled with the value you used last, and you're prompted for any that have none. Give key=value arguments to choose the values yourself (this implies --resolve):

snip export deploy --resolve                 # with last-used values
snip export deploy ns=staging hash=abc1234   # with values you choose

For pasting into a chat rather than importing, --format sh writes a plain shell script instead of JSON: each command under a # name: description comment. Scripts can't be imported back.

snip export deploy deploy-worker --resolve --format sh

Importing adds every snippet in the file, or just the ones you name, or lets you pick with --select. Names you already have are skipped unless you pass --force. Reading from stdin works with - or when the file is omitted:

snip import deploy.json
snip import deploy.json deploy          # only this one
snip import deploy.json --select        # pick from a checklist
pbpaste | snip import                   # from the clipboard
snip import deploy.json --force         # overwrite existing names

A ~/.config/snip/snippets.json backup is valid import input too.

Configuration

snip setup writes ~/.config/snip/.snip:

Key	Meaning
EDITOR	Editor for snip add (no --cmd) and snip edit. Falls back to $EDITOR, $VISUAL, then vi.
AUTO_CONFIRM	true skips the run confirmation prompt.

Snippets are stored in ~/.config/snip/snippets.json.

Shell completion

snip ships completion scripts. Beyond subcommands and flags, run, show, edit, and rm complete your saved snippet names, and snip run <name> then completes the remaining var= placeholders.

# zsh — load on each shell
echo 'source <(snip completion zsh)' >> ~/.zshrc
# zsh — or install once into your fpath
snip completion zsh > "${fpath[1]}/_snip"

# bash
echo 'source <(snip completion bash)' >> ~/.bashrc

# fish
snip completion fish > ~/.config/fish/completions/snip.fish

(zsh also needs autoload -U compinit && compinit in ~/.zshrc if you don't already have it.)

Stack

cobra + viper + charm (bubbletea / bubbles / lipgloss).

License

MIT