Building Shell Tools

[Sequoia]

• arg parsing & libs for this
• switches aliases etc.
• designing to work with pipes
• sub-commands
• packaging for global install
• output stuff: colors, tables, progress bars
• taking input

[martinheidegger]

👍

[grabbou]

https://github.com/SBoudrias/Inquirer.js/ This might be also useful to cover but actually might be a part of completely another workshop.. e.g "Building interactive shell applications". Can cover this chapter just in case you think it's worth including.

[Sequoia]

ty @grabbou I will check it out!

[Sequoia]

@grabbou what do you mean about "can cover this chapter"? What chapter? Sorry I don't follow! 😸

[Sequoia]

@grabbou Thanks that lib looks awesome!! I had been using https://github.com/flatiron/prompt which appears to be completely derelict & afaict it's popularity rests on the fact that it took the name "prompt" in npm before anyone else could so it's "NPM SEO" is really good. Glad to have found its successor, or one of them!

[grabbou]

Sorry, I think I've eaten out "I" from that sentence :D Yeah, never heard of it before.. but having short yet obvious name can produce lots of traffic in the repo hah!

I am with Inquier just because it's powering Yeoman generators since the very beginning so at least stability is guaranteed.

[Sequoia]

@grabbou oh cool thanks!! Let me get the ball rolling first, I have a fairly clear plan of how I want the workshopper to go... I'll share the google doc at you & you can add comments/edit suggestions there if you're interested!

[grabbou]

Yeah, cool. I've started doing my own recently and never expected it to be such a fun! Definitely, you can share the docs either here or via email and if only you want - you can count me in!

[martinheidegger]

Missing topics:

• Shell auto-complete
• Man pages

[Sequoia]

Heyyy @grabbou... old pal! I love your avi by the way 😉

j/k but in seriousness I'd totally love to take you up on your offer of help for CLIJS! I have sort of an aggressive timeline for a first release (about April 10) & I'm a little more than 1/2 way there. Not all the lessons I have slated are totally necessary but I have an idea for a core set.

See the slated lessons here: https://github.com/Sequoia/clijs/labels/Lesson

If you have ideas for new ones, add a ticket for discussion! If you can knock out one of those tickets (especially those that say help wanted especially especially those that say help wanted and priority) please go for it!

TIA & I look forward to collaborating with you and whoever else is willing & able!

[grabbou]

Hey haha, thanks. checkered shirt for the win 👍

Been a crazy week for me recently but I am available to release few lessons for your workshop! (After we're done, don't forget to help me with my EventEmitter one I am still somewhere at the beginning!)

Will check out the repo later today and let you know what I think and what lessons I can collaborate on.

[Sequoia]

@grabbou yes! totally will help with your workshop. thx again!! 🎉

[grabbou]

Thanks :) Crazy days as I am setting up the chapter in my city now, but will get back to you within couple of days.