Kinctx

kinctx is a terminal-first command library for the snippets you keep rewriting, re-Googling, or forgetting.

It lets you store commands in a local SQLite database, search them with fzf, fill in placeholder values when needed, and execute the final command directly from your terminal.

Usage First

Command overview

kin init
kin add
kin list
kin search
kin rm
kin help

kin init

Initializes the local SQLite database used to store your commands.

Run this once before adding, listing, searching, or deleting snippets:

kin init

kin add

Adds a command to your kin store.

You can add commands in two ways:

1. Pipe a command in

echo 'docker logs -f ${CONTAINER:=api}' | kin add

echo 'sudo systemctl restart NetworkManager' | kin add

2. Open your editor

kin add

When no stdin is piped in, kinctx opens your $EDITOR. If $EDITOR is not set, it falls back to nano.

This is the best option for:

• multi-line commands
• long commands with many flags
• commands with placeholders

Example multi-line snippet:

kubectl rollout restart deployment/${DEPLOYMENT:=api-server} \
  -n ${NAMESPACE:=default} && \
kubectl rollout status deployment/${DEPLOYMENT:=api-server} -n ${NAMESPACE:=default}

kin list

Lists all saved commands in a styled table, along with usage count and creation date.

kin list

kin search

Opens an interactive fzf picker so you can find a saved command, fill placeholders, and run it.

kin search

Workflow:

1. fzf shows your saved commands.
2. You select one.
3. kinctx detects placeholders like ${BRANCH:=main}.
4. It prompts you for values.
5. It substitutes the values and executes the final command.

kinctx is smart enough to detect if your command doesn't have any placeholder synatx and runs it directly.

kin rm

Deletes one or more saved commands using a multi-select fzf screen.

kin rm

Use Tab to mark multiple entries, then press Enter to delete them.

How To Use Stored Commands

Static commands

A static command has no placeholders:

echo 'ss -tuln' | kin add
kin search

Selecting it executes ss -tuln immediately.

Dynamic commands

A dynamic command includes placeholders:

echo 'git checkout ${BRANCH:=main}' | kin add
kin search

When selected, kinctx prompts for BRANCH. If you accept the default, it runs:

git checkout main

Placeholder Syntax

kinctx uses a placeholder format inspired by shell parameter expansion:

${NAME}
${NAME:=default}

Supported placeholder keys must look like:

[a-zA-Z_][a-zA-Z0-9_]*

What it means

${NAME}

Prompt the user for a value with no default.

Example:

echo 'ssh ${HOST}' | kin add

When you run it through kin search, you will be asked for HOST.

${NAME:=default}

Prompt the user for a value, but prefill a default.

Example:

echo 'git checkout ${BRANCH:=main}' | kin add

If you press enter without changing it, main is used.

In a normal shell, parameter expansion is handled by the shell itself. In kinctx, the syntax is used as a templating format before execution.

That means:

• kinctx detects placeholders in the saved text
• it asks you for values interactively
• it replaces the placeholders with the values you entered
• it then executes the finished command

Important difference:

kinctx is not implementing full shell expansion. It supports the placeholder pattern above, not the full shell parameter expansion language.

What is not supported

These are not currently part of kinctx placeholder parsing:

${VAR:-default}
${VAR:+alt}
${VAR?message}
${#VAR}
${VAR%suffix}
${VAR/pattern/repl}

If you want shell logic like that, wrap the command in a shell explicitly:

echo 'bash -lc '\''echo ${VAR:-fallback}'\''' | kin add

Install And Run

Requirements

• Go
• fzf

Build locally

go build -o kin .

Then run:

./kin init

Troubleshooting

no such table: snippets or table doesn't exist

Run:

kin init

This is the most important setup step. kinctx init creates the SQLite table used by the app. If you skip it, commands like add, list, search, or rm can fail because the database file may exist but the snippets table has not been created yet.

fzf is missing

search and rm depend on fzf.

Check:

fzf --version

If it is not installed, install fzf and try again.

I cannot add an empty command

That is expected. kinctx rejects blank or whitespace-only input.

My placeholder syntax is rejected

Check for:

• an unclosed ${
• an empty key like ${}
• malformed text like ${:=}

Valid examples:

${HOST}
${BRANCH:=main}
${NAMESPACE:=default}

Duplicate command error

The store keeps commands unique. If you try to add the exact same command twice, kinctx rejects it.

Storage

kinctx stores its SQLite database under your user config directory:

$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/kinctx/sqlite-database.db

On systems without XDG_CONFIG_HOME, this resolves through Go's user config directory behavior for your platform.

License

MIT. See LICENSE.