zbr

zbr is a tool for managing auto-expanding abbreviations for ZSH. With the default configuration, typing gcoSpace into ZSH results in git checkout ; the abbreviation is expanded in place. Don't want an abbreviation to expand? Just use CtrlSpace instead.

Quoting from the README of zsh-abbr:

Why? Like aliases, abbreviations save keystrokes. Unlike aliases, abbreviations can leave you with a transparently understandable command history ready for using on a different computer or sharing with a colleague. And where aliases can let you forget the full command, abbreviations may help you learn the full command even as you type the shortened version.

Features

Extraction

zbr supports extracting abbreviations from command-line tools. Running

zbr extract cargo conf/cargo.toml

generates a configuration file that contains all of the following abbreviations and more!

cg --> cargo
cg -e --> cargo --explain
cg -f --> cargo --frozen
cg -h --> cargo --help
...
cga --> cargo add
cgb --> cargo build
cgbe --> cargo bench
cgc --> cargo check
...
cargo -e --> cargo --explain
cargo -f --> cargo --frozen
cargo -h --> cargo --help
...
cargo a --> cargo add
cargo b --> cargo build
cargo be --> cargo bench
cargo c --> cargo check
...

Discoverability

zbr will also show you abbreviations as you type, typing git s will display applicable abbreviations just below the command prompt:

git s --> git status
git see --> git send-email
git sep --> git send-pack
...

Smart abbreviations

zbr detects the build system of the project you're working on, and creates the abbreviations b for "build", r for "run", and t for "test". For example, when working in a directory with a Cargo.toml, zbr will use the abbreviations

b --> cargo build
r --> cargo run
t --> cargo test

but when working on a Haskell project, cargo would be replace by cabal.

Unique prefixes for subcommands

In addition to pithy abbreviations like gsu --> git submodule, zbr abbreviates all uniquely identifying prefixes of subcommands. For example, it will automatically abbreviate

git sub --> git submodule
git subm --> git submodule
git submo --> git submodule

and so on, meaning you can just press Space at any point to expand to the full subcommand name.

Documentation

Documentation is available online at https://langston-barrett.github.io/zbr/, or locally in doc/.

Related tools

• zsh-abbr is quite similar, but doesn't support extracting abbreviations nor contextual abbreviations.
• zabrze is quite similar, but doesn't support extracting abbreviations