Bash-it – Bash Framework to Control Your Scripts and Aliases

As a developer, you might find yourself using command line interface (CLI) quite often. CLI allows you to interact with your computer through a terminal window and run commands to perform tasks. One of most popular shells used in CLI is Bash shell. Bash is a powerful tool, but it can be overwhelming to manage your scripts, aliases, and functions. This is where Bash-it comes in.

Bash-it is a framework for managing your Bash configuration files. It provides a collection of scripts, aliases, and functions that you can use to customize your Bash environment. With Bash-it, you can easily control your scripts and aliases, making your workflow more efficient and productive.

Getting Started with Bash-it

To get started with Bash-it, you first need to install it. easiest way to install Bash-it is to use Git version control system. If you don't have Git installed on your computer, you can download it from Git website.

Once you have Git installed, open a terminal window and enter following command −

git clone --depth=1 https://github.com/Bash-it/bash-it.git ~/.bash_it

This command will download Bash-it repository and install it in your home directory (~/.bash_it).

Next, you need to activate Bash-it. To do this, open your Bash configuration file, which is usually located in your home directory, and add following lines at end of file −

# Load Bash-it
source "$HOME/.bash_it/bash_it.sh"

Save file and exit. Now, when you open a new terminal window, Bash-it will be activated.

Customizing Your Bash Environment with Bash-it

Bash-it comes with a collection of scripts, aliases, and functions that you can use to customize your Bash environment. These include everything from color schemes and prompt styles to Git aliases and custom commands.

To view available Bash-it components, enter following command −

bash-it show

This will display a list of all available components. You can enable or disable these components by using bash-it enable and bash-it disable commands followed by component name.

For example, to enable Git plugin, enter following command −

bash-it enable plugin git

This will enable Git plugin, which provides a collection of aliases and functions for working with Git repositories.

To customize your Bash prompt, you can use bash-it theme command followed by name of theme. Bash-it comes with a variety of themes, including popular "powerline" theme.

For example, to use "powerline" theme, enter following command −

bash-it theme set powerline

This will change your Bash prompt to powerline style, which displays your current directory, Git branch, and other information in a clear and concise format.

Creating Your Own Aliases and Functions

One of most powerful features of Bash-it is ability to create your own aliases and functions. Aliases are shorthand commands that allow you to execute longer commands with just a few keystrokes. Functions, on other hand, are more complex commands that can take arguments and perform multiple tasks.

To create an alias, use alias command followed by name of alias and command you want to execute. For example, to create an alias for "ls" command that displays hidden files, enter following command −

alias l='ls -la'

Now, when you enter "l" command, it will execute "ls -la" command.

To create a function, use function command followed by name of function and commands you want to execute. For example, to create a function that searches for a file in a directory and displays results, enter following command −

function findfile() {
   find $1 -name $2 | xargs ls -la
}

This function takes two arguments: directory to search in and filename to search for. It uses "find" command to search for file and "ls -la" command to display results.

Once you've created your aliases and functions, you can save them in a separate file and source them in your Bash configuration file. This makes it easy to manage your customizations and keep them separate from default Bash-it components.

Customizing Your Bash Prompt

Your Bash prompt can provide a lot of useful information, such as current directory, Git branch, and user information. Bash-it comes with many pre-built themes, but you can also customize your prompt to your liking.

Here's an example of a custom prompt that displays current directory, Git branch, and username −

function custom_prompt() {
   local dir=$(pwd | sed -e "s,$HOME,~,")
   local git_branch=$(git rev-parse --abbrev-ref HEAD 2> /dev/null)
   local user=$(whoami)
   PS1='
\u @ \h [\W]
'
   if [ -n "$git_branch" ]; then
      PS1="$PS1""$dir""
""$git_branch"
   else
      PS1="$PS1""$dir"
   fi
   PS1="$PS1""
\[\e[1;32m\]\$ \[\e[0m\]"
}

PROMPT_COMMAND='custom_prompt'

This prompt displays username, hostname, and current directory on first line, and Git branch (if available) on second line. prompt ends with a green dollar sign ($) symbol.

Managing Your Bash Configuration

As you start customizing your Bash environment with Bash-it, you may want to keep track of your changes and manage your Bash configuration files. Here are some tips −

Create a separate file for your custom aliases and functions and source it in your Bash configuration file −

# In ~/.bashrc
source "$HOME/.bash_it/custom-aliases-and-functions.sh"

Use version control (e.g., Git) to manage your Bash configuration files and changes −

# In your Bash-it directory
git init
git add .
git commit -m "Initial Bash-it configuration"

Share your Bash-it configuration with others by creating a public repository on GitHub or a similar platform.

Additional Tips and Tricks to Get Most Out of Bash-it

Use Auto-Completion

Bash-it provides auto-completion for many commands, including Git, npm, and SSH. Auto-completion can save you time and reduce errors by completing commands and arguments for you. To enable auto-completion, use bash-it enable completion command followed by component name.

For example, to enable Git auto-completion, enter following command −

bash-it enable completion git

Now, when you press Ctrl+e, Bash-it will execute ls -la command.

Customize Your Key Bindings

Bash-it allows you to customize your key bindings, which can be useful for executing complex commands or navigating your command history. To customize your key bindings, use bind command followed by key and command you want to execute.

For example, to bind Ctrl+e key to execute ls -la command, enter following command −

bind -x '"\C-e":"ls -la"'

Now, when you press Ctrl+e, Bash-it will execute ls -la command.

Use Bash-It Plugins

Bash-it provides a wide range of plugins that extend functionality of Bash shell. Some useful plugins include −

aws − Provides aliases and functions for working with Amazon Web Services (AWS).

docker − Provides aliases and functions for working with Docker containers.

nvm − Provides aliases and functions for working with Node Version Manager (NVM).

To enable a Bash-it plugin, use bash-it enable plugin command followed by plugin name.

For example, to enable AWS plugin, enter following command −

bash-it enable plugin aws

Now, you can use AWS aliases and functions provided by plugin.

Use Bash-It Helpers

Bash-it provides a collection of helpers that simplify common tasks in Bash shell. Some useful helpers include −

mkcd − Creates a new directory and navigates to it in one command.

git-root − Navigates to root directory of current Git repository.

extract − Extracts compressed files (e.g., tar, zip) with one command.

To use a Bash-it helper, simply enter name of helper followed by any required arguments.

For example, to use mkcd helper to create a new directory called myproject and navigate to it, enter following command −

mkcd myproject

Now, you are in myproject directory.

Conclusion

Bash-it is a powerful tool that can help you control your scripts and aliases in Bash shell. With Bash-it, you can easily customize your Bash environment, create your own aliases and functions, and streamline your workflow.

In this article, we covered basics of getting started with Bash-it, customizing your Bash environment with Bash-it components, and creating your own aliases and functions. We hope this has given you a good starting point for exploring many possibilities of Bash-it.

Remember, Bash-it is just one tool in your toolkit as a developer. Don't be afraid to experiment and find tools and workflows that work best for you. Happy coding!