i the abstraction over all package managers

i stands for install. You can use i to install any software via any package manager.

TL;DR i is an abstraction over all other package managers available on Linux/MacOS.

This software is a work in progress - WIP - a.k.a It is not done yet.

Why ?

If you used to apt or brew, and need to use dnf or swupd it is hard sometimes. But if you use i, it will be always the same.

Install 'i'

build the project from source

# grab deps/libs, then build the binary/executable and call it 'i'
go mod tidy && go build -o i .

# run the program
./i

latest GitHub release binary

TODO: create a simple Bash script to get the latest binary/executable from GitHub releases and install it and add it to the PATH.

i wizard

• search for the_term
• show search results
• choose the package/app/program
• use default package manager for the distro, or suggest another one to the user to choose (install via blah-blah or do not install blah-blah-app).
• run the needed commands, give realtime feedback to user.

Available As

• CLI : i vim to istall vim.
• GUI : vim then click search.

Plan: commands

command	meaning
i search x	search for x
i install x	install x
i add x	install x
i uninstall x	uninstall x
i remove x	uninstall x
i reinstall x	uninstall x, then install it
i info x	show info about x
i upgrade x	upgrade x to the newer version if available
i update x	upgrade x to the newer version if available
i up x	upgrade x to the newer version if available
i upgrade	upgrade all to the newer version if available
i update	upgrade all to the newer version if available
i up	upgrade all to the newer version if available
i updateable	list all upgradeable apps/programs
i updatable	list all upgradeable apps/programs
i upgradeable	list all upgradeable apps/programs
i upgradable	list all upgradeable apps/programs

* updating the local index of packages is always run first. No need to run it manually.

$ i search x # search for x
searching for x ...

$ i install x # install x
installing x ...

$ i add x # install x
installing x ...

$ i uninstall x # uninstall x
uninstalling x ...

$ i remove x # uninstall x
uninstalling x ...

$ i reinstall x # uninstall x, then install it
uninstalling x ... DONE
installing x ... DONE

$ i info x # show info about x
x is blah blah blah

$ i upgrade x # upgrade x to the newer version if available
upgrading x from v1.0.0 to v1.1.0

$ i update x # upgrade x to the newer version if available
upgrading x from v1.0.0 to v1.1.0

$ i up x # upgrade x to the newer version if available
upgrading x from v1.0.0 to v1.1.0

$ i upgrade # upgrade all to the newer version if available
upgrading x from v1.0.0 to v1.1.0
upgrading y from v0.1.0 to v0.6.0
upgrading z from v1.3.0 to v1.3.2

$ i update # upgrade all to the newer version if available
upgrading x from v1.0.0 to v1.1.0
upgrading y from v0.1.0 to v0.6.0
upgrading z from v1.3.0 to v1.3.2


$ i up # upgrade all to the newer version if available
upgrading x from v1.0.0 to v1.1.0
upgrading y from v0.1.0 to v0.6.0
upgrading z from v1.3.0 to v1.3.2

$ i updateable # list all upgradeable apps/programs
x v1.2.1 >> v1.2.2
y v0.5.1 >> v1.0.2
z v1.2.3 >> v2.0.0

$ i updatable # list all upgradeable apps/programs
x v1.2.1 >> v1.2.2
y v0.5.1 >> v1.0.2
z v1.2.3 >> v2.0.0

$ i upgradeable # list all upgradeable apps/programs
x v1.2.1 >> v1.2.2
y v0.5.1 >> v1.0.2
z v1.2.3 >> v2.0.0

$ i upgradable # list all upgradeable apps/programs
x v1.2.1 >> v1.2.2
y v0.5.1 >> v1.0.2
z v1.2.3 >> v2.0.0

# updating the local index of packages is always run first. No need to run it manually.

Plan: Arguments

verbose output

$ i install z
installing z ... DONE

$ i install -v z
using homebrew to install z
    $ brew install z
installing z ... DONE

$ i install --verbose z
using homebrew to install z
    $ brew install z
installing z ... DONE

specify a package manager

$ i install y
installing y ... DONE

$ i install --brew y
installing y via homebrew ... DONE

$ i install --apt z
installing z via apt ... DONE

no output/script

$ i install a # nothing will be returned if successful; a.k.a os.Exit(0)
$

Plan: supported package managers

package manager	exec	Operating Systems	status
brew (Homebrew)	1	MacOS, Linux, BSD	WIP
port (MacPorts)	1	MacOS	---
apt	1	Linux (Debian-based)	---
apt-get	1	Linux (Debian-based)	---
dnf	1	Linux (Fedora)	---
nix	1	Linux, NixOS	---
pacman	1	Linux	---
swupd	1	Linux	---
rpm	1	Linux	---
snap	2	Linux	---
flatpak	2	Linux	---
pkgsrc	2	Linux	---
winget	2	Windows	---
choco (Chocolatey)	2	Windows	---
go	3	language-based pm	---
cargo	3	language-based pm	---
python	3	language-based pm	---

* exec stands for execution priority. * pm stands for package manager.

Plan: homebrew

brew search TEXT|/REGEX/
brew info [FORMULA|CASK...]
brew install FORMULA|CASK...
brew update
brew upgrade [FORMULA|CASK...]
brew uninstall FORMULA|CASK...
brew list [FORMULA|CASK...]

tasks

• check if the package/app/program is already installed and executable/callable
• support search via homebrew
• check if the input args are valid (a-zA-Z0-9_-@)
• specify the package manager
• emulate another package manager