AliasForge

AliasForge is a lightweight, cross-platform alias manager that ensures your favourite CLI shortcuts are always with you. It works on macOS and Linux, supporting Bash, Zsh, and Fish shells.

✨ Features

• Cross-platform: macOS and Linux
• Multi-shell: Bash, Zsh, Fish, and NuShell support
• Idempotent: safe to run multiple times
• Easy to customise: edit one file, reload, done
• Uninstall option for a clean slate

🚀 Installation

Clone or copy the script to your host

curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/codefitz/aliasforge/main/install-aliasforge.sh -o install-aliasforge.sh

Run:

chmod +x install-aliasforge.sh
./install-aliasforge.sh

This will:
	•	Install a managed alias file at ~/.aliasforge.sh
	•	Link it into your shell rc (.zshrc, .bashrc, or .profile)
	•	For Fish, create an aliasforge.fish file in ~/.config/fish/conf.d/

Reload your shell or run:

source ~/.zshrc   # Zsh  
source ~/.bashrc  # Bash  
exec fish         # Fish  

List everything AliasForge adds to your current shell:

```sh
afaliases    # or: afa

🍺 macOS Homebrew helpers

If you're on macOS and want the recommended prompt/tools stack, run:

./install-macos-brew.sh

The script installs everything listed in brew-requirements.txt, skipping entries that are already present. Add or remove packages by editing that file—use the cask: prefix (e.g. cask:ghostty) for apps that ship as casks.

⚙️ Customisation

All your aliases live in: • Bash/Zsh → ~/.aliasforge.sh • Fish → ~/.config/fish/conf.d/aliasforge.fish

Edit these files to add, remove, or change aliases.

Example entries:

alias gs='git status -sb' alias dps='docker ps --format "table {{.Names}}\t{{.Image}}\t{{.Status}}\t{{.Ports}}"' alias please='sudo'

NuShell

NuShell support is installed automatically. The script writes ~/.config/nushell/aliasforge.nu and ensures config.nu sources it via a managed marker block. Reload NuShell with:

source ~/.config/nushell/config.nu

Inside NuShell, use the provided reloadprofile/sp helpers if you need a quick reminder of the reload command.

🧳 Using AliasForge with chezmoi

Chezmoi is a great way to sync your aliases across machines. AliasForge already ships with cme/cma helpers, and you can keep the install script plus the generated alias files in your chezmoi source so every new machine is ready in one chezmoi apply.

1. Install chezmoi (it is listed in brew-requirements.txt) and initialise your dotfiles repo: chezmoi init <your-repo>.
2. Capture the AliasForge-managed files so edits are tracked:

   chezmoi add ~/.aliasforge.sh
   chezmoi add ~/.config/fish/conf.d/aliasforge.fish
   chezmoi add ~/.config/nushell/aliasforge.nu

3. Drop the installer into .chezmoiscripts so it runs the first time you apply on each host. Running it before the rest of your files ensures the rc markers are ready before chezmoi writes your customised aliases:

   SRC="$(chezmoi source-path)"
   mkdir -p "$SRC/.chezmoiscripts"
   curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/codefitz/aliasforge/main/install-aliasforge.sh \
     > "$SRC/.chezmoiscripts/run_once_before_install-aliasforge.sh.tmpl"
   chmod +x "$SRC/.chezmoiscripts/run_once_before_install-aliasforge.sh.tmpl"
   chezmoi add "$SRC/.chezmoiscripts/run_once_before_install-aliasforge.sh.tmpl"

4. On a new machine, run chezmoi apply. Chezmoi executes the installer once (linking AliasForge into your rc files) and then writes your synced alias files, so everything is ready after a quick shell reload.
5. Use chezmoi edit ~/.aliasforge.sh (and the Fish/Nu files as needed) plus chezmoi apply to push updates to every machine.

🧹 Uninstall

To remove AliasForge and all its changes:

./install-aliasforge.sh --uninstall

This cleans up rc files and deletes the alias files (including the NuShell module).

📦 Roadmap • Optional alias packs (git, docker, k8s, cloud) • Configurable install directory

📜 License

MIT License — use, modify, and share freely.