Cinit - C Project Initializer

Cinit is a simple bash script designed to initialize new C projects with a set of default files and a customized license. It automates the setup process, allowing users to quickly start coding with a standardized structure.

Installation

1. Clone the repository or download the files to your local machine:

   git clone https://github.com/rssndr/cinit.git
   cd cinit

2. Run the installation script with sudo privileges:

   ./install.sh

   • You will be prompted to enter your name, which will be used for the copyright notice in the license.
   • The script sets up the configuration file (~/.config/cinit/cinit.conf), copies default templates, and installs the cinit command to /usr/local/bin/.

Usage

To initialize a new C project in the current directory, simply run:

cinit

This will:

• Copy default files (Makefile, .gitignore, main.c, README.md) from ~/.config/cinit/default/ to the current directory.
• Generate a LICENSE file based on the default license (currently MIT) from ~/.config/cinit/templates/licenses/, dynamically inserting your name and the current year (e.g., 2025).

The resulting directory will contain:

• Makefile: A basic build script.
• .gitignore: A standard .gitignore file customised for C.
• main.c: A starter C source file.
• README.md: A placeholder README file.
• LICENSE: A customized MIT license with your name and the current year.

You can customize the initialization with the following repo-specific options:

• --owner=<name>: Sets the owner name for this repo (e.g., --owner="Collaborator Name").
• --license=<type>: Specifies the license (e.g., --license=GPL-2.0).
• --files=<list>: Defines which files to include (e.g., --files="main.c LICENSE").
• --year=<year>: Sets a specific copyright year (e.g., --year=2024).

Example:

cinit --owner="Collaborator Name" --license=GPL-2.0 --files="main.c LICENSE" --year=2024

The resulting directory will contain the specified files, with a customized LICENSE reflecting the provided options.

Current Features

• Dynamic License Generation: The LICENSE file is created each time from a template, replacing {OWNER_NAME} with your name (set during installation) and {DEFAULT_YEAR} with the current year.
• Configurable Setup: Uses ~/.config/cinit/cinit.conf to store default settings (e.g., license type, included files).
• Default Templates: Provides a pre-defined set of files for new projects.

TODO:

• Add command-line options changing default settings.
• Add helper options, like --help for quick instructions for usage and command-line options, and --defaults, to show default user settings.
• Enhance documentation

Contributing

Feel free to fork this repository, make improvements, and submit pull requests. Suggestions for new features or bug reports are welcome!

License

This project itself is licensed under the MIT License. See the included LICENSE file for details.