Create Custom Terminal Commands with Javascript

When working on a project, you may find yourself frequently running the same series of commands in your terminal. This can be time-consuming and tedious. However, with a little bit of Javascript, you can create custom terminal commands that will streamline your workflow and make your life a lot easier.

Using Node.js

Node.js is a powerful tool that allows you to run Javascript code outside of a web browser. With Node.js, you can create scripts that can be executed in your terminal.

Creating a Custom Command

To create a custom terminal command with Javascript, you will need to create a Javascript file that contains the code for your command. Let’s say you want to create a command that prints “Hello, World!” to the terminal. You can create a file called hello.js and add the following code:

#!/usr/bin/env node

console.log("Hello, World!");
    

Make sure to give executable permissions to your file by running the following command in your terminal:

chmod +x hello.js

Now, you can run your custom command by typing ./hello.js in your terminal.

Adding Command Line Arguments

You can also add command line arguments to your custom terminal command. For example, if you want to create a command that takes a name as an argument and greets the user, you can modify your hello.js file to look like this:

#!/usr/bin/env node

const name = process.argv[2];
console.log(`Hello, ${name}!`);
    

Now, you can run your command with an argument like so: ./hello.js John, which will output “Hello, John!” to the terminal.

Conclusion

Creating custom terminal commands with Javascript can drastically improve your productivity and make your workflow more efficient. With a little bit of creativity and some Javascript know-how, you can automate repetitive tasks and make your development process smoother.