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Quick Start

This guide will help you get started with CMDR in just a few minutes.

Installing Your First Command

Let's install a command version. CMDR can download from URLs or use local files:

# Install from URL
cmdr command install -n <command-name> -v <version> -l <url-or-path>

# Example: Install a specific script
cmdr command install -n hello -v 1.0.0 -l /usr/local/bin/hello

Flags Explained

Flag Long Form Description
-n --name Name of the command
-v --version Version string (semantic versioning recommended)
-l --location URL or file path to command binary

Listing Installed Commands

View all versions of a specific command:

cmdr command list -n <command-name>

View all managed commands:

cmdr command list

Switching Versions

Activate a specific version of a command:

cmdr command use -n <command-name> -v <version>

After running this, the command will point to the specified version.

Removing Commands

Remove a specific version:

cmdr command remove -n <command-name> -v <version>

Practical Example

Let's walk through managing multiple versions of a tool:

# 1. Install version 1.0.0
cmdr command install -n mytool -v 1.0.0 -l https://example.com/mytool-1.0.0

# 2. Install version 2.0.0
cmdr command install -n mytool -v 2.0.0 -l https://example.com/mytool-2.0.0

# 3. List all installed versions
cmdr command list -n mytool

# 4. Use version 1.0.0
cmdr command use -n mytool -v 1.0.0

# 5. Verify
mytool --version  # Should show 1.0.0

# 6. Switch to version 2.0.0
cmdr command use -n mytool -v 2.0.0

# 7. Verify again
mytool --version  # Should show 2.0.0

How Version Switching Works

When you run cmdr command use, CMDR:

  1. Looks up the command in its database1
  2. Creates or updates a shim script in ~/.cmdr/shims/2
  3. The shim redirects to the actual binary location

Since ~/.cmdr/shims is in your PATH, running the command name executes the shim, which runs the correct version.

Next Steps

  1. Command query in core/command.go L25-L34 ↩

  2. Shim management in core/strategy/ ↩