nexish

nexish is a simple, experimental shell created as a learning project in Rust.

🚀 Overview

This project is designed primarily for learning and experimentation with:

• Rust's standard library (std::fs, std::process, etc.)
• Command-line argument parsing (manual and with crates like clap)
• File system interaction
• Basic shell design and command implementation

✨ Features

• Basic shell prompt and command loop
• Built-in commands: ls, cd, pwd, mkdir, touch, rmdir, and more
• Manual flag parsing (with plans for clap integration)
• Directory listing and navigation
• Minimalist and focused on understanding, not production

🛠️ Prerequisites

You need Rust installed.

🖋️ Nerd Font Support (for Icons/Symbols)

Some parts of nexish use special Unicode symbols and icons (such as device logos) from Nerd Fonts.
For the best experience, configure your terminal to use a Nerd Font. Otherwise, some symbols may appear as squares or question marks.

• How to use Nerd Fonts:
  • Download a patched font from Nerd Fonts.
  • Set your terminal emulator to use this font (check your terminal's settings/preferences).
• If you do not use a Nerd Font: The shell will still work, but icons/logos may not display properly.

📦 Installation

You have three options: via Cargo, via prebuilt script, or manual install.

🔹 1. Easiest: Install via Cargo (Recommended)

If you have Rust installed, you can install directly from crates.io:

cargo install nexish

This is the most "Rusty" and portable way.
It automatically downloads, compiles, and installs the latest version to your $HOME/.cargo/bin.

If you want even faster installs with prebuilt binaries, check out cargo-binstall:

cargo binstall nexish

🔹 2. Quick Install via Script

Alternative: Installs the latest release binary to your system PATH.

curl -sSfL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/santoshxshrestha/nexish/main/scripts/install.sh | bash

• This script will:
  1. Build nexish in release mode (if Rust is present).
  2. Copy the binary to /usr/local/bin.
  3. Make it executable.

Tip: You may need to enter your password for sudo privileges.

🔹 3. Manual Build & Install

If you prefer full control or want to customize the build:

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone https://github.com/santoshxshrestha/nexish.git
   cd nexish
   

2. Build the Release Binary:

   cargo build --release
   

   This places the binary at target/release/nexish.

3. Copy to a PATH directory (e.g., /usr/local/bin):

   sudo cp target/release/nexish /usr/local/bin/nexish
   

4. (Optional) Ensure executable permission:

   sudo chmod +x /usr/local/bin/nexish
   

5. Run from anywhere:

   nexish
   

🗑️ Uninstallation

You can uninstall using the provided script or manually:

🔹 1. Quick Uninstall via Script

curl -sSfL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/santoshxshrestha/nexish/main/scripts/uninstall.sh | bash

🔹 2. Manual Uninstall

Remove the binary from your PATH:

sudo rm /usr/local/bin/nexish

or

sudo rm /usr/bin/nexish

If you also want to remove your cloned repository:

rm -rf ~/nexish

If installed with Cargo:

cargo uninstall nexish

🖥️ Usage

After installation, start the shell by typing:

nexish

You can use commands like:

ls
cd
pwd
ls -a
mkdir
touch
rmdir

⚠️ Notes

• Learning project: Not all edge cases are handled.
• Not intended for production use.
• Suggestions and contributions are welcome as part of the learning process.

📄 License

Made as a Rust learning exercise. Enjoy exploring!