Context-based replacement/enhancement for zsh and bash shell history
This project is the first phase of my Master project.
:warning: *Work in progress*
It records shell history with rich set of metadata and saves it locally. (device, directory, git, time, terminal session pid, ... see example below)
## Motivation
It doesn't change the way your shell and your shell history behaves.
When you exectue a command in zsh or bash following gets recorded to your shell history:
You won't notice any delay in your shell (~40ms).
- Command itself
- Date
- Duration of the command (only in zsh and only if enabled)
If you are not happy with it you can uninstall it with a single command (`rm -rf ~/.resh`).
But shell usage is contextual - you probably use different commands based on additional context:
## Why
- Current directory
- Current git repository/origin
- Previously executed commands
- etc ...
The ultimate point of my thesis is to provide a context-based replacement/enhancement for bash and zsh shell history.
Additionally it's annoying to not have your shell history follow you accros your devices.
Have you lost you history when reinstalling? I personally think this is unacceptable in 2019.
The idea is to:
Why not synchronize your shell history accross your devices and add some metadata to know where it came from:
- Save each command with metadata (device, directory, git, time, terminal session pid, ... see example below)
- Hostname
- Recommend history based on saved metadata
- Username
- e.g. it will be easier to get to commands specific to the project you are currently working on (based on directory, git repository url, ...)
- Machine ID
- Provide a simple way to search whole history by command itself and/or metadata (e.g. imagine searching by project, directory, device, ...)
- Synchronize history across devices
- Provide an API (to make the project easily extensible)
- And more ...
In order to be able to develop a good history tool I will need to get some insight into real life shell usage patterns.
## What this project does
That's why I ask YOU to install this tool to locally record your shell history.
Legend:
After some time (probably a few months) I will create a script to replace anything too personal in the recorded data by placeholders.
- :heavy_check_mark: Implemented
- :white_check_mark: Implemented but there are issues
- :x: Not implemented
- :zzz: Future ideas - no short-terms plans to implement it
- :coffee: Working on it!
Then I will ask you to run the script against the recorded data and tell me if you are willing to share the resluts with me.
*NOTE: Features can change in the future*
I'm very thankful for anyone who is willing to support my thesis by providing their usage data!
- Record shell history with metadata
- save it as JSON to `~/.resh_history.json`
- save it to a database so we don't have to keep it all in memory
If you install RESH, please give me some contact info using this form: https://forms.gle/227SoyJ5c2iteKt98
- Provide bindings for arrow keys
- imitate default behaviour (at first)
- provide enhanced behaviour
- save additional metadata (e.g. command was recalled using arrow keys)
- Provide an application like [hstr](https://github.com/dvorka/hstr/) that allows searching history records based on both the command and metadata
- provide binding for Control+R
- Synchronize recorded history between devices
- Provide an API to make it possible to write other tools that use the recorded history
- Show cool graphs based on shell history
- Provide a tool to sanitize the recorded history
- Be compatible with zsh and bash
- Be compatible with Linux and macOS
## Data sanitization and analysis
In order to be able to develop a good history tool I will need to get some insight into real life shell and shell history usage patterns.
This is also my Master thesis so I need to be a bit scientific and base my design decisions on evidence/data.
Running `reshctl sanitize` creates a sanitized version of recorded history.
In sanitized history, all sensitive information is replaced with its SHA1 hashes.
If you would consider supporting my research/thesis by sending me a sanitized version of your history then please give me some contact info using this form: https://forms.gle/227SoyJ5c2iteKt98
## Prereqisities
## Prereqisities
Standard stuff: `bash`, `curl`, `tar`, ...
Standard stuff: `bash`, `curl`, `tar`, ...
Additional prerequisities: `bash-completion` (if you use bash)
Simon Let
6 years ago