Introduction

mchdir is a command-line tool written in Rust that allows you to create a new directory and immediately change into it. It includes shell integration that defines an a couple of helpful commands in your shell, simplifying directory creation and navigation.

Description

mchdir provides a convenient way to create a new directory and change into it in a single command. While similar functionality can be achieved with a shell script, this project serves as a demonstration of how to create a command-line tool in Rust with shell integration. Additionally, mchdir includes the mct command to create and enter directories in the system's temporary folder.

Why?

I was getting tired of creating a new directory and then changing into it with two separate commands. I wanted a single command that could do both. I wrote a utility to do this decades ago on Windows, and I wanted the same functionality on Linux/macOS.

It's true that you can do the same thing with a simple shell function or alias! However, this project is a demonstration of how to create a command-line tool in Rust that provides shell integration. It will also probably get more features in the future.

Why the need for shell integration too?

It is impossible to change the current working directory of the parent process from a child process (i.e., a command). This is because each process has its own working directory, and changes to the working directory are not propagated to the parent process. Hence, the mcd command cannot change the working directory of the shell that runs it without shell integration.

Features

  • Create a new directory and change into it with a single command (mcd).
  • Create a new directory in the system temporary directory and change into it with the mct command.
  • Change back to the last directory with the mcl command.
  • Shell integration for bash, zsh, and fish shells as first-class citizens, though it should work in most POSIX-compliant shells too.
  • Supports automatic installation of shell integration scripts.

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please open an issue or submit a pull request on GitHub.