PACT (Project Automation and Cloning Tool)

The Vision Link to heading

Programming involves a lot of repetitive setup—creating directories, copying templates, initializing Git, and setting up tmux sessions. It’s tedious, but essential. That’s where PACT comes in: a tool tailored to automate these steps and make them seamless for developers.

PACT isn’t designed to cater to everyone—it’s my tool for my workflow, embracing the suckless philosophy of simplicity and minimalism. If you’re ready to be blown away check out the source code GitHub.

Why I Built It Link to heading

  • Breaking Free from Rust: The original PACT was written in Rust. While functional, it didn’t align with my vision of simplicity for this project. C offered a clean slate.
  • Learning by Doing: Writing PACT in C deepened my understanding of the language and the suckless idiom.
  • Customizable Without Complexity: No external dependencies, just a simple config.h for all configurations.

Features That Matter Link to heading

Customizable Project Setup: Link to heading

Creates structured directories tailored to your project type. Copies templates and boilerplate files automatically. Configurable via config.h—no external configs needed.

Integrated Git and tmux: Link to heading

Initializes Git repositories. Launches tmux sessions with all the essentials preloaded.

Efficient Cloning: Link to heading

Clones repositories and organizes them within your preferred directory structure. Offers optional renaming for clarity.

Why PACT is Essential to My Workflow Link to heading

PACT isn’t just a tool; it’s part of how I program. With a single command, I can go from idea to working environment in seconds. Whether it’s starting a new project or cloning an existing one, PACT simplifies the boring stuff so I can focus on coding.

Here’s a breakdown of how I use it daily:

  • New Projects: With one command, PACT creates directories, copies templates, initializes Git, and starts tmux—all set up for coding.
  • Cloning Repositories: PACT doesn’t just clone; it organizes and preps the environment, ready to go with tmux running.

What I Learned Link to heading

Building PACT in C was a deep dive into:

  • The suckless philosophy: understanding simplicity and efficiency at a core level. C’s intricacies: pointers, memory management, and modular design.
  • Practical automation: crafting a tool that’s fast, lightweight, and purpose-built.

The Rewrite Journey The transition from Rust to C wasn’t just about Link to heading

language. It was about embracing a philosophy:

  • Simplicity: No unnecessary dependencies, just the essentials.
  • Transparency: Configurations in config.h mean no hidden surprises.
  • Efficiency: The tool does what it’s supposed to—no more, no less.

Future Plans Link to heading

PACT is already blazing fast and incredibly useful, but here’s

what’s next: Link to heading

  • Alias Support: Enable the use of user-defined aliases in init_command.
  • More Templates My Templates: Expand the available boilerplate templates for different languages and frameworks.

Impact on My Workflow Link to heading

PACT is more than just a utility; it’s a game-changer for productivity. It’s the glue between my love for automation and my daily development process. Writing it in C made me appreciate the power of simplicity, and every time I run it, I know it’s exactly how I want to work.