# navi — Interactive Cheatsheet Tool for the Command Line

> navi turns cheatsheets into executable commands. Browse a fuzzy-finder list of snippets (git, docker, kubectl, ffmpeg), fill in parameters with interactive prompts, and run — no more copy-pasting from Stack Overflow.

## Install

Save as a script file and run:

# navi — Interactive Cheatsheet for the CLI

## Quick Use
```bash
# macOS
brew install navi
# Cargo
cargo install navi

# First run: install community cheatsheets
navi
# Use the menu to add denisidoro/cheats (defaults and examples)

# Bind to a shortcut so you can invoke any time
# Add to ~/.zshrc:
eval "$(navi widget zsh)"
# Now Ctrl+G opens navi's fuzzy search
```

## Introduction
navi solves a very specific problem: you remember there's a command for "rebase the last 3 commits interactively" but forget the exact flags. Instead of googling again, navi shows you a fuzzy-searchable list of snippets, prompts for any parameters, and runs the command directly.

With over 17,000 GitHub stars, navi is the go-to interactive cheatsheet tool. The `navi widget` hook integrates with zsh/bash/fish so you can invoke it anywhere with a keystroke.

## What navi Does
navi reads Markdown-like `.cheat` files that contain titled commands with parameter placeholders. It indexes them, lets you fuzzy-search (fzf-style), prompts for each parameter, and executes (or pastes) the resolved command. Community cheatsheets cover Git, Docker, Kubernetes, ffmpeg, tmux, AWS CLI, and hundreds more.

## Architecture Overview
```
[.cheat files]
  commands with titles + tags + parameters
  % Git
  
  # Interactively rebase last N commits
  git rebase -i HEAD~<n>
  $ n: echo 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 --- --column 1
      |
[navi]
  - indexes cheats from repos + local folders
  - fzf-based fuzzy search
  - interactive parameter prompts (shell command or static list)
      |
[Shell widget]
  Ctrl+G opens navi
  Resolved command goes into command buffer
      |
[Execution]
```

## Self-Hosting & Configuration
```markdown
# ~/.local/share/navi/cheats/work.cheat
% k8s, kubernetes

# Get pods in a namespace
kubectl get pods -n <namespace>

$ namespace: kubectl get ns -o name --- --column 1 | sed "s|namespace/||"

# Tail logs for a pod
kubectl logs -f <pod> -n <namespace>

$ pod: kubectl get pods -n <namespace> -o name --- --column 1 | sed "s|pod/||"
$ namespace: kubectl get ns -o name --- --column 1 | sed "s|namespace/||"
```

```bash
# Workflow
navi                     # browse all cheats
navi --query "git rebase"  # pre-filtered
navi fn welcome          # take the interactive tour
navi info cheats-example # see example cheat format
navi add denisidoro/cheats  # install community cheats
```

## Key Features
- **Fuzzy-search cheatsheets** — find any command in a second
- **Interactive parameter prompts** — prompted for each `<placeholder>`
- **Dynamic parameter sources** — shell commands populate choices (e.g., your namespaces)
- **Shell widget** — Ctrl+G from any prompt to open navi
- **Community cheatsheets** — pull from denisidoro/cheats and dozens more repos
- **Private repos + folders** — keep team/personal cheats in your dotfiles
- **Stdout or execute** — print the resolved command or run it
- **Cross-platform** — macOS, Linux, Windows (via WSL/shell)

## Comparison with Similar Tools
| Feature | navi | tldr | cheat | howdoi | ai shell (gh copilot) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Source | Cheat files (community + local) | Curated pages | Cheat files | Stack Overflow scraper | LLM |
| Interactive params | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| Offline | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Dynamic param sources | Yes (shell commands) | No | No | No | LLM-generated |
| Keyboard shortcut | Yes (widget) | No | No | No | Via `gh copilot suggest` |
| Best For | Team+personal cheats | Quick reference | Simple cheats | Legacy | AI-generated |

## FAQ
**Q: navi vs tldr?**
A: tldr shows canonical docs (one source of truth). navi lets you run commands with interactive prompts for parameters. Complementary: tldr for reference, navi for execution.

**Q: How do I add my own cheats?**
A: Create `~/.local/share/navi/cheats/mine.cheat` with navi's format. Use `%` for tags, `#` for commands, `$` for parameter sources. `navi info dirs` shows the cheatsheet directories.

**Q: Can I use navi with fish?**
A: Yes — `navi widget fish | source` in `config.fish`. Binds Ctrl+G by default.

**Q: How do I resolve conflicts when multiple cheats have the same command?**
A: navi fuzzy-search will show them grouped by tag. Organize your cheats with `%` tags (e.g., `% git, work`) to filter quickly.

## Sources
- GitHub: https://github.com/denisidoro/navi
- License: Apache-2.0

---
Source: https://tokrepo.com/en/workflows/a691b1ab-380a-11f1-9bc6-00163e2b0d79
Author: Script Depot