Espanso

Espanso is a cross-platform text expander tool that helps programmers increase their productivity by reducing the amount of time spent typing repetitive phrases or commands.

With espanso, you can create shortcuts for commonly used text, such as email addresses, code snippets, or terminal commands. When you type the shortcut, espanso will automatically replace it with the expanded text, saving you time and reducing keystrokes.

Installation

You can install espanso on Windows, macOS, and Linux. The installation process is straightforward and can be done using package managers or by downloading the installer from the official website.

Here's how to install espanso using the command line on Ubuntu:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:alecive/espanso
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install espanso

Configuration

After installation, you'll need to configure espanso with the shortcuts you want to use. Espanso's configuration files are written in YAML and are easy to understand and modify.

Here's an example of a YAML file that defines a shortcut:

matches:
  - trigger: ":email"
    replace: "johndoe@example.com"

This configuration creates a shortcut that replaces ":email" with "johndoe@example.com".

Usage

To use espanso, simply type the trigger word you defined in your configuration file and press space or enter. The trigger word will be replaced by the expanded text.

For example, if you defined the shortcut ":shrug" to output "¯_(ツ)/¯", typing ":shrug" will automatically expand to "¯_(ツ)/¯".

Conclusion

Espanso is a powerful tool that can help programmers become more productive by reducing keystrokes and saving time. Its simple configuration files and cross-platform compatibility make it a must-have tool for any programmer.