A structured, metadata-aware superset of shell alias that exports real aliases with deterministic, reversible metadata.

Use the install script (it downloads the core files and updates your shell rc):

curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/monkeymonk/alx/main/install.sh | bash

What the installer does:

• Installs alx to ~/.local/share/alx/bin/alx.
• Installs lib/*.sh to ~/.local/share/alx/lib/.
• Adds ~/.local/share/alx/bin to your PATH in your shell rc file.

To uninstall, remove the PATH line from your rc file and delete ~/.local/share/alx/.

If you prefer manual install, add bin/alx to your PATH.

Add aliases:

alx gs="git status"
alx ll="ls -lah" --desc "Long listing" --tags core,filesystem

Explicit form:

alx add gs "git status" --desc "Git status" --tags git

By default, alx add is idempotent: if the alias already exists in the registry, it is a no-op. Use --strict to warn on existing aliases, or --force to overwrite.

Export to your shell:

eval "$(alx export --shell)"

Immediate mode:

eval "$(alx --immediate gs='git status')"

List, show, search:

alx list
alx list --table
alx show gs
alx search git

Help:

alx help

Import and export:

alx export --shell > aliases.sh
alx import aliases.sh
alias | alx import -        # import current shell aliases via stdin
alx import --shell           # import from ~/.bashrc, ~/.zshrc, etc.

Interactive picker:

alx pick
alx pick --exec

FZF search (custom):

alx falx 'eval "$(alx list | fzf --delimiter=$'\''\t'\'' --with-nth=1,2,3 | cut -f1)"' --desc "Fuzy search and execute alias" --tags "alias,fuzzy"

alx stores aliases as structured data, detects conflicts, and exports deterministic native aliases. It augments alias rather than replacing it.

Add to your ~/.bashrc or ~/.zshrc:

eval "$(alx export --shell)"

This wrapper intercepts alias name='cmd' calls, stores them in alx, and defines the real shell alias. Plain alias (no args) and alias name (lookup) work unchanged.

# Load alx aliases
eval "$(alx export --shell)"

# Intercept alias definitions so they persist in alx
alias() {
  if [[ $# -eq 0 ]]; then
    builtin alias
  elif [[ "$1" == -* ]]; then
    builtin alias "$@"
  elif [[ "$1" == *=* ]]; then
    local name="${1%%=*}" cmd="${1#*=}"
    alx add "$name" "$cmd" --force 2>/dev/null
    builtin alias "$@"
  else
    builtin alias "$@"
  fi
}

With this, every alias gs='git status' you run also saves to alx. Remove the wrapper anytime — your shell aliases still work normally.

# Import aliases from your current shell session
alias | alx import -

# Or scan your rc files directly
alx import --shell

Aliases are stored as one file per alias in:

• $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/alx/aliases/
• fallback: ~/.config/alx/aliases/

To clear all stored aliases:

rm -rf ~/.config/alx/aliases

• Bash 4+ or Zsh 5+

MIT