contxt

cont(e)xt

contxt manage paths in workspaces while working on a shell. configure workspaces by tasks so you can use different versions of sdk's or to get the right context. for example by using kubetctl or sdk

installation

check out the releases to get a pre-build package.

debian | ubuntu - fedora | redhat | Suse

for build you need golang 1.13 and GNU Make.

mkdir contxt
cd contxt
git clone git@github.com:swaros/contxt.git .
make

Change Dir Function

there is no way to change a directory on console by a program/tool or whatever. of course you can change to any directory while the program is running, but all this changes are temporary. so if the program exists, the console is back to directory where the program was started.

to change directories depending on paths in the workspace, you need to add a function to .bashrc or .zshrc that just use the regular cd command.

for easy switching paths on bash you can run this.

echo  'function cn() { cd $(contxt dir -i "$@"); }' >> ~/.bashrc

echo  'function cn() { cd $(contxt dir -i "$@"); }' >> ~/.zshrc

now you can switch to any path fast by his index number like cn 0 (after openening a new bash)

workspaces

workspaces are a set of directories they can be on different places. any path can have different task they can be executed automatically if you enter or leava a workspace. there are a couple of tools they can be used together with contxt.

so you can use sdkman to switch automatically different versions of skd's, or use kubens to set the correct namespace and context while working with kubernetes

usage

contxt is a command line tool and focused to work on any environment that have a shell. there is no other dependency.

contxt dir -w mywork will create a new workspace named mywork. if mywork already exists the workspace will be entered only.

contxt dir list prints all workspaces you have.

contxt my-other-work if this workspace exists you will leave the last one. this means if you have a task assigned to the leave trigger this will be executed for the last workspace. And if you have a task assigned to the enter trigger it will be excuted afterwards. without to much detail about task. here a example of a task that have a enter and leave action and uses kubectx and kubens.

config:
  autorun:
    onleave: leave
    onenter: init
  variables:
    namespace: production-ns
    context: "company-aws"
    context-leave: minikube
task:
  - id: init
    script:
      - kubectx ${context}
      - kubens ${namespace}
      - kubectl get pods
 
  - id: leave
    script:
      - kubectx ${context-leave}

so if this is the task for a path in workspace company and you run contxt company then the task with id init will be executed and the kubernetes context and namespaces will be set to what is needed there.

but to be sure, if you switch to any other workspace, that might not have any kubernetes related action, the leave task is triggered. in this case it will just set the context to the local minikube to make sure what ever you do, the procution environment is not affected.

more about tasks

contxt dir add adds the current directory to the workspace. so you have to got to the directory first they needs to be added to the workspace.

contxt dir -paths prints all assigned paths. any path have index.