PasteCTL CLI

A command-line interface for PasteCTL, allowing developers to create, retrieve, and manage code snippets directly from the terminal.

Overview

PasteCTL CLI is a terminal-based client for the PasteCTL platform. It provides a fast and efficient way to share code snippets without leaving your development environment. The CLI integrates with your system's default editor and supports automatic language detection based on file extensions.

Features

• Create Pastes: Create pastes from files or directly in your editor
• Automatic Language Detection: Detects language from file extensions
• Custom Expiry Times: Set paste expiration (10m, 1h, never, etc.)
• Retrieve Pastes: Fetch paste content with formatted output or raw text
• Update Pastes: Edit existing pastes in your preferred editor
• Configuration Management: Store API endpoint and frontend URL locally
• Cross-Platform: Works on Linux, macOS, and Windows

Installation

Go Install

If you have Go 1.24.0 or higher installed:

go install github.com/Sumedhvats/pastectl@latest

Make sure your $GOPATH/bin is in your PATH.

Pre-built Binaries

Download the appropriate binary for your platform from the releases page.

Linux

wget https://github.com/Sumedhvats/pastectl/releases/download/v0.1.1/pastectl_0.1.1_linux_amd64.tar.gz
tar -xvf pastectl_0.1.1_linux_amd64.tar.gz
sudo mv pastectl /usr/local/bin/

Verify installation:

pastectl --help

macOS

wget https://github.com/Sumedhvats/pastectl/releases/download/v0.1.1/pastectl_0.1.1_darwin_amd64.tar.gz
tar -xvf pastectl_0.1.1_darwin_amd64.tar.gz
sudo mv pastectl /usr/local/bin/

Verify installation:

pastectl --help

Windows

1. Download pastectl_0.1.1_windows_amd64.zip from the releases page
2. Extract the archive
3. Move pastectl.exe to a directory in your PATH (e.g., C:\Windows\System32)

Verify installation in PowerShell:

pastectl.exe --help

Configuration

PasteCTL CLI stores configuration in ~/.config/pastectl/config.yaml.

Initial Setup

Configure the backend API URL:

pastectl config set backend_url https://api.paste.sumedh.app

Configure the frontend URL (for generating shareable links):

pastectl config set frontend_url https://paste.sumedh.app/paste

Default Configuration

The CLI comes with the following defaults:

• backend_url: https://api.paste.sumedh.app
• frontend_url: https://paste.sumedh.app/paste

View Configuration

Configuration is automatically loaded on each command. To modify settings, use the config set command.

Usage

Create a Paste

From Your Editor

Open your system's default editor to create a paste:

pastectl create

The CLI will use the editor specified in your $EDITOR environment variable (defaults to vim on Unix/Linux/macOS, notepad on Windows).

From a File

Create a paste from an existing file:

pastectl create --file /path/to/file.go

Language is automatically detected from the file extension.

With Custom Options

Specify language and expiry time:

pastectl create --file script.py --language python --expire 1h

Expiry options:

• 10m - 10 minutes
• 1h - 1 hour
• 24h - 24 hours
• never - No expiration (default)

Retrieve a Paste

Formatted Output

Get paste with metadata:

pastectl get <paste-id>

Output example:

--- Paste Details ---
ID:       abc123
Language: go
Created:  2025-10-03 10:21:05
--- Content ---
package main

import "fmt"

func main() {
    fmt.Println("Hello, World!")
}

Raw Content

Get only the paste content (useful for piping):

pastectl get <paste-id> --raw

Example usage with output redirection:

pastectl get abc123 --raw > downloaded.go

Update a Paste

Edit an existing paste in your editor:

pastectl update <paste-id>

The CLI will:

1. Fetch the current paste content
2. Open it in your editor
3. Update the paste with your changes

Configuration Management

Set Configuration

pastectl config set <key> <value>

Available keys:

• backend_url: API endpoint URL
• frontend_url: Frontend base URL for shareable links

Example:

pastectl config set backend_url http://localhost:8080

Supported Languages

The CLI automatically detects the following languages from file extensions:

Extension	Language
.js	javascript
.py	python
.go	go
.java	java
.c	c
.cpp	cpp
.json	json
.md	markdown
.txt	plain

For other file types or editor-created pastes, you can manually specify the language using the --language flag.

Editor Configuration

PasteCTL respects your system's $EDITOR environment variable. To set your preferred editor:

Linux/macOS

Add to your shell configuration file (~/.bashrc, ~/.zshrc, etc.):

export EDITOR=nano  # or vim, emacs, code, etc.

Windows (PowerShell)

$env:EDITOR = "notepad"

Common editor options:

• vim - Vim text editor
• nano - Nano text editor
• emacs - Emacs editor
• code - Visual Studio Code (use code --wait)
• notepad - Windows Notepad

Examples

Quick Code Sharing

Create and share a code snippet:

# Create from file
pastectl create --file main.go --expire 24h

# Output:
# Creating paste...
# Paste created successfully!
# Link: https://paste.sumedh.app/paste/abc123

Downloading a Paste

Download and save a paste:

pastectl get abc123 --raw > downloaded.go

Updating a Paste

Edit an existing paste:

pastectl update abc123

Custom Backend

Use a self-hosted PasteCTL instance:

pastectl config set backend_url http://localhost:8080
pastectl config set frontend_url http://localhost:3000/paste
pastectl create --file script.sh

API Integration

The CLI communicates with the PasteCTL backend via REST API:

• POST /api/pastes - Create paste
• GET /api/pastes/:id - Get paste with metadata
• GET /api/pastes/:id/raw - Get raw paste content
• PUT /api/pastes/:id - Update paste

Project Structure

pastectl/
├── cmd/
│   ├── config.go      # Configuration management
│   ├── create.go      # Create paste command
│   ├── get.go         # Retrieve paste command
│   ├── update.go      # Update paste command
│   └── root.go        # Root command setup
├── internal/
│   ├── api/           # API client
│   ├── config/        # Configuration handling
│   └── editor/        # Editor integration
├── main.go
└── go.mod

Dependencies

• cobra: CLI framework
• viper: Configuration management
• Go 1.24.0+: Required Go version

Building from Source

Clone the repository and build:

git clone https://github.com/Sumedhvats/pastectl.git
cd pastectl
go build -o pastectl

Install locally:

go install

Related Projects

• PasteCTL Web - Full-stack web application with Next.js frontend and Go backend

Troubleshooting

Backend URL Not Set

If you see the error:

backend_url is not set. Please use 'pastectl config set backend_url <url>'

Configure the backend URL:

pastectl config set backend_url https://api.paste.sumedh.app

Editor Not Found

If your editor is not opening, set the EDITOR environment variable:

export EDITOR=vim  # or your preferred editor

Permission Denied (Linux/macOS)

If you get a permission error when running the binary:

chmod +x pastectl

Support

For issues, questions, or contributions, please visit the GitHub Issues page.

Made with ❤️ by Sumedh