pay-respects/modules.md

Modules

pay-respects followed a very stupid approach ---or better said, Keep It Simple, Stupid--- when it comes to implementing the module / plugin system:

• Modules interacts with core program by passing messages through processes. In other words, we are sending necessary information to the module, so it can return the required suggestion.
• This approach is the most extendable way, as it has the least amount of limitations compared to:
  • Dynamic libraries (Safe): Requires the module to be compiled in the same compiler version as the core, which also limits the language available
  • FFI (Unsafe): Requires overloading of dynamic libraries, limits to C types, and not extendable as it's overloading a library instead of appending
  • Embedding a runtime: Unnecessary binary sizes if never used
• pay-respects takes the message passing approach as its core is blazing fast without observable delay so having a small overhead is acceptable. This allows:
  • Modules in any language: Regardless of compiled binary or interpreted scripts, just make them executable and that's a module!
  • Extendable: As many modules as you want
  • Performance or ease? Both!: Write in a compiled language if it's something computational heavy, or just use a shell script as module right away

Creating a Module

There are 2 types of modules:

• Standard module: Will always run to retrieve suggestions
  • Naming convention: pay-respects-module-<your module name>
• Fallback module: Will only be run if no previous suggestion were found
  • CAUTION: Will immediately return if a suggestion is obtained, and there is no guaranteed the modules are executed in a specific order.
  • Naming convention: pay-respects-fallback-<your module name>

When running your module, you will get the following environment variables:

• _PR_SHELL: User shell
• _PR_COMMAND: The command, without arguments
• _PR_LAST_COMMAND: Full command with arguments
• _PR_ERROR_MSG: Error message from the command
• _PR_EXECUTABLES: A comma (,) separated list of executables in PATH

Your module should return:

• To stdout: Only suggestions.
  • At the end of each suggestion, append <_PR_BR> so pay-respects knows you are either done or adding another suggestion
• To stderr: Any relevant information that should display to the user (e.g, warning for AI generated content)

Adding a Module

Expose your module as executable (chmod u+x) in PATH, and done!