# ffizer <!-- omit in toc -->
[](http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)
[](https://crates.io/crates/ffizer)
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[](https://codecov.io/gh/ffizer/ffizer)
[](https://crates.io/crates/ffizer)
`ffizer` is a **f**iles and **f**olders initial**izer** / generator. It creates or updates any kind (or part) of project from template(s).
keywords: file generator, project template, project scaffolding, quick start, project bootstrap, project skeleton
[](https://asciinema.org/a/gIMUwo4H9X0EK0t6xhZ6ce6WZ)
- [Features](#features)
- [Usages](#usages)
- [Install](#install)
- [via homebrew](#via-homebrew)
- [via snap](#via-snap)
- [via github releases](#via-github-releases)
- [via cargo](#via-cargo)
- [Run](#run)
- [Self upgrade the executable](#self-upgrade-the-executable)
- [Apply a template (to create or update)](#apply-a-template-to-create-or-update)
- [Authoring a template](#authoring-a-template)
- [Templates](#templates)
- [Build](#build)
- [Alternatives](#alternatives)
- [Generic](#generic)
- [Specialized](#specialized)
## Features
- *Create or update* files and folder from one (or several) template(s).
- A native executable (cli)
- Install via download a standalone single file on system (no requirements like `python`, `ruby`, `nodejs`, `java`, ...).
- Run as fast enough project generator.
- Run with dry mode (useful to test).
- Support self-upgrade.
- A rust library
- Can be included into other tool
- Templates Authoring
- Can be used for any file & folder generation (no specialization to one ecosystem).
- Can start as simple as a folder to copy "as is".
- Can use the [Handlebars] template syntax for file content, extended with functions:
- To transform strings (toUpperCase, toLowerCase, Capitalize,...)
- To retrieve content via http get (like `.gitignore` from [`gitignore.io`](https://gitignore.io), license from spdx)
- ...
- Can replace variables part in file and folder's name
- Can be composed of other templates (applied as layer)
- Can ignore file / folder under conditions
- Can store the content at the root of the folder or under the sub-folder `template`
- Templates Hosting
- On a local folder
- On a hosted git repository (public / private, `github` / `bitbucket`/ `gitlab` / ...)
- At the root of the repository
- In a sub-folder of the repository
- In any revision (branch, tag, commit)
[Suggestions are welcomes](https://github.com/ffizer/ffizer/issues/) ;-)
## Usages
### Install
```sh
#### via homebrew
```sh
brew tap ffizer/ffizer
brew install ffizer-bin
ffizer upgrade
```
#### via snap
```sh
# experimental, feedback welcome
sudo snap install ffizer --edge
```
#### via github releases
Download the binary for your platform from [github releases](https://github.com/ffizer/ffizer/releases), then un-archive it and place it your PATH.
#### via cargo
```sh
cargo install ffizer --force --features cli
```
### Run
```txt
➜ ffizer --help
ffizer 1.6.0
https://github.com/ffizer/ffizer
ffizer is a files and folders initializer / generator.
It creates or updates any kind (or part) of project from template(s)
USAGE:
ffizer [FLAGS] <SUBCOMMAND>
FLAGS:
-h, --help Prints help information
-V, --version Prints version information
-v, --verbose Verbose mode (-v, -vv (very verbose / level debug), -vvv) print on stderr
SUBCOMMANDS:
apply Apply a template into a target directory
help Prints this message or the help of the given subcommand(s)
inspect Inspect configuration, caches,... (wip)
upgrade Self upgrade ffizer executable
```
#### Self upgrade the executable
```sh
➜ ffizer upgrade
```
#### Apply a template (to create or update)
```sh
➜ ffizer apply --help
ffizer-apply 1.6.0
https://github.com/ffizer/ffizer
Apply a template into a target directory
USAGE:
ffizer apply [FLAGS] [OPTIONS] --destination <dst-folder> --source <uri>
FLAGS:
-h, --help Prints help information
--offline in offline, only local templates or cached templates are used
--x-always_default_value should not ask for valiables values, always use defautl value or empty
(experimental)
OPTIONS:
--confirm <confirm> ask for plan confirmation [default: Never] [possible values:
Auto, Always, Never]
-d, --destination <dst-folder> destination folder (created if doesn't exist)
--rev <rev> git revision of the template [default: master]
--source-subfolder <subfolder> path of the folder under the source uri to use for template
--update-mode <update-mode> mode to update existing file [default: Ask] [possible values:
Ask, Keep, Override, UpdateAsRemote,
CurrentAsLocal, ShowDiff, Merge]
-s, --source <uri> uri / path of the template
```
- use a local folder as template
```sh
ffizer apply --source $HOME/my_templates/tmpl0 --destination my_project
```
- use a remote git repository as template
```sh
ffizer apply --source https://github.com/ffizer/template_sample.git --destination my_project
```
output
```sh
Configure variables
project_name: my_project
Plan to execute
- mkdir "my_project/"
- mkdir "my_project/dir_1"
- copyraw "my_project/dir_1/file_1_1.txt"
- mkdir "my_project/dir_2_my_project"
- copyraw "my_project/dir_2_my_project/file_1_2.txt"
- copyraw "my_project/file_1.txt"
- copyrender "my_project/file_2.txt"
- keep "my_project/file_2.txt"
- copyrender "my_project/file_3.txt"
- copyraw "my_project/file_4_my_project.txt"
- copyrender "my_project/file_5_my_project.txt"
- copyraw "my_project/file_6.hbs"
```
### Authoring a template
see [Template Authoring - ffizer](https://ffizer.github.io/ffizer/book/template_authoring.html) *WIP*
## Templates
- Any git repositories (in this case ffizer is like `git clone ...`)
- Parametrized (with variables) templates:
- [`ffizer/templates_default`: the default collections of templates for ffizer](https://github.com/ffizer/templates_default) (WIP)
- [`davidB31 / cg-starter-multi-rust` · GitLab](https://gitlab.com/davidB31/cg-starter-multi-rust) Project template for Multi-Bot in Rust on CodinGame.
- [`davidB/templates`: repository to host the my collections of templates to used with ffizer.](https://github.com/davidB/templates)
- github repo tagged [`ffizer-template`](https://github.com/topics/ffizer-template)
- samples (used for test, demo)
templates_default)
- [test_1](tests/test_1/template)
- [test_2](tests/test_2/template) (demo of usage of gitignore.io)
- [`ffizer/template_sample`: a simple template for ffizer used for demo and test](https://github.com/ffizer/template_sample)
## Build
```sh
cargo install cargo-make --force
cargo make ci-flow
```
Update [`CHANGELOG.md`](./CHANGELOG.md)
```sh
cargo make update-changelog
git add CHANGELOG.md
git commit -m ':memo: (CHANGELOG) update'
```
Release a new version by bump `patch` (or `minor`or `major`)
```sh
cargo make publish -- patch --dry-run
cargo make publish -- patch
```
## Alternatives
### Generic
- [`Cookiecutter`](https://cookiecutter.readthedocs.io/), lot of templates, require python + pip + install dependencies on system (automatic)
- [`Cookiecutter` — Similar projects](https://cookiecutter.readthedocs.io/en/latest/readme.html#similar-projects)
- [`sethyuan/fgen`](https://github.com/sethyuan/fgen): A file generator library to be used to generate project structures, file templates and/or snippets. Templates are based on mustache. require nodejs
- [project_init](https://crates.io/crates/project_init) in rust, use mustache for templating but I have some issues with it (project template creation not obvious, github only) I could contributes but I have incompatible requirements.
- [`skeleton`](https://crates.io/crates/skeleton), good idea but no template file, more like a script.
- [`porteurbars`](https://crates.io/crates/porteurbars), very similar but I discovered it too late.
### Specialized
specialized to a platform, build tool,...
- [The web's scaffolding tool for modern webapps | Yeoman](http://yeoman.io/), nodejs ecosystem
- [JHipster - Generate your Spring Boot + Angular/React applications!](https://www.jhipster.tech/) require java, dedicated to java web ecosystem, optionnated template (not generic)
- [`Giter8`](http://www.foundweekends.org/giter8/) require java + [Conscript](http://www.foundweekends.org/conscript/index.html)
- [`Typesafe activator`](https://developer.lightbend.com/start/), require java, target Scala ecosystem
- [`Maven – Archetypes`](https://maven.apache.org/guides/introduction/introduction-to-archetypes.html) require java + maven, target maven ecosystem
- [cargo-generate](https://github.com/ashleygwilliams/cargo-generate), limited capabilities, target rust/cargo ecosystem