# workspace [](https://travis-ci.com/matthias-t/workspace)
`ws` is a CLI to manage and interpret small YAML files that specify tasks to open a project like opening an editor, launching a server or visiting a chat or documentation in the browser. It can be used to efficiently switch between work and side projects.
## Installation
```bash
cargo install workspace
```
Then setup the `ws` command in your shell:
- **bash**: Add this line to your `.bashrc`
```bash
eval $(workspace shell bash)
```
- **fish**: Add this line to your `config.fish`
```fish
workspace shell fish | source
```
- **PowerShell**: Add this line to your `profile.ps1`
```powershell
Invoke-Expression "$(workspace shell posh)"
```
> `workspace shell` prints a shell function `ws` that delegates output from `workspace` but intercepts commands to run. This lets you change the directory and run commands directly in the shell, e.g. if they need user input.
## Documentation
For the CLI, see:
```
ws --help
```
Workspaces can have the following fields:
- `path`, list of strings <br>
path to the workspace
- `tabs`, list of strings <br>
tabs to open in `$BROWSER`
- `commands`, table
- `local`, list of strings <br>
commands execute in the current shell
- `background`, list of strings <br>
commands execute as background processes
- `external`, list of strings <br>
commands to execute in a new `$TERMINAL`
> Note: `path` is mandatory and created automatically by `ws new`
For example, this is the workspace I use for my blog:
```
path: /home/matthias/code/web/blog/
commands:
local:
- git status
- sudo systemctl start nginx
background:
- code -r .
external:
- gulp
tabs:
- https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/
- localhost
```
It will `cd` into `~/code/web/blog/`, print the git status, open the directory in visual studio code, start the `gulp` build in a new terminal, launch `nginx` to serve the files and open `localhost` and MDN in the browser.