tx

Modular CLI for isolated dev environments built on git worktrees. Manage worktrees, dev servers, and database access for every project in a workspace from a single tool. Pure POSIX shell, zero runtime dependencies beyond sh, Git, and standard macOS tools.

Installation

npm install -g @alexcrondon/tx

Or run without installing:

npx @alexcrondon/tx

Requirements

• POSIX shell (sh)
• Git (for worktrees)
• macOS tools (lsof, md5, osascript) for server tracking and browser opening

Workspace Model

tx is organized around a single workspace root — a directory you mark with tx init. Inside it:

• Projects are the git repositories that sit directly under the root.
• Worktrees live under <root>/.worktrees/<project>/<name>.
• Everything tx manages (config, run state, db aliases) lives under <root>/.tx/.

~/toggl/                        workspace root (marked by .tx/)
├── .tx/
│   ├── config                  workspace-level config
│   ├── databases               db aliases (alias:host:port:dbname:user)
│   ├── projects/
│   │   └── <name>.conf         per-project config overrides
│   └── run/
│       ├── serv/<md5>.{pid,port,dir,log,url}
│       └── db.{pid,log}
├── .worktrees/<project>/<name> worktrees
├── frontend/                   a project (git repo)
└── backend/                    a project (git repo)

A target is <project>/<worktree>, or <project>, or omitted — when omitted, tx infers it from your current directory.

Quick Start

cd ~/toggl
tx init                            # mark this directory as the workspace root

tx config start "yarn dev"         # workspace-wide default server command
tx config frontend/port 9100       # per-project override

tx wt add frontend/my_worktree_1   # create a worktree
cd .worktrees/frontend/my_worktree_1
tx serv start                      # start its dev server

tx status                          # see all worktrees, servers, and db
tx wt remove frontend/my_worktree_1

Commands

Command	Default	Description
tx / tx status [<project>]	—	Show worktrees, servers, and db
tx init	—	Mark the current directory as the workspace root
tx root	—	Print the resolved workspace root
tx projects	—	List project names, one per line
tx wt	list	Git worktrees: add, remove, list
tx serv	list	Dev servers: start, stop, restart, open, log, list
tx db	status	Database process + query aliases
tx config	show	Show or set configuration
tx nuke	—	Stop everything, remove all worktrees
tx completions	—	Emit zsh completions
tx --version / -v	—	Show version number

Run tx help or tx help <command> for details.

Worktrees — tx wt

tx wt                              # list worktrees (default)
tx wt list frontend                # list one project's worktrees
tx wt list --names                 # bare <project>/<name> lines (for scripts)

tx wt add frontend/my_worktree_1   # create a worktree (branch named after it)
tx wt add frontend/fix -b fix/login -i   # custom branch, then run install
tx wt remove frontend/my_worktree_1      # stop server, refuse if dirty/unpushed
tx wt remove frontend -y           # remove all of a project's worktrees, no prompt

add checks out an existing local branch, tracks an existing remote branch, or forks a new one off the project's default branch (running a clean-tree + git pull --ff-only pre-flight first). remove never deletes branches; use -f to force past a dirty tree (untracked files count) or unpushed commits.

Dev servers — tx serv

tx serv                            # list all servers (default)
tx serv start frontend/my_worktree_1 -o     # start and open browser when ready
tx serv start frontend/my_worktree_1 -p 3000   # pick a specific port
tx serv start frontend/my_worktree_1 "npm run dev"   # override the start command
tx serv stop frontend/my_worktree_1
tx serv stop all
tx serv restart frontend/my_worktree_1
tx serv open frontend/my_worktree_1
tx serv log frontend/my_worktree_1

start flags: -o/--open (open the URL when ready), -f/--front (foreground), -p/--port N (specific port). With no target, tx infers it from your current directory.

Database — tx db

tx db                              # show the db process status (default)
tx db start                        # start the configured db command in background
tx db stop
tx db log
tx db list                         # list configured aliases
tx db run main "select now()"      # run SQL against an aliased database

Set the db command with tx config db "<command>". Aliases live in <root>/.tx/databases, one per line as alias:host:port:dbname:user; passwords are read from ~/.pgpass.

Configuration — tx config

tx config                          # show config for the current directory
tx config frontend                 # show a project's effective config
tx config start "npm run dev"      # set a workspace-level value
tx config frontend/port 4000       # set a project-level value
tx config branch --unset           # remove a value

Key	Scope	Default	Description
port	project	9001	Starting port for servers
start	project	yarn start	Default server command
url	project	http://localhost:{PORT}	URL template ({PORT} substituted)
branch	project	(auto-detected)	Default branch for new worktrees
copy	project	(empty)	Glob patterns to copy into new worktrees
install	project	yarn install	Install command for wt add -i
db	workspace	(empty)	Background db command
auto_open	workspace	false	Open browser after serv start

Load order (later wins): built-in defaults → <root>/.tx/config → <root>/.tx/projects/<name>.conf. Worktrees are always at <root>/.worktrees — there is no directory config key.

Status and teardown

tx status                          # everything across the workspace
tx status frontend                 # restrict to one project

tx nuke                            # stop all servers + db, remove all worktrees
tx nuke frontend -y                # scope to one project; leaves db untouched

nuke always forces past dirty/unpushed worktrees; -y skips the confirmation.

Shell completions

# zsh
source <(tx completions)
# or add the line above to ~/.zshrc

Upgrading to 0.2.0

0.2.0 is a clean break to the workspace model. Old state and config are ignored, not migrated:

• .txrc / ~/.txrc config files are no longer read. Re-create your settings under the workspace with tx init then tx config … (written to <root>/.tx/config and <root>/.tx/projects/<name>.conf).
• ~/.tx-databases is gone; db aliases now live in <root>/.tx/databases.
• Run state moved out of /tmp/tx-* into <root>/.tx/run/.
• Worktrees moved from a per-repo .worktrees to <root>/.worktrees/<project>/<name>.
• tx code and tx tunnel have been removed — run your editor/agent (e.g. claude) and ngrok directly.
• The worktrees_dir, code, tunnel, auto_tmux, and auto_start config keys no longer exist.

License

MIT