Nift

Nift is a minimal build system designed for quickly bootstrapping projects on Linux. It simplifies project setup by allowing you to use reusable templates for common file structures and configurations.

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Features

• Quick Project Setup: Use templates to generate boilerplate code and directory structures.
• Customizable Templates: Create and manage templates tailored to your workflow.
• Ease of Use: Deploy once and generate projects with a single command.
• Verbose Mode: View directory structures and manage templates via an intuitive CLI menu.

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Installation

1. Clone the Repository

git clone https://github.com/Archii0/nift.git
cd nift

2. Deploy Nift

Run the deployment script to set up Nift:

sudo ./deploy.sh

This will:

• Move the /templates directory to /var/nift.
• Place the Nift script in /usr/bin/, making it globally accessible.

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Usage

Generating a Project

To generate a project using a template, run:

nift <project-name>

Nift will:

1. Create a new directory named <project-name>.
2. Copy the chosen template files into the directory.
3. Replace placeholders (e.g., PROJECTNAME) in filenames and file content with the specified <project-name>.

Verbose Mode

Enable verbose mode for additional functionality:

nift <project-name> [-v|--verbose]

In verbose mode, you can:

• Browse available templates via a CLI menu.
• View directory structures of templates, such as:

  C++/
  ├── CMakeLists.txt
  ├── lib/
  ├── Makefile
  ├── src/
      ├── CMakeLists.txt
      ├── main.cpp
  ├── tests/
      ├── CMakeLists.txt
      ├── main.cpp
  

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Creating Custom Templates

1. Undeploy Nift

Before modifying templates, undeploy Nift:

sudo ./undeploy.sh

This removes Nift's deployed files, allowing you to safely edit templates.

2. Add a Template

Create a new folder in the /templates directory to define your template. Use PROJECTNAME as a placeholder in filenames and file content for dynamic substitution.

Example: C Template

File: PROJECTNAME.c

/* PROJECTNAME.c */

#include "PROJECTNAME.h"

int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
    printf("Nifty.");
    return 0;
}

Templates are ideal for standardizing common project elements, such as:

• Main function stubs.
• Type definitions and imports.
• Build system files (e.g., Makefiles).
• Directory structures for larger projects.

Note on Empty Directories

Git does not track empty directories. To preserve them, you can:

• Add a placeholder file (e.g., .gitkeep).
• Automate directory creation in your build scripts.

3. Redeploy Nift

Once your templates are ready, redeploy:

sudo ./deploy.sh

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Built-in Templates

Nift includes the following starter templates:

• C: A basic C project with a Makefile.
• C++: A CUDA runtime project with CMake support.
• Go: A Go project starter.
• Python: A basic Python project.
• Rust: A Rust project skeleton.

Feel free to enhance these templates or add your own to the repository.

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Contribution

Contributions are welcome! Submit a pull request to:

• Add new templates.
• Improve existing templates.
• Enhance Nift's functionality.

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License

This project is licensed under the MIT License.

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Support

If you encounter issues or have questions, open an issue on the GitHub repository.