A terminal utility that transforms your most-used command history into time-saving shell aliases.
Install & Download
1. ClawHub CLI
The fastest way to install a skill directly from the registry.
npx clawhub@latest install alias-gen
2. Manual Installation
Copy the skill folder to one of these locations
~/.openclaw/skills/ <project>/skills/ Priority: Workspace > Local > Bundled
3. Prompt Installation
Copy this prompt to OpenClaw to install it automatically.
Help me install alias-gen using Clawhub. If Clawhub is not installed, install it first (npm i -g clawhub).
Prefer to download?
Get the raw skill files in a ZIP archive.
What is Shell Alias Generator (alias-gen)?
The Shell Alias Generator is a specialized utility within the library of Openclaw Skills designed to eliminate the friction of repetitive typing in the terminal. It scans your shell history to identify long, frequently used commands and suggests short, intuitive aliases to replace them. By automating the identification of workflow bottlenecks, it allows developers to focus on logic rather than syntax, effectively turning complex multi-word commands into simple 2-4 character shortcuts.
This skill is built for developers who want to maintain a high-velocity environment without the manual overhead of managing configuration files. As a part of the Openclaw Skills ecosystem, it provides a zero-config approach to environment optimization, ensuring that your terminal stays as fast as your thoughts.
Shell Alias Generator (alias-gen) Use Cases
- You notice yourself typing repetitive commands like git checkout or docker compose up multiple times a day.
- You are setting up a new development machine and want to quickly establish a high-productivity shell environment.
- You want to audit your terminal habits to see which tools and subcommands dominate your daily workflow.
- You need to generate shell-specific alias syntax for different environments like bash, zsh, or fish without manual formatting.
How Shell Alias Generator (alias-gen) Works
- The tool locates and parses your local shell history file based on your current environment.
- It analyzes command frequency and identifies long-form strings that are candidates for shortcuts.
- It filters out commands containing sensitive data or unique arguments to ensure security.
- It generates suggested aliases using memorable naming conventions (e.g., gco for git checkout).
- It outputs the ready-to-use shell syntax which can be directly appended to your profile configuration.
Shell Alias Generator (alias-gen) Setup
The Shell Alias Generator is accessible as part of the Openclaw Skills collection and requires Node.js 18 or higher. No global installation is required; you can run it directly using npx.
# Run the default analysis
npx ai-alias
# Target a specific shell environment
npx ai-alias --shell zsh
# Generate aliases for specific provided commands
npx ai-alias "docker compose up, git status, npm run dev"
Shell Alias Generator (alias-gen) Data Schema & Taxonomy
The skill organizes its analysis by scanning local history files and generating a structured output for shell configuration.
| Component | Details |
|---|---|
| Data Sources | .bash_history, .zsh_history, .fish_history |
| Output Syntax | Standard shell alias definitions (e.g., alias k='kubectl') |
| Logic Layers | Frequency analysis, keyword extraction, and syntax formatting |
| Security | Automated filtering of potential passwords or API keys in history |
Shell Alias Generator (alias-gen) Advanced Features
- Multi-shell support including specific formatting for Bash, Zsh, and Fish.
- Targeted generation allowing users to provide a comma-separated list of commands for immediate aliasing.
- Intelligent conflict avoidance to ensure generated aliases do not overwrite existing system commands.
- Logical grouping of commands (e.g., Git, Docker, NPM) for cleaner configuration management.
SKILL.md
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