Qalam CLI

Qalam CLI Documentation¶

🖋️ The intelligent command-line memory for developers

The Problem We Solve¶

Every developer faces the same daily frustrations:

• "What was that command?" - Searching through history for that complex kubectl command you ran last week
• "How did I do this before?" - Re-googling the same solutions over and over
• "Time to start work..." - Running the same 10 commands every morning to get your environment ready
• "Too many tasks..." - Losing track of what needs to be done across multiple projects

What is Qalam?¶

Qalam is your command-line companion that remembers everything so you don't have to.

Think of it as:

• 🧠 A searchable brain for all your commands
• 🤖 An intelligent assistant that understands what you're trying to do
• ⚡ An automation engine that turns repetitive tasks into single commands
• 📋 A task manager that lives in your terminal

Why Qalam Exists¶

We built Qalam because developers spend too much time on repetitive command-line tasks:

1. Memory Fatigue - The average developer uses hundreds of different commands across dozens of tools
2. Repetitive Workflows - Running the same sequence of commands multiple times per day
3. Context Switching - Jumping between terminal and other tools for task management
4. Knowledge Loss - Valuable command knowledge gets lost when developers leave or forget

Qalam solves these problems by becoming your permanent command-line memory and automation layer.

Essential Capabilities¶

1. 🧠 Command Memory¶

Never lose a command again. Save, search, and instantly recall any command with context.

# Save a complex command once
qalam memory save deploy "npm run build && rsync -avz dist/ server:/var/www/"

# Recall it instantly whenever needed
qalam memory get deploy

# Search through all your commands
qalam memory search rsync

2. 🔄 Workflow Automation¶

Turn multi-step processes into single commands. No more copy-pasting from README files.

# Create a morning startup workflow
qalam workflow create morning
# Interactively add commands: git pull, npm install, npm run dev

# Run your entire setup with one command
qalam workflow run morning

# Use variables for flexible workflows
qalam workflow run deploy --vars env=staging

3. 📋 Task Management¶

Keep track of what needs to be done, right in your terminal where you work.

# Add tasks with priority
qalam tasks add "Fix memory leak in API" p1
qalam tasks add "Update documentation" p3

# Get your next priority task
qalam tasks next

# Mark tasks complete
qalam tasks done

4. 🤖 AI Assistant¶

Get instant solutions without leaving your terminal. No more context switching to Google.

# Ask in plain English
qalam ask "how to find which process is using port 3000"

# Get working commands immediately
qalam ask "create a git pre-commit hook"

# Debug errors
qalam ask "fix: npm ERR! ENOENT: no such file or directory"

5. 🌐 HTTP Client with Postman Import¶

Import and run Postman collections directly from your terminal.

# Import your Postman collection
qalam http import api-collection.json

# Set variables and run requests
qalam http set baseUrl http://localhost:3000
qalam http "Create User"
qalam http "Get User Profile"

6. 🎯 Interactive Mode¶

A powerful REPL interface for managing everything in one place.

qalam  # Enter interactive mode

> memory save test "npm test"
> workflow create deploy
> tasks list
> help

7. ☸️ Smart Shell Access (For K8s Users)¶

Safe, audited access to Kubernetes pods with automatic cleanup.

# Debug with safety checks
qalam shell api-service --reason "Debug issue #123" --duration 30m

# Switch clusters safely
qalam cluster staging
qalam cluster prod  # Requires confirmation

Who Should Use Qalam?¶

✅ Perfect For:¶

• Any Developer who uses the command line daily
• Team Leads who want to share tribal knowledge and best practices
• DevOps Engineers managing complex command sequences
• New Team Members who need to get up to speed quickly

💡 Core Use Cases:¶

• Daily Development - Start your entire dev environment with one command
• Knowledge Sharing - Export and share commands with your team
• Task Tracking - Keep your to-dos in the terminal where you work
• Learning - Get instant help without leaving your workflow

Quick Start Example¶

Here's how Qalam transforms your daily workflow:

Before Qalam (Many commands, context switching)¶

# Every morning you do this...
cd ~/projects/myapp
git pull origin main
npm install
npm run dev
# Wait, what was that test command?
history | grep test
# What tasks did I need to do today?
# *switches to another app*

After Qalam (Simple and organized)¶

# Everything in one place
qalam workflow run morning  # Runs all your startup commands
qalam tasks next           # Shows your next priority task
qalam memory get test      # Instantly recalls your test command

Key Differentiators¶

What makes Qalam different from aliases or shell scripts?

Installation¶

# Clone and install
git clone https://github.com/yourusername/qalam.git
cd qalam
npm install && npm link

# Start using immediately
qalam

Documentation¶

📚 Getting Started¶

• Installation - Set up in 2 minutes
• Quick Reference - All commands at a glance

🛠️ Core Features¶

• Memory System - Never forget a command
• Workflows - Automate everything
• Task Management - Stay organized
• HTTP Client - API testing with Postman collections

🏗️ Understanding & Extending¶

• Core Concepts - Memory, Skills, Workflows, and more
• Custom Skills - Extend Qalam with your own features

❓ Help¶

• Troubleshooting - Common issues and solutions

Start Now¶

Ready to never forget a command again?

1. Install Qalam - 2 minutes
2. Save your first command - qalam memory save hello "echo 'Hello, Qalam!'"
3. Create your first workflow - qalam workflow create morning
4. Track your tasks - qalam tasks add "Learn Qalam" p1

Qalam - Write once, run forever
Because your brain is for solving problems, not memorizing commands