MindMap
Multi-purpose utility tool for managing structured data entries. Add, list, search, remove, and export data items — all stored locally in a simple log-based format with full history tracking.
Commands
All commands are invoked via mindmap <command> [args].
| Command | Description |
|---|---|
run <args> | Execute the main function — logs and confirms execution |
config | Show the configuration file path ($DATA_DIR/config.json) |
status | Show current status (reports "ready") |
init | Initialize the data directory (creates $DATA_DIR if needed) |
list | List all data entries from the data log |
add <text> | Add a new dated entry to the data log |
remove <item> | Remove an entry (logs the removal) |
search <term> | Search the data log for a keyword (case-insensitive via grep -i) |
export | Export all data from the data log to stdout |
info | Show version and data directory path |
help | Show the built-in help message |
version | Print version string (mindmap v2.0.0) |
Data Storage
- Location:
~/.local/share/mindmap/(override withMINDMAP_DIRenvironment variable, orXDG_DATA_HOME) - Data log:
data.log— stores all entries added viaadd, one per line, prefixed withYYYY-MM-DD - History:
history.log— every command execution is recorded with a timestamp for auditing - Format: Plain text, one entry per line
Requirements
- Bash 4+
- Standard Unix utilities (
date,grep,cat,basename) - No external dependencies, no API keys, no network access needed
When to Use
- Quick note-taking — Use
mindmap addto jot down ideas, tasks, or observations from the terminal without leaving your workflow - Data collection — Accumulate structured entries over time (e.g. daily logs, observations, measurements) and export them for analysis
- Search and retrieval — Use
mindmap searchto quickly find entries matching a keyword across your entire data log - Automation pipelines — Integrate
mindmap addandmindmap exportinto shell scripts or cron jobs for automated data collection and reporting - Lightweight project tracking — Track items, remove completed ones, and list remaining work — all from the command line without heavyweight tools
Examples
# Initialize the data directory
mindmap init
# Add a new entry
mindmap add "Brainstorm: redesign landing page layout"
# Add another entry
mindmap add "TODO: review pull request #42"
# List all entries
mindmap list
# Search for entries containing "redesign"
mindmap search "redesign"
# Export all data to a file
mindmap export > backup.txt
# Check status
mindmap status
# Show version and data path
mindmap info
# Run a custom operation
mindmap run "process weekly report"
Output
All command output goes to stdout. Redirect to save:
mindmap list > all-entries.txt
mindmap export > export-backup.txt
Configuration
Set the MINDMAP_DIR environment variable to change the data directory:
export MINDMAP_DIR="$HOME/my-mindmap-data"
mindmap init
Default location: ~/.local/share/mindmap/
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