Basho ── Minimalist Zen CLI Word Processor

“An ancient pond... The frog leaps in. Go in peace.”

Basho is a minimalist, distraction-free command-line word processor built with Node.js. It features a zero-dependency architecture reflecting Zen opinions of simplicity, quietness, and high performance.

Features

• Distraction-Free Canvas: Vertical page border margins (A4 aspect look) on large screens.
• Dynamic Margins: Auto-collapses borders in narrow terminals to maximize workspace.
• Zen Mode: Hides the status line completely for an empty screen editing experience.
• Zen Welcomes: Displays random public domain haikus by Matsuo Basho on start.
• Self-Contained Configuration: Customizable settings stored inside the project.

Installation

Install globally from npm:

npm install -g @cacilie/basho

Usage

Start writing in the terminal:

# Start a fresh document (shows the Zen splash welcome screen first)
basho

# Open or create a specific document
basho my_poem.txt

Keyboard Shortcuts

Press Ctrl+H or F1 inside the editor to toggle the help overlay.

| Key | Description | |---|---| | Arrows | Navigate document | | Home / End | Go to start / end of a line | | PageUp / PageDown | Scroll screen up / down | | Tab | Insert soft tab (2 spaces) | | Ctrl + S | Save current file | | Ctrl + P or Esc | Command Mode. Opens command bar at the bottom (/) | | Ctrl + H or F1 | Toggle Help Overlay | | Ctrl + Q or Ctrl + C | Exit editor (shows unsaved changes prompt if modified) |

Slash Commands

Press Ctrl+P or Escape to open the command prompt:

• /save [filename] (or /w): Saves document to disk.
• /quit (or /q): Exits the editor.
• /help: Opens the help map.

Customization

Your preferences are saved in the project's config file at: lib/settings/settings.json

Supported properties:

• margin (number, default 12): Side margin column spacing on wide terminals.
• zenMode (boolean, default false): Toggles Zen mode by default.
• theme (string, default "green"): Border theme color (green | cyan | yellow | blue | magenta | white | gray).
• showHaikuOnStartup (boolean, default true).