Install Claudesidian Command

Install Claudesidian Command

Creates a shell alias/function that allows you to run claudesidian from anywhere to open your vault in Claude Code.

Task

Install a shell command that:

1. Changes to your claudesidian vault directory
2. Launches Claude Code
3. Works from any directory in your terminal

Similar to having a quick launcher for your vault.

Process

1. Detect Current Setup

• Check which shell the user is using (bash/zsh/fish)
• Find the current working directory (vault path)
• Determine the appropriate config file

2. Create the Command

The command will be an alias that:

• Changes to the vault directory: cd /path/to/your/vault
• Tries to resume existing session: claude --resume 2>/dev/null
• Falls back to new session if no existing one: || claude
• All in one command with properly escaped path: (cd "/path/to/vault" && (claude --resume 2>/dev/null || claude))

Important: The path must be properly escaped to handle spaces and special characters.

This automatically enters resume mode if there's an existing session, or starts a new one if not.

3. Install to Shell Config

Add the alias to the appropriate config file:

• Bash: ~/.bashrc or ~/.bash_profile
• Zsh: ~/.zshrc
• Fish: ~/.config/fish/config.fish

4. Verify Installation

• Show the added line
• Remind user to reload their shell or source the config
• Provide test command

Shell Detection

Detects the user's default shell, with support for command-line override:

# Check if shell specified as argument (/install-claudesidian-command zsh)
if [ -n "$1" ]; then
  # User provided shell type as argument
  SHELL_TYPE="$1"
else
  # Auto-detect from $SHELL (user's default shell, not current shell)
  SHELL_TYPE=$(basename "$SHELL")
fi

# Validate shell type and set appropriate config file
case "$SHELL_TYPE" in
  zsh)
    CONFIG_FILE="$HOME/.zshrc"
    ;;
  bash)
    # Prefer .bashrc on Linux, .bash_profile on macOS
    if [ -f "$HOME/.bashrc" ]; then
      CONFIG_FILE="$HOME/.bashrc"
    else
      CONFIG_FILE="$HOME/.bash_profile"
    fi
    ;;
  fish)
    CONFIG_FILE="$HOME/.config/fish/config.fish"
    ;;
  *)
    echo "❌ Unsupported shell: $SHELL_TYPE"
    echo "   Supported shells: bash, zsh, fish"
    echo "   Usage: /install-claudesidian-command [bash|zsh|fish]"
    exit 1
    ;;
esac

echo "🐚 Installing for: $SHELL_TYPE"
echo "📝 Config file: $CONFIG_FILE"

Key improvements:

• Uses $SHELL to detect default shell (not $ZSH_VERSION/$BASH_VERSION which detect current session)
• Supports command-line argument to override auto-detection
• Shows detected shell and config file for transparency
• Validates shell type and provides clear error message for unsupported shells

Installation Steps

1. Detect shell: Use argument if provided, otherwise auto-detect from $SHELL

2. Get vault path: Use pwd to get current directory

3. Escape the path: Properly escape quotes and special characters for shell safety

   # Escape backslashes FIRST (so we don't double-escape ones we add later)
   ESCAPED_PATH="${VAULT_PATH//\\/\\\\}"
   # Then escape double quotes
   ESCAPED_PATH="${ESCAPED_PATH//\"/\\\"}"
   

4. Check if already installed: Search config file for existing claudesidian alias/function

   # Check for existing alias/function
   if grep -q "alias claudesidian\|function claudesidian" "$CONFIG_FILE"; then
     echo "⚠️  Found existing claudesidian command:"
     grep -A 3 "claudesidian" "$CONFIG_FILE"
     echo ""
     read -p "Replace it? (yes/no): " replace_answer
     if [[ ! "$replace_answer" =~ ^[Yy] ]]; then
       echo "Installation cancelled. Existing command preserved."
       exit 0
     fi
     # Mark for replacement (will remove before adding new one)
     REPLACING=true
   fi
   

5. Get user confirmation: Show what will be added and get final confirmation

6. Create backup: Only if proceeding with modification

   # Create backup with timestamp
   BACKUP_FILE="$CONFIG_FILE.backup-$(date +%Y%m%d-%H%M%S)"
   cp "$CONFIG_FILE" "$BACKUP_FILE"
   echo "💾 Backup created: $BACKUP_FILE"
   

7. Build the safe alias/function command: Use the escaped path from step 3

   # CRITICAL: Use $ESCAPED_PATH in the command (not raw $VAULT_PATH)
   if [ "$SHELL_TYPE" = "fish" ]; then
     # Fish uses function syntax, not alias
     COMMAND_TEXT="function claudesidian
    cd \"$ESCAPED_PATH\" && (claude --resume 2>/dev/null; or claude)
    cd -
   end"
   else
     # Bash/Zsh use alias syntax
     # IMPORTANT: Use double quotes around $ESCAPED_PATH to preserve escaping
     COMMAND_TEXT="alias claudesidian='(cd \"$ESCAPED_PATH\" && (claude --resume 2>/dev/null || claude))'"
   fi
   

8. Remove old command if replacing:

   if [ "$REPLACING" = true ]; then
     # Bash/Zsh: alias is a single line — delete just that line
     sed -i.tmp '/^alias claudesidian/d' "$CONFIG_FILE"
     # Fish: function spans multiple lines — delete from `function claudesidian`
     # to the matching `end`
     sed -i.tmp '/^function claudesidian/,/^end$/d' "$CONFIG_FILE"
     rm -f "$CONFIG_FILE.tmp"
   fi
   

   Why two separate sed calls: A combined range like /alias claudesidian\|function claudesidian/,/^end$/d would, for the alias case, keep eating lines until it found the next ^end$ somewhere else in the file (or EOF). That could nuke unrelated config below. Single-line delete for the alias, range delete for the function — never combine them.

9. Add command to config file: Append using the escaped command text

   echo "$COMMAND_TEXT" >> "$CONFIG_FILE"
   

10. Show success message: With instructions to reload shell

Example Output

Bash/Zsh Example (with spaces in path to demonstrate escaping):

🔧 Installing claudesidian command...

📁 Vault path: /home/user/My Obsidian Vault
🐚 Shell detected: zsh
📝 Config file: /home/user/.zshrc

💾 Backup created: /home/user/.zshrc.backup-20250107-143025

✅ Installed! Added to /home/user/.zshrc:
   alias claudesidian='(cd "/home/user/My Obsidian Vault" && (claude --resume 2>/dev/null || claude))'

🔄 To activate, run:
   source ~/.zshrc

   Or start a new terminal session.

✨ Test it: Type 'claudesidian' from any directory!

Fish Shell Example:

🔧 Installing claudesidian command...

📁 Vault path: /home/user/My Obsidian Vault
🐚 Shell detected: fish
📝 Config file: /home/user/.config/fish/config.fish

💾 Backup created: /home/user/.config/fish/config.fish.backup-20250107-143025

✅ Installed! Added to /home/user/.config/fish/config.fish:
   function claudesidian
    cd "/home/user/My Obsidian Vault" && (claude --resume 2>/dev/null; or claude)
    cd -
end

🔄 To activate, run:
   source ~/.config/fish/config.fish

   Or start a new terminal session.

✨ Test it: Type 'claudesidian' from any directory!

Handling Special Characters

The implementation properly handles paths with:

• Spaces: /Users/noah/My Vault
• Quotes: /Users/noah/vault's backup
• Special characters that need escaping

Paths are double-quoted and any embedded quotes/backslashes are escaped.

Fish Shell Support

Fish shell uses different syntax than Bash/Zsh:

Bash/Zsh (alias):

alias claudesidian='(cd "/path" && command)'

Fish (function):

function claudesidian
    cd "/path" && (command; or fallback)
    cd -
end

Key differences:

• Fish uses function keyword instead of alias for complex commands
• Fish uses ; or instead of || for fallback logic
• Fish uses cd - to return to previous directory (instead of subshell)
• Multi-line function definition instead of single-line alias

The installation automatically detects Fish and uses the correct syntax.

Security Considerations

This command modifies your shell configuration file (a sensitive operation). Safety measures:

• You'll see exactly what will be added before any changes
• Timestamped backup is automatically created before modification
• Vault path is properly escaped to prevent injection attacks
• Only the claudesidian command is modified - nothing else in your config
• Asks permission before replacing existing commands

If anything goes wrong, restore from: $CONFIG_FILE.backup-YYYYMMDD-HHMMSS

Important Notes

• The command uses a subshell () (or cd - in Fish) so it returns to your original directory after
• Automatically tries to resume existing sessions, falls back to new session
• If alias/function already exists, asks user if they want to replace it
• Always shows what will be added before modifying config files
• Always creates timestamped backup of config file before modifying (format: YYYYMMDD-HHMMSS)
• Backups are kept indefinitely - users can manually clean up old backups if needed
• Shows backup location so users know where to restore from if needed

Usage Examples

Install for your default shell (auto-detected):

/install-claudesidian-command

Install for specific shell (override auto-detection):

/install-claudesidian-command zsh
/install-claudesidian-command bash
/install-claudesidian-command fish

When to specify shell:

• You use multiple shells and want to install for a specific one
• Auto-detection picked the wrong shell
• You're setting up for someone else

How It Works

Bash/Zsh (alias with subshell):

alias claudesidian='(cd "/path/to/vault" && (claude --resume 2>/dev/null || claude))'

1. (cd "/path/to/vault" && ...) - Subshell that changes directory temporarily (path is double-quoted for safety)
2. claude --resume 2>/dev/null - Tries to resume existing session, suppresses error
3. || claude - If resume fails (no session), starts new session
4. After Claude exits, subshell closes and returns to original directory automatically

Fish (function with cd -):

function claudesidian
    cd "/path/to/vault" && (claude --resume 2>/dev/null; or claude)
    cd -
end

1. cd "/path/to/vault" - Changes to vault directory (path is double-quoted for safety)
2. claude --resume 2>/dev/null - Tries to resume existing session, suppresses error
3. ; or claude - If resume fails (no session), starts new session (Fish syntax)
4. cd - - Returns to previous directory after Claude exits

Source: heyitsnoah/claudesidian — distributed by TomeVault.