Installation

Prerequisites

• Node.js >= 18

Check your Node.js version:

node --version  # Should be v18.0.0 or higher

Install from npm

npm install -g bwrb

Or with pnpm:

pnpm add -g bwrb

Install from Source

Clone the repository and build:

git clone https://github.com/3mdistal/bwrb.git
cd bwrb
pnpm install
pnpm build
pnpm link --global  # Makes 'bwrb' available globally

Development Mode

Run without building (useful for contributing):

pnpm dev -- new idea

Verify Installation

bwrb --version
bwrb --help

You should see the version number and a list of available commands.

Shell Completion

Enable tab completion for commands, types, and paths. See Shell Completion for advanced configuration.

Bash

Add to ~/.bashrc:

eval "$(bwrb completion bash)"

Zsh

Add to ~/.zshrc:

eval "$(bwrb completion zsh)"

Fish

Run once to install:

bwrb completion fish > ~/.config/fish/completions/bwrb.fish

What Gets Completed

• Commands: bwrb <TAB> shows new, edit, list, open, etc.
• Options: bwrb list -<TAB> shows --type, --path, --where, etc.
• Types: bwrb list --type <TAB> shows types from your schema
• Paths: bwrb list --path <TAB> shows vault directories

Environment Variables

Variable	Description	Default
BWRB_VAULT	Default vault path	Current directory
BWRB_DEFAULT_APP	Default app for bwrb open	obsidian
EDITOR / VISUAL	Editor for --app editor	—

Example:

export BWRB_VAULT=~/notes
export BWRB_DEFAULT_APP=editor

Uninstall

If installed via npm:

npm uninstall -g bwrb

If installed from source:

pnpm unlink --global  # In the bwrb directory

Troubleshooting

”command not found: bwrb”

Make sure your npm global bin directory is in your PATH:

npm bin -g  # Shows the global bin path

Add this path to your shell configuration if needed.

Permission errors on npm install

Use a Node version manager like nvm or fnm to avoid permission issues with global installs.

Next Steps

Once installed, see the Quick Start guide to create your first schema and note.