How to Use the Command 'buku' (with Examples)

Buku is a powerful and flexible command-line tool designed to manage bookmarks independently from any web browser. It provides features such as adding, displaying, deleting, and editing bookmarks, as well as associating tags with them for better organization and retrieval. With Buku, users can efficiently manage their bookmarks directly from the terminal, enabling automation and integration with other scripts and tools.

Display All Bookmarks Matching “Keyword” and With “Privacy” Tag

Code:

buku keyword --stag privacy

Motivation:

If you are someone who saves numerous URLs on varied topics, finding specific bookmarks becomes challenging over time. This command can be highly beneficial when you have a large repository of bookmarks and need to filter them by specific keywords and tags. By searching for keywords in conjunction with tags like “privacy”, you can quickly sift through your collection to locate the bookmarks that are relevant to your current needs or interest.

Explanation:

• buku: Initiates the Buku command-line tool.
• keyword: Represents the search term used to match bookmark titles or URLs.
• --stag privacy: The --stag flag is used to filter bookmarks by tag. Here, it specifies that only bookmarks tagged with “privacy” should be displayed.

Example Output:

  1. https://example.com - Example Site [tags: privacy, security]
  45. https://anotherexample.org - Another Example [tags: privacy, research]

This output shows all bookmarks containing the specified “keyword” and tagged with “privacy”, making them easy to review or refine further.

Add Bookmark With Tags “Search Engine” and “Privacy”

Code:

buku --add https://example.com search engine, privacy

Motivation:

Adding bookmarks efficiently is crucial for organizing information. Using Buku’s tagging system upon creation helps in categorizing the URL for future retrieval. Adding tags such as “search engine” and “privacy” to a new bookmark ensures it is sorted into relevant categories from the beginning, thus facilitating easier searches later on.

Explanation:

• buku: Starts the Buku tool.
• --add: This flag specifies the operation to add a new bookmark.
• https://example.com: The URL of the bookmark you want to save.
• search engine, privacy: This is a comma-separated list of tags assigned to the bookmark.

Example Output:

Bookmark added: 15. https://example.com [tags: search engine, privacy]

This output confirms the addition of the bookmark with the specified tags, verifying its successful integration into the database.

Delete a Bookmark

Code:

buku --delete bookmark_id

Motivation:

Managing bookmarks involves not only adding new links but also deleting outdated or irrelevant ones. Use this command when you find redundant or no longer useful bookmarks cluttering your collection. By removing these entries, you maintain an organized and streamlined set of bookmarks that are truly beneficial.

Explanation:

• buku: Launches the Buku command-line utility.
• --delete: This flag indicates the deletion operation.
• bookmark_id: The unique identifier of the bookmark intended for deletion.

Example Output:

Deleted bookmark: 12

This confirms the deletion of the bookmark with ID ‘12’, keeping your collection clean and up-to-date.

Open Editor to Edit a Bookmark

Code:

buku --write bookmark_id

Motivation:

There are times when you may need to update information about a bookmark, such as its title, URL, or tags. This command is useful for editing any attribute of a bookmark. It opens the default editor, allowing comprehensive updates, and ensuring your bookmarks retain their relevance and accuracy.

Explanation:

• buku: Executes the Buku command interface.
• --write: This flag opens the specified bookmark for editing.
• bookmark_id: Represents the unique identifier of the bookmark you wish to modify.

Example Output:

Opening editor for bookmark: 6

This message indicates that the bookmark with ID ‘6’ is now open for editing in the default editor.

Remove “Search Engine” Tag From a Bookmark

Code:

buku --update bookmark_id --tag - search engine

Motivation:

Tags are vital for categorizing bookmarks, but sometimes a tag might become obsolete or irrelevantly associated with a bookmark. This command allows you to remove a specific tag from a bookmark, ensuring the accuracy and relevance of its categorization. Keeping tags up-to-date optimizes your bookmark management efforts.

Explanation:

• buku: Starts the Buku command.
• --update: This flag indicates that the bookmark is being edited.
• bookmark_id: Specifies the ID of the bookmark being modified.
• --tag -: The --tag option followed by a - symbol indicates tag removal.
• search engine: The specific tag targeted for removal from the bookmark.

Example Output:

Updated bookmark: 4 [tags: privacy]

The output verifies successful removal of the “search engine” tag from the bookmark, ensuring the tags reflect its current classification.

Conclusion:

Buku provides a robust set of tools for managing bookmarks from the command line. With its ability to handle bookmarks independently of any web browser, Buku is a valuable utility for users who prefer or need command-line operations for their daily tasks. By implementing these use cases, one can maintain an organized, efficient, and easily accessible collection of bookmarks.