Exploring the 'wami' Command for Program Recommendations (with examples)

The ‘wami’ command-line tool is a powerful and easy-to-use utility that helps users find appropriate software programs and tools for specific tasks by searching across various sources. As an open-source project, it provides flexibility and ease of use for developers and cybersecurity professionals who need to discover and evaluate tools efficiently. Through a series of examples, this article illustrates different use cases of the ‘wami’ command to help you understand its application better.

Use case 1: Finding Expanded Results in All Categories from the Lake and Sorting Them

Code:

wami --show-all -S asc|desc --search-all search_string

Motivation:
This use case is particularly useful for researchers and developers who are looking to explore a comprehensive list of available tools related to a particular task or subject area. By enabling expanded results, users can investigate a wide array of options beyond a simple one-line output. Sorting these results further aids in organizing them for easier comprehension and decision-making.

Explanation:

• --show-all: This argument instructs ‘wami’ to display detailed information about all the results it finds. This might include descriptions, download links, and other metadata that can be indispensable when evaluating software options.
• -S asc|desc: The -S flag is used to sort search results. By specifying asc or desc, users can organize the data in ascending or descending order respectively. This helps in quickly locating the most relevant or least relevant tools according to specific criteria.
• --search-all search_string: This instructs the command to perform a search across all available databases or “lakes” that ‘wami’ can access. The search_string is the keyword or topic the user wishes to explore. This could be anything from a security tool to a data analysis program.

Example Output:

1. [Tool A] - Description, Category: Security, Stars: ★★★★☆
2. [Tool B] - Description, Category: Development, Stars: ★★★☆☆
3. [Tool C] - Description, Category: Analysis, Stars: ★★★★★
...

Use case 2: Searching GitHub to Find Expanded Results, Sorted in Descending Order

Code:

wami --show-all -S desc --github search_string

Motivation:
Developers frequently turn to GitHub when looking for open-source projects because it not only hosts millions of repositories but also offers community feedback in the form of stars and forks. This use case assists users in discovering relevant GitHub projects, complete with expanded details, which can accelerate their adoption and integration process. Sorting by descending order emphasizes the most popular or recently updated projects, aiding quick discovery.

Explanation:

• --show-all: Similar to the first use case, this option ensures that users gain access to comprehensive data about tools, including version history, contributors, and README files.
• -S desc: This advises ‘wami’ to arrange the results in descending order. For example, projects with the most GitHub stars would appear at the top of the list, suggesting higher community approval or utility.
• --github search_string: Directs the command to specifically search GitHub repositories using the specified keyword or topic. This focuses the search on GitHub, assuming users wish to harness the vast ecosystem of collaboration housed there.

Example Output:

1. [Repository X] - Stars: 5000, Description, Last Update: 2023-07-01
2. [Repository Y] - Stars: 3000, Description, Last Update: 2023-06-15
...

Use case 3: Searching GitHub for Topics That Match the Search String

Code:

wami --list-topics search_string

Motivation:
For those interested in contributing to or learning more about specific themes or initiatives on GitHub, searching by topic offers a targeted way to locate relevant discussion arenas. This can be particularly beneficial for open-source contributors, educators, or topic-based software communities.

Explanation:

• --list-topics: This parameter limits the search results to GitHub topics. Topics on GitHub act as tags or themes under which various projects may be categorized, allowing users to discover not just individual repositories but entire groups of related projects.
• search_string: This is the word or phrase that defines the topic of interest to the user. By searching for the topic string, ‘wami’ returns topics containing repositories that can provide insights or solutions for that theme.

Example Output:

- Topic: Machine Learning, Repositories: 2000, Description: Resources for ML enthusiasts
- Topic: Cybersecurity, Repositories: 1500, Description: Security-related tools and documents
...

Use case 4: Searching the Lake for a Tool Used in Pentests to Query for Default Credentials and Sorting the Results

Code:

wami -S desc --search-all pentest credential default

Motivation:
Security professionals performing penetration testing require efficient tools to audit systems for weak or default credentials. Finding the latest resources related to this need can improve the thoroughness and effectiveness of such tests. This use case concentrates on locating specialized tools for security audits and organizes the results based on relevance or effectiveness.

Explanation:

• -S desc: Directs the tool to arrange the results from high to low with respect to certain criteria such as popularity or applicability to default credentials in penetration tests.
• --search-all: Indicates that ‘wami’ should look across all available sources, ensuring a broad and inclusive search output.
• pentest credential default: These are the search keywords guiding the query. ‘Pentest’ signals a penetration-testing context, while ‘credential’ and ‘default’ narrow the focus to authentication systems that may utilize default login information.

Example Output:

1. [Tool Alpha] - Rating: High, Description: Automation script for finding default credentials
2. [Tool Beta] - Rating: Medium, Description: Network scanning tool for credential discovery
...

Conclusion:

The ‘wami’ command is an invaluable resource for both novices and seasoned professionals aiming to discover and organize software tools tailored to their needs. Whether you are a developer looking for GitHub repositories or a security expert requiring specialized pentesting tools, these use cases demonstrate the versatility and utility ‘wami’ offers. By understanding and leveraging its various parameters and options, users can make more informed choices about the tools they employ in their workflows.