mirror of
https://github.com/PR0M3TH3AN/Marlin.git
synced 2025-09-08 15:18:44 +00:00
265 lines
7.3 KiB
Markdown
265 lines
7.3 KiB
Markdown
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# Marlin
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**Marlin** is a lightweight, metadata-driven file indexer that runs 100 % on your computer. It scans folders, stores paths and file stats in SQLite, lets you attach hierarchical **tags** and **custom attributes**, takes automatic snapshots, and offers instant full-text search via FTS5.
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_No cloud, no telemetry – your data never leaves the machine._
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---
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## Feature highlights
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| Area | What you get |
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| -------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
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| **Safety** | Timestamped backups (`marlin backup`) and one-command restore (`marlin restore`) |
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| **Resilience** | Versioned, idempotent schema migrations – zero-downtime upgrades |
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| **Indexing** | Fast multi-path scanner with SQLite WAL concurrency |
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| **Metadata** | Hierarchical tags (`project/alpha`) & key-value attributes (`reviewed=yes`) |
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| **Search** | Prefix-aware FTS5 across paths, tags, and attributes; optional `--exec` per match |
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| **DX / Logs** | Structured tracing (`RUST_LOG=debug`) for every operation |
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---
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## How it works
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```text
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┌──────────────┐ marlin scan ┌─────────────┐
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│ your files │ ─────────────────────▶│ SQLite │
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│ (any folder) │ │ files/tags │
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└──────────────┘ tag / attr │ attrs / FTS │
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▲ search / exec └──────┬──────┘
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└────────── backup / restore ▼
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timestamped snapshots
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````
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---
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## Prerequisites
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| Requirement | Why |
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| ------------------ | ----------------------------- |
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| **Rust** ≥ 1.77 | Build toolchain (`rustup.rs`) |
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| C build essentials | Builds bundled SQLite (Linux) |
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macOS & Windows users: let the Rust installer pull the matching build tools.
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---
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## Build & install
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```bash
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git clone https://github.com/yourname/marlin.git
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cd marlin
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cargo build --release
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# (Optional) Install the binary into your PATH:
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sudo install -Dm755 target/release/marlin /usr/local/bin/marlin
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```
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---
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## Quick start
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```bash
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marlin init # create DB (idempotent)
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marlin scan ~/Pictures ~/Documents # index files
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marlin tag ~/Pictures/**/*.jpg photos/trip-2024 # add hierarchical tag
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marlin attr set ~/Documents/**/*.pdf reviewed yes # set custom attribute
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marlin search reviewed --exec "xdg-open {}" # open matches
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marlin backup # snapshot DB
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```
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---
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### Enable shell completions (optional but handy)
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```bash
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# create the directory if needed
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mkdir -p ~/.config/bash_completion.d
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# dump Bash completion
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marlin completions bash > ~/.config/bash_completion.d/marlin
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```
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For Zsh, Fish, etc., redirect into your shell’s completions folder.
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---
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### Database location
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* **Linux** `~/.local/share/marlin/index.db`
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* **macOS** `~/Library/Application Support/marlin/index.db`
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* **Windows** `%APPDATA%\marlin\index.db`
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Override with:
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```bash
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export MARLIN_DB_PATH=/path/to/custom.db
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```
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---
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## CLI reference
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```text
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marlin <COMMAND> [ARGS]
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init create / migrate database
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scan <PATHS>... walk directories & index files
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tag "<glob>" <tag_path> add hierarchical tag
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attr set <pattern> <key> <value> manage custom attributes
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attr ls <path>
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search <query> [--exec CMD] FTS5 query, optionally run CMD on each hit
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backup create timestamped snapshot in backups/
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restore <snapshot.db> replace DB with snapshot
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completions <shell> generate shell completions
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```
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### Attribute subcommands
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| Command | Example |
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| ---------- | ---------------------------------------------- |
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| `attr set` | `marlin attr set ~/Docs/**/*.pdf reviewed yes` |
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| `attr ls` | `marlin attr ls ~/Docs/report.pdf` |
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---
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## Backups & restore
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**Create snapshot**
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```bash
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marlin backup
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# → ~/.local/share/marlin/backups/backup_2025-05-14_22-15-30.db
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```
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**Restore snapshot**
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```bash
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marlin restore ~/.local/share/marlin/backups/backup_2025-05-14_22-15-30.db
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```
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Marlin also takes an **automatic safety backup before every non-init command**.
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---
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## Upgrading
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```bash
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cargo install --path . --force # rebuild & replace installed binary
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```
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The versioned migration system preserves your data across upgrades.
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---
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## Five-Minute Quickstart
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Just paste & run each block in your terminal.
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### 0 Prepare, build & install
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```bash
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cd ~/Documents/GitHub/Marlin
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cargo build --release
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sudo install -Dm755 target/release/marlin /usr/local/bin/marlin
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```
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> Now `marlin` is available everywhere.
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### 1 Enable shell completion
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```bash
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mkdir -p ~/.config/bash_completion.d
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marlin completions bash > ~/.config/bash_completion.d/marlin
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```
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### 2 Prepare a clean demo directory
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```bash
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rm -rf ~/marlin_demo
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mkdir -p ~/marlin_demo/{Projects/{Alpha,Beta},Media/Photos,Docs}
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printf "Alpha draft\n" > ~/marlin_demo/Projects/Alpha/draft.txt
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printf "Beta notes\n" > ~/marlin_demo/Projects/Beta/notes.md
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printf "Receipt PDF\n" > ~/marlin_demo/Docs/receipt.pdf
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printf "fake jpg\n" > ~/marlin_demo/Media/Photos/vacation.jpg
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```
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### 3 Initialize & index files
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```bash
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marlin init
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marlin scan ~/marlin_demo
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# show every path tested:
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marlin --verbose scan ~/marlin_demo
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```
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> Only changed files get re-indexed on subsequent runs.
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### 4 Attach tags & attributes
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```bash
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# Tag everything under “Alpha”
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marlin tag ~/marlin_demo/Projects/Alpha/**/* project/alpha
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# Mark all PDFs as reviewed
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marlin attr set ~/marlin_demo/**/*.pdf reviewed yes
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# Output as JSON instead:
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marlin --format=json attr set ~/marlin_demo/**/*.pdf reviewed yes
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```
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### 5 Search your index
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```bash
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# By tag or filename
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marlin search alpha
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# Combined terms:
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marlin search "reviewed AND pdf"
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# Run a command on each hit:
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marlin search reviewed --exec 'echo HIT → {}'
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```
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### 6 Backup & restore
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```bash
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# Snapshot
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snap=$(marlin backup | awk '{print $NF}')
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# Simulate loss
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rm ~/.local/share/marlin/index.db
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# Restore
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marlin restore "$snap"
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# Verify
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marlin search reviewed
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```
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---
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##### What you just exercised
|
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|
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| Command | Purpose |
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| ----------------- | ----------------------------------------- |
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| `marlin init` | Create / upgrade the SQLite database |
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| `marlin scan` | Walk directories and (re)index files |
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| `marlin tag` | Attach hierarchical tags |
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| `marlin attr set` | Add/overwrite custom key-value attributes |
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| `marlin search` | FTS5 search across path / tags / attrs |
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| `--exec` | Pipe hits into any shell command |
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| `marlin backup` | Timestamped snapshot of the DB |
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| `marlin restore` | Replace live DB with a chosen snapshot |
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That’s the complete surface area of Marlin today—feel free to play around or point the scanner at real folders.
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---
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## License
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MIT – see `LICENSE`
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