You’ve typed this before. Let’s skip that part.

tabcat is a smart prompt for zsh and bash that learns your shell history. Tab through the familiar parts, type only what’s different.

$ npm install -g tabcat

Node.js 20+ runs on your machine MIT

~/projects/my-appDemo with made-up history

❯ git checkout develop
❯ git checkout feature/login

~/projects/my-app · main ✓ ❯ git checkout

Type git ch and press Tab: tabcat fills in the familiar start and stops where your branches differ.

Chunks, not whole lines.

Tab stops where your commands go separate ways. → takes one chunk, ⇧ Tab takes it back.

Your context first.

Recent and frequent commands rank higher, and commands you ran in this directory get a head start.

Stays on your machine.

Learning and prediction run locally. No cloud model, no account, no telemetry.

Long command. Short name.

Some commands deserve a place in your workflow, not in your memory. Type the command, press Ctrl N, give it a name, and Ctrl S saves it without running.

Next time, type the name and press Tab: the full command comes back to inspect, extend or run. The exact name plus Enter runs it straight away.

Today, in ~/projects/shop

❯ docker compose -f compose.dev.yaml run --rm php vendor/bin/phpstan analyze src

⚡ analyzehere · ^G: global · ^S: save

Tomorrow, same project

❯ analyze

› ⚡ analyze docker compose -f compose.dev.yaml run --rm php vendor/bin/phpstan analyze src

Here, or everywhere.

Every name has a scope. You choose it in the naming badge with Ctrl G; the badge says here or GLOBAL, so you always know which one you’re saving.

Here default

The name belongs to the directory you created it in, so relative paths keep pointing at the right place. Every project can have its own analyze, up or test.

~/projects/shop analyze → phpstan
~/projects/blog analyze → npm run lint

Everywhere `Ctrl` `G`

A global name works in every directory. Use it for commands that don’t depend on where you are, like claude --model haiku as haiku.

Same name in both scopes? The local one wins in its directory; everywhere else, the global one applies.

Changing your mind later: type the name, Tab to expand, Ctrl N, switch with Ctrl G, save with Ctrl S. :names lists them all, Ctrl X forgets one. Scope in the guide

The keys, all of them.

Four cover the basics: Tab, →, ⇧ Tab and Ctrl R. Type :help in the prompt to see this list there.

In the zsh plugin, Tab, → and ⇧ Tab work the same; naming and search use the Ctrl X family so your zsh shortcuts stay yours. Plugin keys

Complete

Tab: Accept the selected suggestion
→: Accept one chunk
⇧ Tab: Undo the last accept
↑ ↓: Move through suggestions
Esc: Close the suggestions

History

Ctrl R: Fuzzy history search
↑ ↓: On an empty line: browse history, filtered once you type

Names

Ctrl N: Name this command
Ctrl G: In the badge: here ⇄ everywhere
Ctrl S: In the badge: save without running
Ctrl X: Forget the shown name

Leave

Ctrl C: Clear the current input
Ctrl D: Quit to your regular shell

Bring your history. Keep your shell.

Try it without touching your shell config. When tabcat has earned a place, one block in ~/.zshrc makes it start with every terminal.

Just looking? Run npx tabcat import, then npx tabcat. Nothing is installed globally.

Install tabcat
$ npm install -g tabcat
Import your shell history
$ tabcat import
Reads ~/.zsh_history or ~/.bash_history, so suggestions work from the first keystroke.
Open the prompt
$ tabcat
Ctrl D takes you back to your regular shell, any time.
Make it stick optional
Add this to the end of ~/.zshrc or ~/.bashrc. Every new terminal opens tabcat; Ctrl D or :exit drops you into your regular shell.
```
if [[ $- == *i* ]] &&
    [[ -z "$TABCAT_AUTOSTART" ]] &&
    command -v tabcat >/dev/null; then
  export TABCAT_AUTOSTART=1
  command tabcat repl
fi
```
The guard keeps nested shells and the commands tabcat runs from starting it again. Lazy-loading nvm? Put Node’s bin directory on PATH before this block. Autostart guide
Prefer your own zsh session? The plugin adds ghost text and Tab right there, and shares everything tabcat has learned.
$ tabcat plugin init zsh
Add the source line it prints to ~/.zshrc. zsh only; on bash, use the prompt. Plugin guide

Before you ask.

Does this replace my shell?

No. tabcat is a smart prompt, not a persistent shell session. Each command runs in its own shell: directory changes carry over, while exports, functions and aliases you define during a session last for that one command. Aliases from your startup config are imported at launch. More about shell sessions

What about my virtualenv or nvm use?

Commands inherit the environment tabcat starts with, so activate first and then open the prompt. Activating inside the prompt only lasts for that one command. If you need a long-lived, changing environment, the zsh plugin keeps you in your own session.

Where does my history go?

Nowhere. Commands and magic names live under ~/.config/tabcat/. Treat those files like shell history: arguments can contain secrets. Imported history has no directory information; tabcat learns that as you use it. Storage details

How do I undo all of it?

Remove the autostart block or plugin line from ~/.zshrc, run npm uninstall -g tabcat, and delete ~/.config/tabcat/ to forget what it learned.

Is there a macOS app?

There’s a macOS overlay in beta for running a command without opening a terminal first. It uses the same prediction engine.

Your next command starts here.

$ npm install -g tabcat

Then tabcat import and tabcat. tabcat is young and moving fast: follow the releases or open an issue on GitHub.

You’ve typed this before. Let’s skip that part.

Try the prompt

How tabcat completes