TWIL 2019-06-14

Welcome back to another edition of TWIL, our weekly series where we serve up bite-sized pieces of wisdom to spice up your tech know-how. This week, join Emily as she introduces a nifty Shell script to Automatically Run nvm use, a smart way to ensure the right Node version with a helpful nvm use command embedded in directory changes—a true lifesaver for those seeking command line efficiency. Stay tuned as Emily demonstrates the ease of integrating this tweak into your workflow. With her tips, managing Node environments becomes as simple as hopping into a directory, perfect for the forgetful among us keen on keeping our Shell game strong.

Automatically Run nvm use Shell Function

Recently I've found myself forgetting to run nvm use , so I decided to add it to my usual cl function.

Here's the basic version:

# A function used as a more advanced version of `cd`
# - Changes into the specified directory
# - If an .nvmrc file exists, active it using `nvm use`
function cl () {
  cd "$@"

  if test -f ".nvmrc"; then
    echo "🔎🔎🔎 .nvmrc found - activating Node environment\n"
    nvm use
  fi
}

And my full cl command:

# A function used as a more advanced version of `cd`
# - Changes into the specified directory
# - Clears the screen
# - If an .nvmrc file exists, active it using `nvm use`
# - Lists the current directory
function cl () {
  cd "$@" && clear
  
  if test -f ".nvmrc"; then
    echo "🔎🔎🔎 .nvmrc found - activating Node environment\n"
    nvm use
  fi

  ls -laAhF
}

Emily Morehouse

Cofounder, Director of Engineering