Reference Sheet CLI Tool

A simple yet powerful CLI tool for developers who want quick access to their reference notes directly from VS Code.

🤔 The Problem It Solves

As developers, we all face the same daily struggle:

• Implementation details - "What was that specific API endpoint format?"
• Concept details - "Wait, what's the difference between == and === in JavaScript again?"
• Reusing code blocks - "I wrote this perfect function last month, where is it?"

We spend way too much time context-switching between:

1. Our code editor
2. A markdown editor
3. Our note-taking app
4. The browser (re-Googling the same things every week)

💡 The Solution

• refrence-sheet (or just ref) lets you:
• Keep all your reference notes as markdown files right inside your project
• Access them instantly from your terminal
• Open them directly in VS Code (where you're already working)
• Create new notes with templates
• Search and browse through your notes without leaving your workflow

🚀 Installation

npm install -g refrence-sheet

or if you want to use it as a project dependency:

npm install --save-dev refrence-sheet

📚 Usage

# Browse notes interactively
ref browse

# List all available notes
ref list

# Open a specific note by name
ref open git-commands

# Search for notes by keyword
ref search docker

# Create a new note
ref new "react-hooks-cheatsheet"

# Create with a detailed template
ref new "aws-cli-tips" --template detailed

# Create and open immediately
ref new "vscode-shortcuts" --open

All Options

ref [command] [options]

Commands:
  list, l        List all available reference notes
  open, o        Open a specific note in VS Code
  browse, b      Interactive browse and select notes
  search, s      Search notes by keyword
  new, n         Create a new markdown note
  help           Display help

New Note Options:
  -t, --template <template>   Template to use (default|empty|detailed)
  -f, --force                 Overwrite existing file
  -o, --open                  Open after creation
  --no-open                   Don't open after creation

🎯 Examples

# Interactive browse - perfect for when you can't remember the exact name
ref browse

# Quick open
ref open git

# Search for anything related to docker
ref search docker

# Create a new cheatsheet
ref new "linux-commands" --template detailed

# View help
ref --help

📁 Notes Structure

Notes are stored as markdown files in the notes/ directory. Each note can be structured however you like, with included templates for:

• Default: Simple structure with sections for overview, key points, and references
• Detailed: More structured with metadata, action items, and related notes
• Empty: Just the title - you build it from scratch

🎨 Features

• VS Code Integration: Opens notes right in your editor with the code command
• Interactive Browsing: Numbered selection for quick access
• Search: Find notes by keyword
• Templates: Pre-built templates for consistent note-taking
• Smart Matching: Open notes with partial names (e.g., ref open git matches git-commands.md)
• Cross-platform: Works on Windows, macOS, and Linux

🔧 Setup Notes

For the open command to work, make sure you have the VS Code CLI command available:

1. Open VS Code
2. Press Cmd+Shift+P (macOS) or Ctrl+Shift+P (Windows/Linux)
3. Search for "Shell Command: Install 'code' command in PATH"
4. Click to install

📝 Why I Made This

got tired of:

• Opening separate markdown editors
• Leaving my IDE to check syntax
• Re-Googling the same things
• Not having a quick way to access my own pre-written solutions
• Keeping track of scattered notes across multiple apps Now, when I need to check my Git cheatsheet, Docker commands, or React patterns, I just type ref open git and I'm right in my notes, inside VS Code.

📄 License

MIT - feel free to use, modify, and share!