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slackadays/clipboard

★ 5,774C++Audience · developerComplexity · 2/5LicenseSetup · easy

TLDR

A command-line clipboard manager called cb that replaces fragmented tools like xclip, letting you copy, store, and paste text, files, and directories across multiple named clipboards in a terminal.

Mindmap

mindmap
  root((Clipboard cb))
    What it does
      Multi-clipboard manager
      CLI tool
      Cross-platform
    Supported Content
      Text
      Files
      Directories
      Binary data
    Install Options
      Homebrew macOS
      Scoop Windows
      Flatpak Linux
      Nix
    Features
      Named clipboards
      Scriptable API
      Multi-language UI
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Code map

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Things people build with this

USE CASE 1

Replace xclip and other fragmented Linux clipboard tools with a single unified cb command

USE CASE 2

Maintain multiple separate named clipboards in shell scripts and automated terminal workflows

USE CASE 3

Copy files and directories from the terminal and paste them into graphical applications

USE CASE 4

Use the scriptable API to integrate clipboard operations into automated shell scripts

Tech stack

C++HomebrewScoopFlatpakNix

Getting it running

Difficulty · easy Time to first run · 5min
Free and open source, use and distribute freely.

In plain English

The Clipboard Project is a command-line clipboard manager written in C++. It is a tool you run in a terminal to copy, store, and paste content without the limitations of the single-item clipboard that most operating systems provide by default. You can maintain multiple separate clipboards at once, each with its own history, and each capable of holding text, files, directories, or binary data. The command you use is called cb. Basic usage looks like running cb copy to put something in the clipboard and cb paste to retrieve it. The project emphasizes speed and positions itself as a replacement for fragmented clipboard tools on Linux like xclip, which require remembering different flags depending on what type of content you are copying. The README includes several user quotes describing it as useful for shell scripting and terminal work. Installation is available through a wide range of package managers: Homebrew for macOS, Scoop for Windows, and on Linux through Alpine, the Arch AUR, Conda, Flatpak, Gentoo, Nix, Pacstall, and Snap. One-line install scripts are also provided for all platforms except Windows (curl-based) and for Windows separately (PowerShell). The tool integrates with existing graphical clipboard systems so copied content can also be pasted in regular applications. The interface supports several languages including Spanish, Portuguese, Turkish, and French. A scriptable API is available for use in automated workflows and shell scripts. The README notes that as of the time it was written, the project was seeking a C++ contributor to continue active development. The license is free and open source. The project is sponsored by Warp, a terminal application. The full README is longer than what was shown.

Copy-paste prompts

Prompt 1
How do I install the cb clipboard tool on Linux using Flatpak or Nix and copy a file to the clipboard from the terminal?
Prompt 2
Show me how to use cb to maintain multiple separate named clipboards in a bash script for managing different sets of copied content.
Prompt 3
How do I use cb copy and cb paste to copy command output to a clipboard and paste it later in a shell script?
Prompt 4
What is the difference between cb and xclip, and how do I replace my existing xclip commands with cb?
Prompt 5
How do I install cb on macOS with Homebrew and paste copied content into a regular desktop app?
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