Contributions are most welcome! All tldr
pages are stored in Markdown right here on GitHub.
Just open an issue or send a pull request and we'll incorporate it as soon as possible.
To get started, please sign the
Contributor License Agreement.
Note: when submitting a new command, don't forget to check if there's already a pull request in progress for it.
The basic format of a tldr
page is a set of concrete usage examples.
Here are a few guidelines to get started:
- Try to keep pages at around 5 examples. Pages can be longer if needed, but don't exceed 8 examples.
Remember, it's OK if the page doesn't cover everything; that's what
man
is for. - When in doubt, keep new command-line users in mind. Err on the side of clarity rather than terseness.
For example, commands that require
sudo
should include it directly in the examples. - Try to incorporate the spelled-out version of single-letter options in the example's description. The goal is to allow people to understand the syntax of the commands, not just memorize it.
- Introduce options gradually, starting with the simplest command invocations, and using more complex examples progressively.
- Focus on details specific to the command, and avoid explaining general UNIX concepts that could apply to any command (ex: relative/absolute paths, glob patterns/wildcards, special character escaping...).
These are all guidelines, not strict rules. Use proper judgement, keeping simplicity and user-friendliness as the top priority.
When in doubt, have a look at a few existing pages :).
As a quick reference, the format of each page should match the following template:
# command-name
> Short, snappy description.
> Preferably one line; two are acceptable if necessary.
- Example description:
`command -opt1 -opt2 -arg1 {{arg_value}}`
- Example description:
`command -opt1 -opt2`
For more detailed page formatting guidelines, refer to the style guide.
For submitting changes, you can use whatever workflow you're more comfortable with.
The easiest way to submit a change is to just edit the page directly on the Github interface. Check out the step-by-step instructions (with screenshots) on Github Help.
Alternatively, you can do most of the process using the command line:
-
fork the repository on the github web interface
-
clone your fork locally:
git clone https://github.com/{{your_username}}/tldr.git && cd tldr
-
create a feature branch, e.g. named after the command you plan to edit:
git checkout -b {{branch_name}}
-
make your changes (edit existing files or create a new one)
-
commit the changes:
git commit --all -m "{{commit_message}}"
-
push to your fork:
git push origin {{branch_name}}
-
go to the github page for your fork and click the green pull request button.
Please send only related changes in the same pull request. Typically a pull request will include changes in a single file.
For the commit message, use the following format:
<command>: type of change
Examples:
ls: add page
cat: fix typo
git-push: add --force example
tldr
is licensed under the MIT license.
Any contributions to this project are governed by the Contributor License Agreement.