diff --git a/cursorless-talon-dev/src/cursorless_dev.py b/cursorless-talon-dev/src/cursorless_dev.py
index 1b659977a9..ae7e8752e2 100644
--- a/cursorless-talon-dev/src/cursorless_dev.py
+++ b/cursorless-talon-dev/src/cursorless_dev.py
@@ -38,5 +38,10 @@ def cursorless_record_silent_test():
     def private_cursorless_make_snippet_test(target: Any):
         """Test generating a snippet"""
         actions.user.private_cursorless_command_no_wait(
-            {"name": "generateSnippet", "snippetName": "testSnippet", "target": target}
+            {
+                "name": "generateSnippet",
+                "dirPath": "",
+                "snippetName": "testSnippet",
+                "target": target,
+            }
         )
diff --git a/cursorless-talon/src/actions/actions.py b/cursorless-talon/src/actions/actions.py
index c9e75cf750..b82e6414cb 100644
--- a/cursorless-talon/src/actions/actions.py
+++ b/cursorless-talon/src/actions/actions.py
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 )
 from .bring_move import BringMoveTargets
 from .execute_command import cursorless_execute_command_action
+from .generate_snippet import cursorless_generate_snippet_action
 from .homophones import cursorless_homophones_action
 from .replace import cursorless_replace_action
 
@@ -50,12 +51,12 @@
 ]
 
 callback_actions: dict[str, Callable[[CursorlessExplicitTarget], None]] = {
+    "generateSnippet": cursorless_generate_snippet_action,
     "nextHomophone": cursorless_homophones_action,
 }
 
 # Don't wait for these actions to finish, usually because they hang on some kind of user interaction
 no_wait_actions = [
-    "generateSnippet",
     "rename",
 ]
 
diff --git a/cursorless-talon/src/actions/generate_snippet.py b/cursorless-talon/src/actions/generate_snippet.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ef102e36d4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cursorless-talon/src/actions/generate_snippet.py
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+import glob
+from pathlib import Path
+
+from talon import actions, settings
+
+from ..targets.target_types import CursorlessExplicitTarget
+
+
+def cursorless_generate_snippet_action(target: CursorlessExplicitTarget):
+    actions.user.private_cursorless_command_no_wait(
+        {
+            "name": "generateSnippet",
+            "target": target,
+            "dirPath": get_dir_path(),
+        }
+    )
+
+
+def get_dir_path() -> str:
+    settings_dir = get_setting_dir()
+    if settings_dir is not None:
+        return settings_dir
+    return get_community_snippets_dir()
+
+
+def get_community_snippets_dir() -> str:
+    files = glob.iglob(
+        f"{actions.path.talon_user()}/**/snippets/snippets/*.snippet",
+        recursive=True,
+    )
+    for file in files:
+        return str(Path(file).parent)
+    raise ValueError("Could not find community snippets directory")
+
+
+def get_setting_dir() -> str | None:
+    try:
+        setting_dir = settings.get("user.snippets_dir")
+        if not setting_dir:
+            return None
+
+        dir = Path(setting_dir)
+
+        if not dir.is_absolute():
+            user_dir = Path(actions.path.talon_user())
+            dir = user_dir / dir
+
+        return str(dir.resolve())
+    except Exception:
+        return None
diff --git a/cursorless-talon/src/versions.py b/cursorless-talon/src/versions.py
index 056299a93a..7b8e0e0908 100644
--- a/cursorless-talon/src/versions.py
+++ b/cursorless-talon/src/versions.py
@@ -1 +1 @@
-COMMAND_VERSION = 7
+COMMAND_VERSION = 8
diff --git a/data/fixtures/recorded/actions/snippets/snipMakeFunk.yml b/data/fixtures/recorded/actions/snippets/snipMakeFunk.yml
index d56f3b0fc4..d378e87f8d 100644
--- a/data/fixtures/recorded/actions/snippets/snipMakeFunk.yml
+++ b/data/fixtures/recorded/actions/snippets/snipMakeFunk.yml
@@ -1,9 +1,10 @@
 languageId: typescript
 command:
-  version: 6
+  version: 8
   spokenForm: snippet make funk
   action:
     name: generateSnippet
+    dirPath: ""
     snippetName: snippetTest1
     target:
       type: primitive
@@ -28,37 +29,23 @@ initialState:
       active: {line: 5, character: 9}
   marks: {}
 finalState:
-  documentContents: |-
-    {
-      "snippetTest1": {
-        "definitions": [
-          {
-            "scope": {
-              "langIds": [
-                "typescript"
-              ]
-            },
-            "body": [
-              "function $variable1() {",
-              "\tconst whatever = \"hello\";",
-              "",
-              "\t$variable2",
-              "}"
-            ]
-          }
-        ],
-        "description": "",
-        "variables": {
-          "variable1": {},
-          "variable2": {}
-        }
-      }
+  documentContents: |
+    name: snippetTest1
+    language: typescript
+    phrase: 
+
+    $1.wrapperPhrase: 
+    $0.wrapperPhrase: 
+    -
+    function $1() {
+        const whatever = "hello";
+
+        $0
     }
+    ---
   selections:
-    - anchor: {line: 10, character: 21}
-      active: {line: 10, character: 30}
-    - anchor: {line: 20, character: 7}
-      active: {line: 20, character: 16}
+    - anchor: {line: 2, character: 8}
+      active: {line: 2, character: 8}
   thatMark:
     - type: UntypedTarget
       contentRange:
diff --git a/data/fixtures/recorded/actions/snippets/snipMakeState.yml b/data/fixtures/recorded/actions/snippets/snipMakeState.yml
index c0503658af..a553f959d0 100644
--- a/data/fixtures/recorded/actions/snippets/snipMakeState.yml
+++ b/data/fixtures/recorded/actions/snippets/snipMakeState.yml
@@ -1,9 +1,10 @@
 languageId: typescript
 command:
-  version: 6
+  version: 8
   spokenForm: snippet make state
   action:
     name: generateSnippet
+    dirPath: ""
     snippetName: snippetTest1
     target:
       type: primitive
@@ -22,34 +23,20 @@ initialState:
       active: {line: 0, character: 4}
   marks: {}
 finalState:
-  documentContents: |-
-    {
-      "snippetTest1": {
-        "definitions": [
-          {
-            "scope": {
-              "langIds": [
-                "typescript"
-              ]
-            },
-            "body": [
-              "if ($variable1) {",
-              "\tconsole.log(\"hello\")",
-              "}"
-            ]
-          }
-        ],
-        "description": "",
-        "variables": {
-          "variable1": {}
-        }
-      }
+  documentContents: |
+    name: snippetTest1
+    language: typescript
+    phrase: 
+
+    $0.wrapperPhrase: 
+    -
+    if ($0) {
+        console.log("hello")
     }
+    ---
   selections:
-    - anchor: {line: 10, character: 16}
-      active: {line: 10, character: 25}
-    - anchor: {line: 18, character: 7}
-      active: {line: 18, character: 16}
+    - anchor: {line: 2, character: 8}
+      active: {line: 2, character: 8}
   thatMark:
     - type: UntypedTarget
       contentRange:
diff --git a/data/fixtures/recorded/actions/snippets/testSnippetMakeLine.yml b/data/fixtures/recorded/actions/snippets/testSnippetMakeLine.yml
index 828d06aa2b..e06f2a87cd 100644
--- a/data/fixtures/recorded/actions/snippets/testSnippetMakeLine.yml
+++ b/data/fixtures/recorded/actions/snippets/testSnippetMakeLine.yml
@@ -1,9 +1,10 @@
 languageId: plaintext
 command:
-  version: 6
+  version: 8
   spokenForm: test snippet make line
   action:
     name: generateSnippet
+    dirPath: ""
     snippetName: testSnippet
     target:
       type: primitive
@@ -19,32 +20,18 @@ initialState:
       active: {line: 0, character: 12}
   marks: {}
 finalState:
-  documentContents: |-
-    {
-      "testSnippet": {
-        "definitions": [
-          {
-            "scope": {
-              "langIds": [
-                "plaintext"
-              ]
-            },
-            "body": [
-              "\\textbf{\\$$variable1}"
-            ]
-          }
-        ],
-        "description": "",
-        "variables": {
-          "variable1": {}
-        }
-      }
-    }
+  documentContents: |
+    name: testSnippet
+    language: plaintext
+    phrase: 
+
+    $0.wrapperPhrase: 
+    -
+    \textbf{\$$0}
+    ---
   selections:
-    - anchor: {line: 10, character: 24}
-      active: {line: 10, character: 33}
-    - anchor: {line: 16, character: 7}
-      active: {line: 16, character: 16}
+    - anchor: {line: 2, character: 8}
+      active: {line: 2, character: 8}
   thatMark:
     - type: UntypedTarget
       contentRange:
diff --git a/data/fixtures/recorded/testCaseRecorder/takeHarp.yml b/data/fixtures/recorded/testCaseRecorder/takeHarp.yml
index 429d8b32cf..21303b7170 100644
--- a/data/fixtures/recorded/testCaseRecorder/takeHarp.yml
+++ b/data/fixtures/recorded/testCaseRecorder/takeHarp.yml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 languageId: plaintext
 command:
-  version: 7
+  version: 8
   spokenForm: take harp
   action:
     name: setSelection
diff --git a/packages/common/src/index.ts b/packages/common/src/index.ts
index 3721c82a07..eab9d1c94a 100644
--- a/packages/common/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/common/src/index.ts
@@ -14,19 +14,19 @@ export * from "./ide/types/Clipboard";
 export * from "./ide/types/CommandHistoryStorage";
 export * from "./ide/types/CommandId";
 export * from "./ide/types/Configuration";
-export * from "./ide/types/events.types";
 export * from "./ide/types/Events";
+export * from "./ide/types/events.types";
 export * from "./ide/types/FileSystem.types";
 export * from "./ide/types/FlashDescriptor";
 export * from "./ide/types/Hats";
 export * from "./ide/types/HatStability";
 export * from "./ide/types/hatStyles.types";
 export * from "./ide/types/ide.types";
+export * from "./ide/types/KeyValueStore";
 export * from "./ide/types/Messages";
 export * from "./ide/types/Paths";
 export * from "./ide/types/QuickPickOptions";
 export * from "./ide/types/RawTreeSitterQueryProvider";
-export * from "./ide/types/KeyValueStore";
 export * from "./ide/types/TutorialContentProvider";
 export * from "./ide/util/messages";
 export * from "./scopeSupportFacets/languageScopeSupport";
@@ -46,8 +46,7 @@ export * from "./testUtil/TestCaseSnapshot";
 export * from "./testUtil/testConstants";
 export * from "./types/command/ActionDescriptor";
 export * from "./types/command/command.types";
-export * from "./types/command/CommandV6.types";
-export * from "./types/command/CommandV7.types";
+export * from "./types/command/CommandV8.types";
 export * from "./types/command/DestinationDescriptor.types";
 export * from "./types/command/legacy/ActionCommandV5";
 export * from "./types/command/legacy/CommandV0V1.types";
@@ -55,6 +54,8 @@ export * from "./types/command/legacy/CommandV2.types";
 export * from "./types/command/legacy/CommandV3.types";
 export * from "./types/command/legacy/CommandV4.types";
 export * from "./types/command/legacy/CommandV5.types";
+export * from "./types/command/legacy/CommandV6.types";
+export * from "./types/command/legacy/CommandV7.types";
 export * from "./types/command/legacy/PartialTargetDescriptorV3.types";
 export * from "./types/command/legacy/PartialTargetDescriptorV4.types";
 export * from "./types/command/legacy/PartialTargetDescriptorV5.types";
diff --git a/packages/common/src/testUtil/serializeTestFixture.ts b/packages/common/src/testUtil/serializeTestFixture.ts
index 2ad2d2a2d0..9815107f2f 100644
--- a/packages/common/src/testUtil/serializeTestFixture.ts
+++ b/packages/common/src/testUtil/serializeTestFixture.ts
@@ -1,11 +1,12 @@
 import type { TestCaseFixtureLegacy } from "../types/TestCaseFixture";
 import type { ActionDescriptor } from "../types/command/ActionDescriptor";
-import type { CommandV6 } from "../types/command/CommandV6.types";
-import type { CommandV7 } from "../types/command/CommandV7.types";
+import type { CommandV6 } from "../types/command/legacy/CommandV6.types";
+import type { CommandV7 } from "../types/command/legacy/CommandV7.types";
 import type { Command } from "../types/command/command.types";
 import type { CommandV5 } from "../types/command/legacy/CommandV5.types";
 import type { EnforceUndefined } from "../util/typeUtils";
 import { serialize } from "./serialize";
+import type { ActionDescriptorV6 } from "../types/command/legacy/ActionDescriptorV6";
 
 function reorderFields(
   fixture: TestCaseFixtureLegacy,
@@ -41,6 +42,8 @@ function reorderCommandFields(command: Command): Command {
       return reorderCommandV6Fields(command);
     case 7:
       return reorderCommandV7Fields(command);
+    case 8:
+      return command;
   }
 }
 
@@ -81,7 +84,7 @@ function reorderCommandV7Fields(
   };
 }
 
-function reorderActionFields(action: ActionDescriptor): ActionDescriptor {
+function reorderActionFields(action: ActionDescriptorV6): ActionDescriptor {
   const { name, ...rest } = action;
   return {
     name,
diff --git a/packages/common/src/types/SpokenFormType.ts b/packages/common/src/types/SpokenFormType.ts
index 9032d40171..dd29b93efc 100644
--- a/packages/common/src/types/SpokenFormType.ts
+++ b/packages/common/src/types/SpokenFormType.ts
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@ export interface SpokenFormMapKeyTypes {
   pairedDelimiter: SpeakableSurroundingPairName;
   simpleScopeTypeType: SimpleScopeTypeType;
   complexScopeTypeType: "glyph";
-  surroundingPairForceDirection: "left" | "right";
 
   /**
    * These modifier types are spoken by directly saying the spoken form for the
diff --git a/packages/common/src/types/command/ActionDescriptor.ts b/packages/common/src/types/command/ActionDescriptor.ts
index c064f28339..403796802b 100644
--- a/packages/common/src/types/command/ActionDescriptor.ts
+++ b/packages/common/src/types/command/ActionDescriptor.ts
@@ -135,6 +135,7 @@ export interface PasteActionDescriptor {
 
 export interface GenerateSnippetActionDescriptor {
   name: "generateSnippet";
+  dirPath: string;
   snippetName?: string;
   target: PartialTargetDescriptor;
 }
diff --git a/packages/common/src/types/command/CommandV8.types.ts b/packages/common/src/types/command/CommandV8.types.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..06c02ded15
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/common/src/types/command/CommandV8.types.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+import type { ActionDescriptor } from "./ActionDescriptor";
+
+export interface CommandV8 {
+  /**
+   * The version number of the command API
+   */
+  version: 8;
+
+  /**
+   * The spoken form of the command if issued from a voice command system
+   */
+  spokenForm?: string;
+
+  /**
+   * If the command is issued from a voice command system, this boolean indicates
+   * whether we should use the pre phrase snapshot. Only set this to true if the
+   * voice command system issues a pre phrase signal at the start of every
+   * phrase.
+   */
+  usePrePhraseSnapshot: boolean;
+
+  /**
+   * The action to perform. This field contains everything necessary to actually
+   * perform the action. The other fields are just metadata.
+   */
+  action: ActionDescriptor;
+}
diff --git a/packages/common/src/types/command/PartialTargetDescriptor.types.ts b/packages/common/src/types/command/PartialTargetDescriptor.types.ts
index e09d94d230..db25023799 100644
--- a/packages/common/src/types/command/PartialTargetDescriptor.types.ts
+++ b/packages/common/src/types/command/PartialTargetDescriptor.types.ts
@@ -232,12 +232,6 @@ export interface SurroundingPairScopeType {
   type: "surroundingPair";
   delimiter: SurroundingPairName;
 
-  /**
-   * @deprecated Not supported by next-gen surrounding pairs; we don't believe
-   * anyone uses this
-   */
-  forceDirection?: SurroundingPairDirection;
-
   /**
    * If `true`, then only accept pairs where the pair completely contains the
    * selection, ie without the edges touching.
diff --git a/packages/common/src/types/command/command.types.ts b/packages/common/src/types/command/command.types.ts
index baf934734f..fb1ae9c4cd 100644
--- a/packages/common/src/types/command/command.types.ts
+++ b/packages/common/src/types/command/command.types.ts
@@ -1,16 +1,17 @@
 import type { ActionDescriptor } from "./ActionDescriptor";
-import type { CommandV6 } from "./CommandV6.types";
-import type { CommandV7 } from "./CommandV7.types";
+import type { CommandV8 } from "./CommandV8.types";
 import type { Modifier } from "./PartialTargetDescriptor.types";
 import type { CommandV0, CommandV1 } from "./legacy/CommandV0V1.types";
 import type { CommandV2 } from "./legacy/CommandV2.types";
 import type { CommandV3 } from "./legacy/CommandV3.types";
 import type { CommandV4 } from "./legacy/CommandV4.types";
 import type { CommandV5 } from "./legacy/CommandV5.types";
+import type { CommandV6 } from "./legacy/CommandV6.types";
+import type { CommandV7 } from "./legacy/CommandV7.types";
 
 export type CommandComplete = Required<Omit<CommandLatest, "spokenForm">> &
   Pick<CommandLatest, "spokenForm">;
-export const LATEST_VERSION = 7;
+export const LATEST_VERSION = 8;
 
 export type CommandLatest = Command & {
   version: typeof LATEST_VERSION;
@@ -26,7 +27,8 @@ export type Command =
   | CommandV4
   | CommandV5
   | CommandV6
-  | CommandV7;
+  | CommandV7
+  | CommandV8;
 
 export type CommandResponse = { returnValue: unknown } | { fallback: Fallback };
 
diff --git a/packages/common/src/types/command/legacy/ActionDescriptorV6.ts b/packages/common/src/types/command/legacy/ActionDescriptorV6.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..784276d9a7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/common/src/types/command/legacy/ActionDescriptorV6.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,222 @@
+import type { DestinationDescriptorV6 } from "./DestinationDescriptorV6.types";
+import type {
+  PartialTargetDescriptorV6,
+  ScopeTypeV6,
+} from "./PartialTargetDescriptorV6.types";
+
+/**
+ * A simple action takes only a single target and no other arguments.
+ */
+const _simpleActionNames = [
+  "addSelection",
+  "addSelectionAfter",
+  "addSelectionBefore",
+  "breakLine",
+  "clearAndSetSelection",
+  "copyToClipboard",
+  "cutToClipboard",
+  "decrement",
+  "deselect",
+  "editNewLineAfter",
+  "editNewLineBefore",
+  "experimental.setInstanceReference",
+  "extractVariable",
+  "findInDocument",
+  "findInWorkspace",
+  "foldRegion",
+  "followLink",
+  "followLinkAside",
+  "increment",
+  "indentLine",
+  "insertCopyAfter",
+  "insertCopyBefore",
+  "insertEmptyLineAfter",
+  "insertEmptyLineBefore",
+  "insertEmptyLinesAround",
+  "joinLines",
+  "outdentLine",
+  "randomizeTargets",
+  "remove",
+  "rename",
+  "revealDefinition",
+  "revealTypeDefinition",
+  "reverseTargets",
+  "scrollToBottom",
+  "scrollToCenter",
+  "scrollToTop",
+  "setSelection",
+  "setSelectionAfter",
+  "setSelectionBefore",
+  "showDebugHover",
+  "showHover",
+  "showQuickFix",
+  "showReferences",
+  "sortTargets",
+  "toggleLineBreakpoint",
+  "toggleLineComment",
+  "unfoldRegion",
+  "private.getTargets",
+  "private.setKeyboardTarget",
+  "private.showParseTree",
+] as const;
+
+type SimpleActionName = (typeof _simpleActionNames)[number];
+
+/**
+ * A simple action takes only a single target and no other arguments.
+ */
+interface SimpleActionDescriptor {
+  name: SimpleActionName;
+  target: PartialTargetDescriptorV6;
+}
+
+interface BringMoveActionDescriptor {
+  name: "replaceWithTarget" | "moveToTarget";
+  source: PartialTargetDescriptorV6;
+  destination: DestinationDescriptorV6;
+}
+
+interface CallActionDescriptor {
+  name: "callAsFunction";
+
+  /**
+   * The target to use as the function to be called.
+   */
+  callee: PartialTargetDescriptorV6;
+
+  /**
+   * The target to wrap in a function call.
+   */
+  argument: PartialTargetDescriptorV6;
+}
+
+interface SwapActionDescriptor {
+  name: "swapTargets";
+  target1: PartialTargetDescriptorV6;
+  target2: PartialTargetDescriptorV6;
+}
+
+interface WrapWithPairedDelimiterActionDescriptor {
+  name: "wrapWithPairedDelimiter" | "rewrapWithPairedDelimiter";
+  left: string;
+  right: string;
+  target: PartialTargetDescriptorV6;
+}
+
+interface PasteActionDescriptor {
+  name: "pasteFromClipboard";
+  destination: DestinationDescriptorV6;
+}
+
+interface GenerateSnippetActionDescriptor {
+  name: "generateSnippet";
+  dirPath?: string;
+  snippetName?: string;
+  target: PartialTargetDescriptorV6;
+}
+
+interface NamedInsertSnippetArg {
+  type: "named";
+  name: string;
+  substitutions?: Record<string, string>;
+}
+interface CustomInsertSnippetArg {
+  type: "custom";
+  body: string;
+  scopeTypes?: ScopeTypeV6[];
+  substitutions?: Record<string, string>;
+}
+type InsertSnippetArg = NamedInsertSnippetArg | CustomInsertSnippetArg;
+
+interface InsertSnippetActionDescriptor {
+  name: "insertSnippet";
+  snippetDescription: InsertSnippetArg;
+  destination: DestinationDescriptorV6;
+}
+
+interface NamedWrapWithSnippetArg {
+  type: "named";
+  name: string;
+  variableName: string;
+}
+interface CustomWrapWithSnippetArg {
+  type: "custom";
+  body: string;
+  variableName?: string;
+  scopeType?: ScopeTypeV6;
+}
+type WrapWithSnippetArg = NamedWrapWithSnippetArg | CustomWrapWithSnippetArg;
+
+interface WrapWithSnippetActionDescriptor {
+  name: "wrapWithSnippet";
+  snippetDescription: WrapWithSnippetArg;
+  target: PartialTargetDescriptorV6;
+}
+
+interface ExecuteCommandOptions {
+  commandArgs?: any[];
+  ensureSingleEditor?: boolean;
+  ensureSingleTarget?: boolean;
+  restoreSelection?: boolean;
+  showDecorations?: boolean;
+}
+
+interface ExecuteCommandActionDescriptor {
+  name: "executeCommand";
+  commandId: string;
+  options?: ExecuteCommandOptions;
+  target: PartialTargetDescriptorV6;
+}
+
+type ReplaceWith = string[] | { start: number };
+
+interface ReplaceActionDescriptor {
+  name: "replace";
+  replaceWith: ReplaceWith;
+  destination: DestinationDescriptorV6;
+}
+
+interface HighlightActionDescriptor {
+  name: "highlight";
+  highlightId?: string;
+  target: PartialTargetDescriptorV6;
+}
+
+interface EditNewActionDescriptor {
+  name: "editNew";
+  destination: DestinationDescriptorV6;
+}
+
+interface GetTextActionOptions {
+  showDecorations?: boolean;
+  ensureSingleTarget?: boolean;
+}
+
+interface GetTextActionDescriptor {
+  name: "getText";
+  options?: GetTextActionOptions;
+  target: PartialTargetDescriptorV6;
+}
+
+interface ParsedActionDescriptor {
+  name: "parsed";
+  content: string;
+  arguments: unknown[];
+}
+
+export type ActionDescriptorV6 =
+  | SimpleActionDescriptor
+  | BringMoveActionDescriptor
+  | SwapActionDescriptor
+  | CallActionDescriptor
+  | PasteActionDescriptor
+  | ExecuteCommandActionDescriptor
+  | ReplaceActionDescriptor
+  | HighlightActionDescriptor
+  | GenerateSnippetActionDescriptor
+  | InsertSnippetActionDescriptor
+  | WrapWithSnippetActionDescriptor
+  | WrapWithPairedDelimiterActionDescriptor
+  | EditNewActionDescriptor
+  | GetTextActionDescriptor
+  | ParsedActionDescriptor;
diff --git a/packages/common/src/types/command/CommandV6.types.ts b/packages/common/src/types/command/legacy/CommandV6.types.ts
similarity index 87%
rename from packages/common/src/types/command/CommandV6.types.ts
rename to packages/common/src/types/command/legacy/CommandV6.types.ts
index 08b6fe1f30..752f9de871 100644
--- a/packages/common/src/types/command/CommandV6.types.ts
+++ b/packages/common/src/types/command/legacy/CommandV6.types.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import type { ActionDescriptor } from "./ActionDescriptor";
+import type { ActionDescriptorV6 } from "./ActionDescriptorV6";
 
 export interface CommandV6 {
   /**
@@ -23,5 +23,5 @@ export interface CommandV6 {
    * The action to perform. This field contains everything necessary to actually
    * perform the action. The other fields are just metadata.
    */
-  action: ActionDescriptor;
+  action: ActionDescriptorV6;
 }
diff --git a/packages/common/src/types/command/CommandV7.types.ts b/packages/common/src/types/command/legacy/CommandV7.types.ts
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/common/src/types/command/CommandV7.types.ts
rename to packages/common/src/types/command/legacy/CommandV7.types.ts
diff --git a/packages/common/src/types/command/legacy/DestinationDescriptorV6.types.ts b/packages/common/src/types/command/legacy/DestinationDescriptorV6.types.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..1e547208b0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/common/src/types/command/legacy/DestinationDescriptorV6.types.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+import type {
+  PartialListTargetDescriptorV6,
+  PartialPrimitiveTargetDescriptorV6,
+  PartialRangeTargetDescriptorV6,
+} from "./PartialTargetDescriptorV6.types";
+
+/**
+ * The insertion mode to use when inserting relative to a target.
+ * - `before` inserts before the target.  Depending on the target, a delimiter
+ *   may be inserted after the inserted text.
+ * - `after` inserts after the target.  Depending on the target, a delimiter may
+ *   be inserted before the inserted text.
+ * - `to` replaces the target.  However, this insertion mode may also be used
+ *   when the target is really only a pseudo-target.  For example, you could say
+ *   `"bring type air to bat"` even if `bat` doesn't already have a type.  In
+ *   that case, `"take type bat"` wouldn't work, so `"type bat"` is really just
+ *   a pseudo-target in that situation.
+ */
+type InsertionMode = "before" | "after" | "to";
+
+interface PrimitiveDestinationDescriptor {
+  type: "primitive";
+
+  /**
+   * The insertion mode to use when inserting relative to {@link target}.
+   */
+  insertionMode: InsertionMode;
+
+  target:
+    | PartialPrimitiveTargetDescriptorV6
+    | PartialRangeTargetDescriptorV6
+    | PartialListTargetDescriptorV6;
+}
+
+/**
+ * A list of destinations.  This is used when the user uses more than one insertion mode
+ * in a single command.  For example, `"bring air after bat and before cap"`.
+ */
+interface ListDestinationDescriptor {
+  type: "list";
+  destinations: PrimitiveDestinationDescriptor[];
+}
+
+/**
+ * An implicit destination.  This is used for e.g. `"bring air"` (note the user
+ * doesn't explicitly specify the destination), or `"snip funk"`.
+ */
+interface ImplicitDestinationDescriptor {
+  type: "implicit";
+}
+
+export type DestinationDescriptorV6 =
+  | ListDestinationDescriptor
+  | PrimitiveDestinationDescriptor
+  | ImplicitDestinationDescriptor;
diff --git a/packages/common/src/types/command/legacy/PartialTargetDescriptorV6.types.ts b/packages/common/src/types/command/legacy/PartialTargetDescriptorV6.types.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..be97a0f8a8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/common/src/types/command/legacy/PartialTargetDescriptorV6.types.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,474 @@
+interface CursorMark {
+  type: "cursor";
+}
+
+interface ThatMark {
+  type: "that";
+}
+
+interface KeyboardMark {
+  type: "keyboard";
+}
+
+interface SourceMark {
+  type: "source";
+}
+
+interface NothingMark {
+  type: "nothing";
+}
+
+interface DecoratedSymbolMark {
+  type: "decoratedSymbol";
+  symbolColor: string;
+  character: string;
+}
+
+type LineNumberType = "absolute" | "relative" | "modulo100";
+
+interface LineNumberMark {
+  type: "lineNumber";
+  lineNumberType: LineNumberType;
+  lineNumber: number;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Constructs a range between {@link anchor} and {@link active}
+ */
+interface RangeMarkFor<T> {
+  type: "range";
+  anchor: T;
+  active: T;
+  excludeAnchor: boolean;
+  excludeActive: boolean;
+}
+
+type PartialRangeMark = RangeMarkFor<PartialMark>;
+
+interface SimplePosition {
+  readonly line: number;
+  readonly character: number;
+}
+
+interface SimpleRange {
+  readonly start: SimplePosition;
+  readonly end: SimplePosition;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Used to explicitly provide a range for use as a mark. Today, this mark type
+ * is only used as a hack to enable us to support allowing other editors to
+ * maintain their own hat map when using the Cursorless "sidecar"; see
+ * https://github.com/cursorless-everywhere/notes for more information.
+ */
+interface ExplicitMark {
+  type: "explicit";
+  editorId: string;
+  range: SimpleRange;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Can be used when constructing a primitive target that applies modifiers to
+ * the output of some other complex target descriptor.  For example, we use this
+ * to apply the hoisted modifiers to the output of a range target when we hoist
+ * the "every funk" modifier on a command like "take every funk air until bat".
+ */
+interface PartialTargetMark {
+  type: "target";
+
+  /**
+   * The target descriptor that will be used to generate the targets output by
+   * this mark.
+   */
+  target: PartialTargetDescriptorV6;
+}
+
+type PartialMark =
+  | CursorMark
+  | ThatMark
+  | SourceMark
+  | KeyboardMark
+  | DecoratedSymbolMark
+  | NothingMark
+  | LineNumberMark
+  | PartialRangeMark
+  | ExplicitMark
+  | PartialTargetMark;
+
+const _simpleSurroundingPairNames = [
+  "angleBrackets",
+  "backtickQuotes",
+  "curlyBrackets",
+  "doubleQuotes",
+  "escapedDoubleQuotes",
+  "escapedParentheses",
+  "escapedSingleQuotes",
+  "escapedSquareBrackets",
+  "parentheses",
+  "singleQuotes",
+  "squareBrackets",
+  "tripleDoubleQuotes",
+  "tripleSingleQuotes",
+] as const;
+const _complexSurroundingPairNames = [
+  "string",
+  "any",
+  "collectionBoundary",
+] as const;
+
+type SimpleSurroundingPairName = (typeof _simpleSurroundingPairNames)[number];
+type ComplexSurroundingPairName = (typeof _complexSurroundingPairNames)[number];
+type SurroundingPairName =
+  | SimpleSurroundingPairName
+  | ComplexSurroundingPairName;
+
+const _simpleScopeTypeTypes = [
+  "argumentOrParameter",
+  "anonymousFunction",
+  "attribute",
+  "branch",
+  "class",
+  "className",
+  "collectionItem",
+  "collectionKey",
+  "comment",
+  "private.fieldAccess",
+  "functionCall",
+  "functionCallee",
+  "functionName",
+  "ifStatement",
+  "instance",
+  "list",
+  "map",
+  "name",
+  "namedFunction",
+  "regularExpression",
+  "statement",
+  "string",
+  "type",
+  "value",
+  "condition",
+  "section",
+  "sectionLevelOne",
+  "sectionLevelTwo",
+  "sectionLevelThree",
+  "sectionLevelFour",
+  "sectionLevelFive",
+  "sectionLevelSix",
+  "selector",
+  "private.switchStatementSubject",
+  "unit",
+  "xmlBothTags",
+  "xmlElement",
+  "xmlEndTag",
+  "xmlStartTag",
+  // Latex scope types
+  "part",
+  "chapter",
+  "subSection",
+  "subSubSection",
+  "namedParagraph",
+  "subParagraph",
+  "environment",
+  // Text based scopes
+  "character",
+  "word",
+  "token",
+  "identifier",
+  "line",
+  "sentence",
+  "paragraph",
+  "boundedParagraph",
+  "document",
+  "nonWhitespaceSequence",
+  "boundedNonWhitespaceSequence",
+  "url",
+  "notebookCell",
+  // Talon
+  "command",
+  // Private scope types
+  "textFragment",
+  "disqualifyDelimiter",
+  "pairDelimiter",
+] as const;
+
+type SimpleScopeTypeType = (typeof _simpleScopeTypeTypes)[number];
+
+interface SimpleScopeType {
+  type: SimpleScopeTypeType;
+}
+
+interface CustomRegexScopeType {
+  type: "customRegex";
+  regex: string;
+  flags?: string;
+}
+
+type SurroundingPairDirection = "left" | "right";
+
+interface SurroundingPairScopeType {
+  type: "surroundingPair";
+  delimiter: SurroundingPairName;
+
+  /**
+   * @deprecated Not supported by next-gen surrounding pairs; we don't believe
+   * anyone uses this
+   */
+  forceDirection?: SurroundingPairDirection;
+
+  /**
+   * If `true`, then only accept pairs where the pair completely contains the
+   * selection, ie without the edges touching.
+   */
+  requireStrongContainment?: boolean;
+}
+
+/**
+ * This differs from the normal @SurroundingPairScopeType that it always
+ * uses `requireStrongContainment` and the content range is the pair interior
+ * */
+interface SurroundingPairInteriorScopeType {
+  type: "surroundingPairInterior";
+  delimiter: SurroundingPairName;
+  // If true don't yield multiline pairs
+  requireSingleLine?: boolean;
+}
+
+interface OneOfScopeType {
+  type: "oneOf";
+  scopeTypes: ScopeTypeV6[];
+}
+
+interface GlyphScopeType {
+  type: "glyph";
+  character: string;
+}
+
+export type ScopeTypeV6 =
+  | SimpleScopeType
+  | SurroundingPairScopeType
+  | SurroundingPairInteriorScopeType
+  | CustomRegexScopeType
+  | OneOfScopeType
+  | GlyphScopeType;
+
+interface InteriorOnlyModifier {
+  type: "interiorOnly";
+}
+
+interface ExcludeInteriorModifier {
+  type: "excludeInterior";
+}
+
+interface VisibleModifier {
+  type: "visible";
+}
+
+interface ContainingScopeModifier {
+  type: "containingScope";
+  scopeType: ScopeTypeV6;
+  ancestorIndex?: number;
+}
+
+interface PreferredScopeModifier {
+  type: "preferredScope";
+  scopeType: ScopeTypeV6;
+}
+
+interface EveryScopeModifier {
+  type: "everyScope";
+  scopeType: ScopeTypeV6;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Refer to scopes by absolute index relative to iteration scope, eg "first
+ * funk" to refer to the first function in a class.
+ */
+interface OrdinalScopeModifier {
+  type: "ordinalScope";
+
+  scopeType: ScopeTypeV6;
+
+  /** The start of the range.  Start from end of iteration scope if `start` is negative */
+  start: number;
+
+  /** The number of scopes to include.  Will always be positive.  If greater than 1, will include scopes after {@link start} */
+  length: number;
+
+  /** If true, yields individual targets instead of contiguous range. Defaults to `false` */
+  isEvery?: boolean;
+}
+
+type Direction = "forward" | "backward";
+
+/**
+ * Refer to scopes by offset relative to input target, eg "next
+ * funk" to refer to the first function after the function containing the target input.
+ */
+interface RelativeScopeModifier {
+  type: "relativeScope";
+
+  scopeType: ScopeTypeV6;
+
+  /** Indicates how many scopes away to start relative to the input target.
+   * Note that if {@link direction} is `"backward"`, then this scope will be the
+   * end of the output range.  */
+  offset: number;
+
+  /** The number of scopes to include.  Will always be positive.  If greater
+   * than 1, will include scopes in the direction of {@link direction} */
+  length: number;
+
+  /** Indicates which direction both {@link offset} and {@link length} go
+   * relative to input target  */
+  direction: Direction;
+
+  /** If true use individual targets instead of combined range */
+  isEvery?: boolean;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Converts its input to a raw selection with no type information so for
+ * example if it is the destination of a bring or move it should inherit the
+ * type information such as delimiters from its source.
+ */
+interface RawSelectionModifier {
+  type: "toRawSelection";
+}
+
+interface LeadingModifier {
+  type: "leading";
+}
+
+interface TrailingModifier {
+  type: "trailing";
+}
+
+interface KeepContentFilterModifier {
+  type: "keepContentFilter";
+}
+
+interface KeepEmptyFilterModifier {
+  type: "keepEmptyFilter";
+}
+
+interface InferPreviousMarkModifier {
+  type: "inferPreviousMark";
+}
+
+interface StartOfModifier {
+  type: "startOf";
+}
+
+interface EndOfModifier {
+  type: "endOf";
+}
+
+interface HeadModifier {
+  type: "extendThroughStartOf";
+  modifiers?: Modifier[];
+}
+
+interface TailModifier {
+  type: "extendThroughEndOf";
+  modifiers?: Modifier[];
+}
+
+/**
+ * Runs {@link modifier} if the target has no explicit scope type, ie if
+ * {@link Target.hasExplicitScopeType} is `false`.
+ */
+interface ModifyIfUntypedModifier {
+  type: "modifyIfUntyped";
+
+  /**
+   * The modifier to apply if the target is untyped
+   */
+  modifier: Modifier;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Tries each of the modifiers in {@link modifiers} in turn until one of them
+ * doesn't throw an error, returning the output from the first modifier not
+ * throwing an error.
+ */
+interface CascadingModifier {
+  type: "cascading";
+
+  /**
+   * The modifiers to try in turn
+   */
+  modifiers: Modifier[];
+}
+
+/**
+ * First applies {@link anchor} to input, then independently applies
+ * {@link active}, and forms a range between the two resulting targets
+ */
+interface RangeModifier {
+  type: "range";
+  anchor: Modifier;
+  active: Modifier;
+  excludeAnchor: boolean;
+  excludeActive: boolean;
+}
+
+type Modifier =
+  | StartOfModifier
+  | EndOfModifier
+  | InteriorOnlyModifier
+  | ExcludeInteriorModifier
+  | VisibleModifier
+  | ContainingScopeModifier
+  | PreferredScopeModifier
+  | EveryScopeModifier
+  | OrdinalScopeModifier
+  | RelativeScopeModifier
+  | HeadModifier
+  | TailModifier
+  | LeadingModifier
+  | TrailingModifier
+  | RawSelectionModifier
+  | ModifyIfUntypedModifier
+  | CascadingModifier
+  | RangeModifier
+  | KeepContentFilterModifier
+  | KeepEmptyFilterModifier
+  | InferPreviousMarkModifier;
+
+// continuous is one single continuous selection between the two targets
+// vertical puts a selection on each line vertically between the two targets
+type PartialRangeType = "continuous" | "vertical";
+
+export interface PartialPrimitiveTargetDescriptorV6 {
+  type: "primitive";
+  mark?: PartialMark;
+  modifiers?: Modifier[];
+}
+
+export interface PartialRangeTargetDescriptorV6 {
+  type: "range";
+  anchor: PartialPrimitiveTargetDescriptorV6 | ImplicitTargetDescriptor;
+  active: PartialPrimitiveTargetDescriptorV6;
+  excludeAnchor: boolean;
+  excludeActive: boolean;
+  rangeType?: PartialRangeType;
+}
+
+export interface PartialListTargetDescriptorV6 {
+  type: "list";
+  elements: (
+    | PartialPrimitiveTargetDescriptorV6
+    | PartialRangeTargetDescriptorV6
+  )[];
+}
+
+interface ImplicitTargetDescriptor {
+  type: "implicit";
+}
+
+export type PartialTargetDescriptorV6 =
+  | PartialPrimitiveTargetDescriptorV6
+  | PartialRangeTargetDescriptorV6
+  | PartialListTargetDescriptorV6
+  | ImplicitTargetDescriptor;
diff --git a/packages/cursorless-engine/package.json b/packages/cursorless-engine/package.json
index aff61cb103..fc6cf065a8 100644
--- a/packages/cursorless-engine/package.json
+++ b/packages/cursorless-engine/package.json
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@
     "lodash-es": "^4.17.21",
     "moo": "0.5.2",
     "nearley": "2.20.1",
+    "talon-snippets": "1.1.0",
     "uuid": "^10.0.0",
     "zod": "3.23.8"
   },
diff --git a/packages/cursorless-engine/src/actions/GenerateSnippet/GenerateSnippet.ts b/packages/cursorless-engine/src/actions/GenerateSnippet/GenerateSnippet.ts
index 791c368730..b6a1ea42f6 100644
--- a/packages/cursorless-engine/src/actions/GenerateSnippet/GenerateSnippet.ts
+++ b/packages/cursorless-engine/src/actions/GenerateSnippet/GenerateSnippet.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,17 @@
-import { FlashStyle, matchAll, Range } from "@cursorless/common";
+import {
+  FlashStyle,
+  matchAll,
+  Range,
+  type EditableTextEditor,
+  type Selection,
+  type TextEditor,
+} from "@cursorless/common";
+import {
+  parseSnippetFile,
+  serializeSnippetFile,
+  type SnippetDocument,
+  type SnippetVariable,
+} from "talon-snippets";
 import type { Snippets } from "../../core/Snippets";
 import { ide } from "../../singletons/ide.singleton";
 import type { Target } from "../../typings/target.types";
@@ -7,7 +20,7 @@ import type { ActionReturnValue } from "../actions.types";
 import { constructSnippetBody } from "./constructSnippetBody";
 import { editText } from "./editText";
 import type { Offsets } from "./Offsets";
-import Substituter from "./Substituter";
+import { getHeaderSnippet } from "talon-snippets";
 
 /**
  * This action can be used to automatically create a snippet from a target. Any
@@ -51,6 +64,7 @@ export default class GenerateSnippet {
 
   async run(
     targets: Target[],
+    dirPath: string,
     snippetName?: string,
   ): Promise<ActionReturnValue> {
     const target = ensureSingleTarget(targets);
@@ -67,39 +81,28 @@ export default class GenerateSnippet {
         prompt: "Name of snippet",
         placeHolder: "helloWorld",
       });
-    }
 
-    // User cancelled; don't do anything
-    if (snippetName == null) {
-      return {};
+      // User cancelled; do nothing
+      if (!snippetName) {
+        return {};
+      }
     }
 
-    /** The next placeholder index to use for the meta snippet */
-    let currentPlaceholderIndex = 1;
-
     const baseOffset = editor.document.offsetAt(target.contentRange.start);
 
     /**
-     * The variables that will appear in the user snippet. Note that
-     * `placeholderIndex` here is the placeholder index in the meta snippet not
-     * the user snippet.
+     * The variables that will appear in the user snippet.
      */
-    const variables: Variable[] = editor.selections
-      .filter((selection) => target.contentRange.contains(selection))
-      .map((selection, index) => ({
+    const selections = getsSnippetSelections(editor, target.contentRange);
+    const variables = selections.map(
+      (selection, index): Variable => ({
         offsets: {
           start: editor.document.offsetAt(selection.start) - baseOffset,
           end: editor.document.offsetAt(selection.end) - baseOffset,
         },
-        defaultName: `variable${index + 1}`,
-        placeholderIndex: currentPlaceholderIndex++,
-      }));
-
-    /**
-     * Constructs random ids that can be put into the text that won't be
-     * modified by json serialization.
-     */
-    const substituter = new Substituter();
+        name: index === selections.length - 1 ? "0" : `${index + 1}`,
+      }),
+    );
 
     /**
      * Text before the start of the snippet in the snippet start line.  We need
@@ -115,123 +118,87 @@ export default class GenerateSnippet {
 
     const originalText = editor.document.getText(target.contentRange);
 
-    /**
-     * The text of the snippet, with placeholders inserted for variables and
-     * special characters `$`, `\`, and `}` escaped twice to make it through
-     * both meta snippet and user snippet.
-     */
     const snippetBodyText = editText(originalText, [
       ...matchAll(originalText, /\$|\\/g, (match) => ({
         offsets: {
           start: match.index!,
           end: match.index! + match[0].length,
         },
-        text: match[0] === "\\" ? `\\${match[0]}` : `\\\\${match[0]}`,
+        text: `\\${match[0]}`,
       })),
-      ...variables.map(({ offsets, defaultName, placeholderIndex }) => ({
+      ...variables.map(({ offsets, name }) => ({
         offsets,
-        // Note that the reason we use the substituter here is primarily so
-        // that the `\` below doesn't get escaped upon conversion to json.
-        text: substituter.addSubstitution(
-          [
-            // This `\$` will end up being a `$` in the final document.  It
-            // indicates the start of a variable in the user snippet.  We need
-            // the `\` so that the meta-snippet doesn't see it as one of its
-            // placeholders.
-            "\\$",
-
-            // The remaining text here is a placeholder in the meta-snippet
-            // that the user can use to name their snippet variable that will
-            // be in the user snippet.
-            "${",
-            placeholderIndex,
-            ":",
-            defaultName,
-            "}",
-          ].join(""),
-        ),
+        text: `$${name}`,
       })),
     ]);
 
     const snippetLines = constructSnippetBody(snippetBodyText, linePrefix);
 
-    /**
-     * Constructs a key-value entry for use in the variable description section
-     * of the user snippet definition.  It contains tabstops for use in the
-     * meta-snippet.
-     * @param variable The variable
-     * @returns A [key, value] pair for use in the meta-snippet
-     */
-    const constructVariableDescriptionEntry = ({
-      placeholderIndex,
-    }: Variable): [string, string] => {
-      // The key will have the same placeholder index as the other location
-      // where this variable appears.
-      const key = "$" + placeholderIndex;
+    let editableEditor: EditableTextEditor;
+    let snippetDocuments: SnippetDocument[];
 
-      // The value will end up being an empty object with a tabstop in the
-      // middle so that the user can add information about the variable, such
-      // as wrapperScopeType.  Ie the output will look like `{|}` (with the `|`
-      // representing a tabstop in the meta-snippet)
-      //
-      // NB: We use the substituter here, with `isQuoted=true` because in order
-      // to make this work for the meta-snippet, we want to end up with
-      // something like `{$3}`, which is not valid json.  So we instead arrange
-      // to end up with json like `"hgidfsivhs"`, and then replace the whole
-      // string (including quotes) with `{$3}` after json-ification
-      const value = substituter.addSubstitution(
-        "{$" + currentPlaceholderIndex++ + "}",
-        true,
+    if (ide().runMode === "test") {
+      // If we're testing, we just overwrite the current document
+      editableEditor = ide().getEditableTextEditor(editor);
+      snippetDocuments = [];
+    } else {
+      // Otherwise, we create and open a new document for the snippet
+      editableEditor = ide().getEditableTextEditor(
+        await this.snippets.openNewSnippetFile(dirPath, snippetName),
       );
+      snippetDocuments = parseSnippetFile(editableEditor.document.getText());
+    }
+
+    await editableEditor.setSelections([
+      editableEditor.document.range.toSelection(false),
+    ]);
 
-      return [key, value];
+    const headerSnippet = getHeaderSnippet(snippetDocuments);
+
+    /** The next placeholder index to use for the meta snippet */
+    let currentPlaceholderIndex = 1;
+
+    const phrases =
+      headerSnippet?.phrases != null
+        ? undefined
+        : [`${PLACEHOLDER}${currentPlaceholderIndex++}`];
+
+    const createVariable = (variable: Variable): SnippetVariable => {
+      const hasPhrase = headerSnippet?.variables?.some(
+        (v) => v.name === variable.name && v.wrapperPhrases != null,
+      );
+      return {
+        name: variable.name,
+        wrapperPhrases: hasPhrase
+          ? undefined
+          : [`${PLACEHOLDER}${currentPlaceholderIndex++}`],
+      };
     };
 
-    /** An object that will be json-ified to become the meta-snippet */
-    const snippet = {
-      [snippetName]: {
-        definitions: [
-          {
-            scope: {
-              langIds: [editor.document.languageId],
-            },
-            body: snippetLines,
-          },
-        ],
-        description: "$" + currentPlaceholderIndex++,
-        variables:
-          variables.length === 0
-            ? undefined
-            : Object.fromEntries(
-                variables.map(constructVariableDescriptionEntry),
-              ),
-      },
+    const snippet: SnippetDocument = {
+      name: headerSnippet?.name === snippetName ? undefined : snippetName,
+      phrases,
+      languages: getSnippetLanguages(editor, headerSnippet),
+      body: snippetLines,
+      variables: variables.map(createVariable),
     };
 
+    snippetDocuments.push(snippet);
+
     /**
      * This is the text of the meta-snippet in Textmate format that we will
      * insert into the new document where the user will fill out their snippet
      * definition
      */
-    const snippetText = substituter.makeSubstitutions(
-      JSON.stringify(snippet, null, 2),
-    );
-
-    const editableEditor = ide().getEditableTextEditor(editor);
-
-    if (ide().runMode === "test") {
-      // If we're testing, we just overwrite the current document
-      await editableEditor.setSelections([
-        editor.document.range.toSelection(false),
-      ]);
-    } else {
-      // Otherwise, we create and open a new document for the snippet in the
-      // user snippets dir
-      await this.snippets.openNewSnippetFile(snippetName);
-    }
+    const metaSnippetText = serializeSnippetFile(snippetDocuments)
+      // Escape dollar signs in the snippet text so that they don't get used as
+      // placeholders in the meta snippet
+      .replace(/\$/g, "\\$")
+      // Replace constant with dollar sign for meta snippet placeholders
+      .replaceAll(PLACEHOLDER, "$");
 
     // Insert the meta-snippet
-    await editableEditor.insertSnippet(snippetText);
+    await editableEditor.insertSnippet(metaSnippetText);
 
     return {
       thatSelections: targets.map(({ editor, contentSelection }) => ({
@@ -242,6 +209,26 @@ export default class GenerateSnippet {
   }
 }
 
+function getSnippetLanguages(
+  editor: TextEditor,
+  header: SnippetDocument | undefined,
+): string[] | undefined {
+  if (header?.languages?.includes(editor.document.languageId)) {
+    return undefined;
+  }
+  return [editor.document.languageId];
+}
+
+function getsSnippetSelections(editor: TextEditor, range: Range): Selection[] {
+  const selections = editor.selections.filter((selection) =>
+    range.contains(selection),
+  );
+  selections.sort((a, b) => a.start.compareTo(b.start));
+  return selections;
+}
+
+const PLACEHOLDER = "PLACEHOLDER_VFA77zcbLD6wXNmfMAay";
+
 interface Variable {
   /**
    * The start an end offsets of the variable relative to the text of the
@@ -250,14 +237,7 @@ interface Variable {
   offsets: Offsets;
 
   /**
-   * The default name for the given variable that will appear as the placeholder
-   * text in the meta snippet
-   */
-  defaultName: string;
-
-  /**
-   * The placeholder to use when filling out the name of this variable in the
-   * meta snippet.
+   * The name for the variable
    */
-  placeholderIndex: number;
+  name: string;
 }
diff --git a/packages/cursorless-engine/src/actions/GenerateSnippet/Substituter.ts b/packages/cursorless-engine/src/actions/GenerateSnippet/Substituter.ts
deleted file mode 100644
index 16b26c4b35..0000000000
--- a/packages/cursorless-engine/src/actions/GenerateSnippet/Substituter.ts
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,79 +0,0 @@
-interface Substitution {
-  randomId: string;
-  to: string;
-  isQuoted: boolean;
-}
-
-/**
- * This class constructs random strings that can be used as placeholders for the
- * strings you'd like to insert into a document. This functionality is useful if
- * the strings you'd like to insert might get modified by something like json
- * serialization. You proceed by calling {@link addSubstitution}  for each string you'd
- * like to put into your document.  This function returns a random id that you
- * can put into your text.  When you are done, call {@link makeSubstitutions}
- * on the final text to replace the random id's with the original strings you
- * desired.
- */
-export default class Substituter {
-  private substitutions: Substitution[] = [];
-
-  /**
-   * Get a random id that can be put into your text body that will then be
-   * replaced by {@link to} when you call {@link makeSubstitutions}.
-   * @param to The string that you'd like to end up in the final document after
-   * replacements
-   * @param isQuoted Use this variable to indicate that in the final text the
-   * variable will end up quoted. This occurs if you use the replacement string
-   * as a stand alone string in a json document and then you serialize it
-   * @returns A unique random id that can be put into the document that will
-   * then be substituted later
-   */
-  addSubstitution(to: string, isQuoted: boolean = false) {
-    const randomId = makeid(10);
-
-    this.substitutions.push({
-      to,
-      randomId,
-      isQuoted,
-    });
-
-    return randomId;
-  }
-
-  /**
-   * Performs substitutions on {@link text}, replacing the random ids generated
-   * by {@link addSubstitution} with the values passed in for `to`.
-   * @param text The text to perform substitutions on
-   * @returns The text with variable substituted for the original values you
-   * desired
-   */
-  makeSubstitutions(text: string) {
-    this.substitutions.forEach(({ to, randomId, isQuoted }) => {
-      const from = isQuoted ? `"${randomId}"` : randomId;
-      // NB: We use split / join instead of replace because the latter doesn't
-      // handle dollar signs well
-      text = text.split(from).join(to);
-    });
-
-    return text;
-  }
-}
-
-/**
- * Constructs a random id of the given length.
- *
- * From https://stackoverflow.com/a/1349426/2605678
- *
- * @param length Length of the string to generate
- * @returns A string of random digits of length {@param length}
- */
-function makeid(length: number) {
-  let result = "";
-  const characters =
-    "ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz0123456789";
-  const charactersLength = characters.length;
-  for (let i = 0; i < length; i++) {
-    result += characters.charAt(Math.floor(Math.random() * charactersLength));
-  }
-  return result;
-}
diff --git a/packages/cursorless-engine/src/actions/actions.types.ts b/packages/cursorless-engine/src/actions/actions.types.ts
index 8ded7fe1e3..28c1bf0e19 100644
--- a/packages/cursorless-engine/src/actions/actions.types.ts
+++ b/packages/cursorless-engine/src/actions/actions.types.ts
@@ -124,7 +124,11 @@ export interface ActionRecord extends Record<SimpleActionName, SimpleAction> {
   };
 
   generateSnippet: {
-    run(targets: Target[], snippetName?: string): Promise<ActionReturnValue>;
+    run(
+      targets: Target[],
+      dirPath: string,
+      snippetName?: string,
+    ): Promise<ActionReturnValue>;
   };
 
   insertSnippet: {
diff --git a/packages/cursorless-engine/src/core/Snippets.ts b/packages/cursorless-engine/src/core/Snippets.ts
index 5b041dc93d..917609e7e1 100644
--- a/packages/cursorless-engine/src/core/Snippets.ts
+++ b/packages/cursorless-engine/src/core/Snippets.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import type { Snippet, SnippetMap } from "@cursorless/common";
+import type { Snippet, SnippetMap, TextEditor } from "@cursorless/common";
 
 /**
  * Handles all cursorless snippets, including core, third-party and
@@ -29,8 +29,10 @@ export interface Snippets {
   getSnippetStrict(snippetName: string): Snippet;
 
   /**
-   * Opens a new snippet file in the users snippet directory.
+   * Opens a new snippet file
+   * @param dirPath The path to the directory where the snippet should be created
    * @param snippetName The name of the snippet
+   * @returns The text editor of the newly created snippet file
    */
-  openNewSnippetFile(snippetName: string): Promise<void>;
+  openNewSnippetFile(dirPath: string, snippetName: string): Promise<TextEditor>;
 }
diff --git a/packages/cursorless-engine/src/core/commandRunner/CommandRunnerImpl.ts b/packages/cursorless-engine/src/core/commandRunner/CommandRunnerImpl.ts
index 77bfe82bc3..ff9f235a85 100644
--- a/packages/cursorless-engine/src/core/commandRunner/CommandRunnerImpl.ts
+++ b/packages/cursorless-engine/src/core/commandRunner/CommandRunnerImpl.ts
@@ -169,6 +169,7 @@ export class CommandRunnerImpl implements CommandRunner {
       case "generateSnippet":
         return this.actions.generateSnippet.run(
           this.getTargets(actionDescriptor.target),
+          actionDescriptor.dirPath,
           actionDescriptor.snippetName,
         );
 
diff --git a/packages/cursorless-engine/src/core/commandVersionUpgrades/canonicalizeAndValidateCommand.ts b/packages/cursorless-engine/src/core/commandVersionUpgrades/canonicalizeAndValidateCommand.ts
index 0543516e34..c9803c3647 100644
--- a/packages/cursorless-engine/src/core/commandVersionUpgrades/canonicalizeAndValidateCommand.ts
+++ b/packages/cursorless-engine/src/core/commandVersionUpgrades/canonicalizeAndValidateCommand.ts
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ import { upgradeV3ToV4 } from "./upgradeV3ToV4";
 import { upgradeV4ToV5 } from "./upgradeV4ToV5/upgradeV4ToV5";
 import { upgradeV5ToV6 } from "./upgradeV5ToV6";
 import { upgradeV6ToV7 } from "./upgradeV6ToV7";
+import { upgradeV7ToV8 } from "./upgradeV7ToV8";
 
 /**
  * Given a command argument which comes from the client, normalize it so that it
@@ -75,6 +76,9 @@ export function upgradeCommand<V extends CommandVersion>(
       case 6:
         command = upgradeV6ToV7(command);
         break;
+      case 7:
+        command = upgradeV7ToV8(command);
+        break;
       default:
         throw new Error(
           `Can't upgrade from unknown version ${command.version}`,
diff --git a/packages/cursorless-engine/src/core/commandVersionUpgrades/upgradeV5ToV6/upgradeV5ToV6.ts b/packages/cursorless-engine/src/core/commandVersionUpgrades/upgradeV5ToV6/upgradeV5ToV6.ts
index 6cf2aecff6..b03c3b8cd7 100644
--- a/packages/cursorless-engine/src/core/commandVersionUpgrades/upgradeV5ToV6/upgradeV5ToV6.ts
+++ b/packages/cursorless-engine/src/core/commandVersionUpgrades/upgradeV5ToV6/upgradeV5ToV6.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 import type {
   ActionCommandV5,
-  ActionDescriptor,
   CommandV5,
   CommandV6,
   DestinationDescriptor,
@@ -45,7 +44,7 @@ export function upgradeV5ToV6(command: CommandV5): EnforceUndefined<CommandV6> {
 function upgradeAction(
   action: ActionCommandV5,
   targets: PartialTargetDescriptorV5[],
-): EnforceUndefined<ActionDescriptor> {
+): EnforceUndefined<CommandV6["action"]> {
   // We canonicalize once and for all
   const name = canonicalizeActionName(action.name);
 
diff --git a/packages/cursorless-engine/src/core/commandVersionUpgrades/upgradeV7ToV8.ts b/packages/cursorless-engine/src/core/commandVersionUpgrades/upgradeV7ToV8.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..d513ca5db4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/cursorless-engine/src/core/commandVersionUpgrades/upgradeV7ToV8.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+import type { CommandV7, CommandV8 } from "@cursorless/common";
+
+export function upgradeV7ToV8(command: CommandV7): CommandV8 {
+  return { ...command, version: 8, action: upgradeAction(command.action) };
+}
+
+function upgradeAction(action: CommandV7["action"]): CommandV8["action"] {
+  if (action.name === "generateSnippet") {
+    throw Error(
+      `Action "generateSnippet" is not possible to upgrade to api version 8. Please install latest version of cursorless-talon`,
+    );
+  }
+  return action;
+}
diff --git a/packages/cursorless-engine/src/disabledComponents/DisabledSnippets.ts b/packages/cursorless-engine/src/disabledComponents/DisabledSnippets.ts
index f9377c7251..f277c63144 100644
--- a/packages/cursorless-engine/src/disabledComponents/DisabledSnippets.ts
+++ b/packages/cursorless-engine/src/disabledComponents/DisabledSnippets.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import type { SnippetMap, Snippet } from "@cursorless/common";
+import type { SnippetMap, Snippet, TextEditor } from "@cursorless/common";
 import type { Snippets } from "../core/Snippets";
 
 export class DisabledSnippets implements Snippets {
@@ -17,7 +17,10 @@ export class DisabledSnippets implements Snippets {
     throw new Error("Snippets are not implemented.");
   }
 
-  openNewSnippetFile(_snippetName: string): Promise<void> {
+  openNewSnippetFile(
+    _dirPath: string,
+    _snippetName: string,
+  ): Promise<TextEditor> {
     throw new Error("Snippets are not implemented.");
   }
 }
diff --git a/packages/cursorless-engine/src/generateSpokenForm/getHatMapCommand.ts b/packages/cursorless-engine/src/generateSpokenForm/getHatMapCommand.ts
index 96cdbf34c7..6f7e515b3d 100644
--- a/packages/cursorless-engine/src/generateSpokenForm/getHatMapCommand.ts
+++ b/packages/cursorless-engine/src/generateSpokenForm/getHatMapCommand.ts
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ export function getHatMapCommand(marks: string[]): CommandLatest {
               elements: primitiveTargets,
             },
     },
-    version: 7,
+    version: 8,
     usePrePhraseSnapshot: false,
   };
 }
diff --git a/packages/cursorless-engine/src/generateSpokenForm/primitiveTargetToSpokenForm.ts b/packages/cursorless-engine/src/generateSpokenForm/primitiveTargetToSpokenForm.ts
index ca22cfc0da..26ad891552 100644
--- a/packages/cursorless-engine/src/generateSpokenForm/primitiveTargetToSpokenForm.ts
+++ b/packages/cursorless-engine/src/generateSpokenForm/primitiveTargetToSpokenForm.ts
@@ -232,6 +232,7 @@ export class PrimitiveTargetSpokenFormGenerator {
       case "oneOf":
       case "surroundingPairInterior":
         throw new NoSpokenFormError(`Scope type '${scopeType.type}'`);
+
       case "glyph":
         return [
           this.spokenFormMap.complexScopeTypeType.glyph,
@@ -241,18 +242,9 @@ export class PrimitiveTargetSpokenFormGenerator {
             scopeType.character,
           ),
         ];
-      case "surroundingPair": {
-        const pair = this.spokenFormMap.pairedDelimiter[scopeType.delimiter];
-        if (scopeType.forceDirection != null) {
-          return [
-            this.spokenFormMap.surroundingPairForceDirection[
-              scopeType.forceDirection
-            ],
-            pair,
-          ];
-        }
-        return pair;
-      }
+
+      case "surroundingPair":
+        return this.spokenFormMap.pairedDelimiter[scopeType.delimiter];
 
       case "customRegex":
         return (
diff --git a/packages/cursorless-engine/src/processTargets/modifiers/scopeHandlers/SurroundingPairScopeHandler/SurroundingPairScopeHandler.ts b/packages/cursorless-engine/src/processTargets/modifiers/scopeHandlers/SurroundingPairScopeHandler/SurroundingPairScopeHandler.ts
index 615873b833..e6e02358f7 100644
--- a/packages/cursorless-engine/src/processTargets/modifiers/scopeHandlers/SurroundingPairScopeHandler/SurroundingPairScopeHandler.ts
+++ b/packages/cursorless-engine/src/processTargets/modifiers/scopeHandlers/SurroundingPairScopeHandler/SurroundingPairScopeHandler.ts
@@ -4,9 +4,8 @@ import type {
   SurroundingPairScopeType,
   TextEditor,
 } from "@cursorless/common";
-import { showError, type ScopeType } from "@cursorless/common";
+import { type ScopeType } from "@cursorless/common";
 import type { LanguageDefinitions } from "../../../../languages/LanguageDefinitions";
-import { ide } from "../../../../singletons/ide.singleton";
 import { BaseScopeHandler } from "../BaseScopeHandler";
 import { compareTargetScopes } from "../compareTargetScopes";
 import type { TargetScope } from "../scope.types";
@@ -35,16 +34,6 @@ export class SurroundingPairScopeHandler extends BaseScopeHandler {
     direction: Direction,
     hints: ScopeIteratorRequirements,
   ): Iterable<TargetScope> {
-    if (this.scopeType.forceDirection != null) {
-      //  DEPRECATED @ 2024-07-01
-      void showError(
-        ide().messages,
-        "deprecatedForceDirection",
-        "forceDirection is deprecated. If this is important to you please file an issue on the cursorless repo.",
-      );
-      return;
-    }
-
     const delimiterOccurrences = getDelimiterOccurrences(
       this.languageDefinitions.get(this.languageId),
       editor.document,
diff --git a/packages/cursorless-engine/src/spokenForms/defaultSpokenFormMapCore.ts b/packages/cursorless-engine/src/spokenForms/defaultSpokenFormMapCore.ts
index c9a2661173..c42df5f12e 100644
--- a/packages/cursorless-engine/src/spokenForms/defaultSpokenFormMapCore.ts
+++ b/packages/cursorless-engine/src/spokenForms/defaultSpokenFormMapCore.ts
@@ -111,11 +111,6 @@ export const defaultSpokenFormMapCore: DefaultSpokenFormMapDefinition = {
     glyph: "glyph",
   },
 
-  surroundingPairForceDirection: {
-    left: "left",
-    right: "right",
-  },
-
   simpleModifier: {
     excludeInterior: "bounds",
     toRawSelection: "just",
diff --git a/packages/cursorless-everywhere-talon-e2e/src/quickjsTest.ts b/packages/cursorless-everywhere-talon-e2e/src/quickjsTest.ts
index 6ca2196dd1..ef04812a19 100644
--- a/packages/cursorless-everywhere-talon-e2e/src/quickjsTest.ts
+++ b/packages/cursorless-everywhere-talon-e2e/src/quickjsTest.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import type { ActionDescriptor, CommandLatest } from "@cursorless/common";
+import type { ActionDescriptor, CommandV7 } from "@cursorless/common";
 import { activate } from "@cursorless/cursorless-everywhere-talon-core";
 import * as std from "std";
 import talonMock from "./talonMock";
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ async function testChuck() {
 }
 
 function runAction(action: ActionDescriptor) {
-  const command: CommandLatest = {
+  const command: CommandV7 = {
     version: 7,
     usePrePhraseSnapshot: false,
     action,
diff --git a/packages/cursorless-neovim-e2e/src/shouldRunTest.ts b/packages/cursorless-neovim-e2e/src/shouldRunTest.ts
index 5f24849b29..d9a07640e5 100644
--- a/packages/cursorless-neovim-e2e/src/shouldRunTest.ts
+++ b/packages/cursorless-neovim-e2e/src/shouldRunTest.ts
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ function isFailingFixture(name: string, fixture: TestCaseFixtureLegacy) {
       return true;
     // "recorded/actions/snippets/*" -> not supported for now
     case "insertSnippet":
+    case "generateSnippet":
       return true;
     case "wrapWithSnippet":
       return true;
diff --git a/packages/cursorless-vscode/src/VscodeSnippets.ts b/packages/cursorless-vscode/src/VscodeSnippets.ts
index 37bbae3ad9..3288b25805 100644
--- a/packages/cursorless-vscode/src/VscodeSnippets.ts
+++ b/packages/cursorless-vscode/src/VscodeSnippets.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import type { Snippet, SnippetMap } from "@cursorless/common";
+import type { Snippet, SnippetMap, TextEditor } from "@cursorless/common";
 import { mergeStrict, showError, type IDE } from "@cursorless/common";
 import { mergeSnippets, type Snippets } from "@cursorless/cursorless-engine";
 import { walkFiles } from "@cursorless/node-common";
@@ -235,18 +235,13 @@ export class VscodeSnippets implements Snippets {
     return snippet;
   }
 
-  async openNewSnippetFile(snippetName: string) {
-    const userSnippetsDir = this.ide.configuration.getOwnConfiguration(
-      "experimental.snippetsDir",
-    );
-
-    if (!userSnippetsDir) {
-      throw new Error("User snippets dir not configured.");
-    }
-
-    const path = join(userSnippetsDir, `${snippetName}.cursorless-snippets`);
+  async openNewSnippetFile(
+    dirPath: string,
+    snippetName: string,
+  ): Promise<TextEditor> {
+    const path = join(dirPath, `${snippetName}.snippet`);
     await touch(path);
-    await this.ide.openTextDocument(path);
+    return this.ide.openTextDocument(path);
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/packages/cursorless-vscode/src/keyboard/KeyboardCommandsTargeted.ts b/packages/cursorless-vscode/src/keyboard/KeyboardCommandsTargeted.ts
index bbc33833e0..c00317225e 100644
--- a/packages/cursorless-vscode/src/keyboard/KeyboardCommandsTargeted.ts
+++ b/packages/cursorless-vscode/src/keyboard/KeyboardCommandsTargeted.ts
@@ -194,6 +194,7 @@ export default class KeyboardCommandsTargeted {
           case "editNew":
           case "getText":
           case "parsed":
+          case "generateSnippet":
             throw Error(`Unsupported keyboard action: ${name}`);
           case "replaceWithTarget":
           case "moveToTarget":
@@ -223,7 +224,6 @@ export default class KeyboardCommandsTargeted {
                 target,
               },
             };
-          case "generateSnippet":
           case "highlight":
             return {
               name,
diff --git a/pnpm-lock.yaml b/pnpm-lock.yaml
index b76027bcff..f879ab8f41 100644
--- a/pnpm-lock.yaml
+++ b/pnpm-lock.yaml
@@ -284,6 +284,9 @@ importers:
       nearley:
         specifier: 2.20.1
         version: 2.20.1(patch_hash=mg2fc7wgvzub3myuz6m74hllma)
+      talon-snippets:
+        specifier: 1.1.0
+        version: 1.1.0
       uuid:
         specifier: ^10.0.0
         version: 10.0.0
@@ -9242,6 +9245,9 @@ packages:
     engines: {node: '>=14.0.0'}
     hasBin: true
 
+  talon-snippets@1.1.0:
+    resolution: {integrity: sha512-NOkb/8KOlezJXP2TVzYF4AJBdrew1c1636EqEUxEyese8Qpb1yQyRkZtY16YzAoTpwcEg4KYxX6vl8SaRlHyDA==}
+
   tapable@1.1.3:
     resolution: {integrity: sha512-4WK/bYZmj8xLr+HUCODHGF1ZFzsYffasLUgEiMBY4fgtltdO6B4WJtlSbPaDTLpYTcGVwM2qLnFTICEcNxs3kA==}
     engines: {node: '>=6'}
@@ -20843,6 +20849,8 @@ snapshots:
     transitivePeerDependencies:
       - ts-node
 
+  talon-snippets@1.1.0: {}
+
   tapable@1.1.3: {}
 
   tapable@2.2.1: {}