Tailor

Tailor [ˈteɪ.lə˞] is a command-line tool inspired by the utility of the UNIX tail command and the logical inclusivity of the or operator. It allows you to view the end of files with automatic recovery. If the file doesn't exist or isn't accessible, tailor executes your specified fallback command instead.

Usage

cargo build
./targer/debug/tailor <file> [fallback_command] [args...]

• If the file exists and is readable, tailor will tail it: tail <file>
• If the file doesn't exist or isn't accessible, tailor executes the specified command: [fallback_command] [args...] <file>

Run ./target/debug/tailor --help for more information.

Use Cases

Tailor bridges the gap between “I want to read this file” and “This file doesn’t exist yet.” It’s a single-command solution for reactive file access with smart fallback logic.

View logs or create them:

tailor /var/log/myapp.log touch
# Runs: tail /var/log/myapp.log
# OR:   touch /var/log/myapp.log

Check for build artifact or rebuild it:

tailor dist/index.js ./scripts/build-artifact.sh
# Runs fallback: ./scripts/build-artifact.sh dist/index.js

View files with permission management:

tailor /etc/ssl/private.key chmod 600
tailor /var/log/secure.log chown $USER:$USER

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please fork the repository and submit a pull request with your changes. Ensure your code follows the project's style guidelines and includes tests.

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License. See the LICENSE file for details.

Acknowledgments

• The UNIX tail command, for its timeless utility.
• The logical or operator, for teaching us inclusivity.