Composing Aliases

Aliases can reference other aliases. Since amoxide aliases are expanded by the shell, you can build powerful command chains by layering simple aliases on top of each other.

Basic Composition

Define a base alias, then build on it:

# Base: a signing commit
am add -p git cm "git commit -S --signoff -m"

# Build on top: conventional commit prefixes
am add -p git cmf "cm feat:"
am add -p git cmx "cm fix:"
am add -p git cmd "cm docs:"

cmf add user authentication
# → cm feat: add user authentication
# → git commit -S --signoff -m feat: add user authentication

Change the base cm alias once, and all variants (cmf, cmx, cmd) inherit the change.

Cross-Profile Composition

Aliases from different profiles can reference each other, as long as both profiles are active:

# git profile — base tools
am add -p git ga "git add"
am add -p git gc "git commit -S --signoff -m"

# workflow profile — higher-level shortcuts
am add -p workflow wip "ga -A && gc wip"
am add -p workflow ship "ga -A && gc"

# activate both
am profile use git
am profile use workflow

ship ready to merge
# → ga -A && gc ready to merge
# → git add -A && git commit -S --signoff -m ready to merge

Mixing with Project Aliases

Project aliases can reference profile aliases too. A Rust project might define:

# profile: always available
am add -p rust t "cargo test"
am add -p rust l "cargo clippy --locked --all-targets -- -D warnings"

# project-local: builds on the profile alias
am add -l check "l && t"

Now check runs clippy then tests — and if you change l or t in the profile, the project alias picks up the change.

Tips

• Keep base aliases simple and focused — one command, one purpose
• Name composed aliases so the chain is guessable (cm → cmf for "cm feat")
• Use am ls to see which aliases are available and from which layer