# SoCLI
[](https://badge.fury.io/py/socli) [](https://travis-ci.org/gautamkrishnar/socli) [](https://www.collaborizm.com/project/S1cbUui6)
Stack overflow command line written in python. Using SoCLI you can search and browse stack overflow without leaving the terminal. Just use the **socli** command:
### Installation
##### Supported platforms
* Linux
* Windows
* Mac
##### Requirements
* python 2+
##### For Linux
Install **python** and just use **pip** command to install **socli**:
```bash
sudo apt-get install python python-pip
sudo pip install socli
```
##### For Windows
###### Method 1 (Using Installer :star: Easy way)
Download and install the latest release of [SoCLI-Setup.exe](https://github.com/gautamkrishnar/socli/releases/latest/) for windows. It is a self contained package with all the required dependencies. This package also contain auto updater for SoCLI.
###### Method 2 (Using PIP)
[Download and install python](https://www.python.org/downloads/). Dont forget to check the option "Add to path".
Open a command prompt with administrative privileges and use **pip** command to install **socli**:
```bash
pip install socli
```
Use **easy_install** if your python path have a space in it [Read more:"Failed to create process"](https://github.com/gautamkrishnar/socli/issues/6):
```
easy_install socli
```
##### For Mac (via homebrew)
Install **python** and **socli**:
```bash
brew install python
easy_install pip
pip install socli
```
### Updating
Use the command below to update your existing version of **socli** to the newest version, so that you won't miss any features:
```bash
sudo pip install --upgrade socli
```
### Usage
##### Quick search
Just use **socli** command followed by the search query:
```bash
socli for loop in python syntax
```
The above command will search for the query "*for loop in python syntax*" and displays the first most voted question in stack overflow with its most voted answer. Pretty quick, right?
##### Interactive search
You can search the stack overflow interactively by using the command below:
```sh
socli -iq html error 404
```
This will display a list of questions from stack overflow for the query "*html error 404*" and it will allow you to choose any of the question you like interactively. When you chose a question, it will display the complete description of the chosed question with its most voted answer. Now you can browse through all the answers of that questions on stack overflow interactively.
##### Manual search
This will allow you to choose a question number for example:
```sh
socli -r 2 -q javascript porotype function
```
Will search for "*javascript porotype function*" in stack overflow and displays the second question that contains it.
##### Topic based search
Stack overflow supports topic by using tags. **socli** allows you to query stack overflow based on specific tags. Just specify the tag via the following command:
```sh
socli -t javascript -q window.open
```
You can also specify multiple tags, Just seporate them with a comma:
```sh
socli -t javascript,node.js -q window.open
```
See the complete list of tags [here](http://stackoverflow.com/tags).
##### New question
If you can't find an answer for your question in stack overflow, **socli** allows you to creata a new question via the web browswer. Just type the command below and **socli** will open the new question page of stack overflow in the web browser for you:
```sh
socli -n
```
### Syntax:
**socli** has the following syntax
```
Usage: socli [ Arguments] < Search Query >
```
###### Arguments (optional)
| Short | Long | Description | Example |
|--------|--------|--------|--------|
| -q | --query | Used to specify the query when arguments are used. A query value must be passed to it. If it is used alone (socli -q query) then it will display the same result as "socli query". | socli -i -q query |
| -i | --interactive | Used to search interactively. It doesnt take any values. It must be followed by a -q or --query after it. | socli -i -q query |
| -r | --res | Used for manual search. It takes the question number as the argument and it must be followed by a -q or --query after it. | socli -r 4 -q query |
| -t | --tag | Specifies the tag to search for the query on stack overflow. It must be followed by a -q or --query after it. | socli -t js -q query |
| -n | --new | Opens the web browser to create a new question on stack overflow. | socli --new |
| -h | --help | Displays the help text. | socli --help |
###### Query
It refers to query to search in stack overflow.
### Features
These are the amazing features of **socli**:
* Manual Search
* Interactively browse stack overflow using the interactive mode
* Coloured interface
* Question stats view
* Tag support
* Can open the page in a browser
* Can create a new question via the web browser
### To Do
Command line interface for:
- [ ] Stack overflow authentication
- [ ] Posting to stack overflow
- [ ] Upvote answer
- [ ] Comment on an answer
- [ ] Browsing stackoverflow home page
Please check out the list of [issues](https://github.com/gautamkrishnar/socli/issues).
### Contributing
If you are willing to contribute to SoCLI project, You are awesome! Just follow the steps below:
1. Fork it!
2. Make a local clone:
```sh
git clone https://github.com/{YOUR_USERNAME}/socli.git
```
3. Switch to the directory: `cd socli`
4. Create your new branch: `git checkout -b feature name`
5. Make necessary changes to this source code
6. Add changes to git index by using `git add --all .`
7. Commit your changes: `git commit -am 'Added new feature'`
8. Push to the branch: `git push`
9. Submit a [new pull request](https://github.com/gautamkrishnar/socli/pull/new) :smile:
### Contributors
Special thanks to these superheroes:
* [Killbee](https://github.com/kilbee) for making SoCLI colorful [#3](https://github.com/gautamkrishnar/socli/pull/3)
* [Sam Dean](https://github.com/deanWombourne) for adding Macintosh SoCLI installation instructions [#1](https://github.com/gautamkrishnar/socli/pull/1)
* [Plinio89s](https://github.com/Plinio89s) for adding the check for color support [#8](https://github.com/gautamkrishnar/socli/pull/8)
* [nagracks](https://github.com/nagracks) for improving readability of the SoCLI code [#11](https://github.com/gautamkrishnar/socli/pull/11)
* [mwwynne](https://github.com/mwwynne) for adding links to the SoCLI [#13](https://github.com/gautamkrishnar/socli/pull/13)
* [Carlos J. Puga Medina](https://github.com/cpu82) for finding the bug [#11](https://github.com/gautamkrishnar/socli/issues/14) on SoCLI python2 version and for making [SoCLI freshports port](https://www.freshports.org/misc/py-socli/)
* [Jon Ericson](https://github.com/jericson) (*Community Manager, Stack Overflow*) for the PR [#18](https://github.com/gautamkrishnar/socli/pull/18) and letting me know about the Stack overflow attribution policy. Thanks for the [blog post](http://jericson.github.io/2016/08/25/long_tail_docs.html)
* [Ankit Kr. Singh](https://github.com/kumarankit0411) for fixing some typos PR [#21](https://github.com/gautamkrishnar/socli/pull/21) [#23](https://github.com/gautamkrishnar/socli/pull/23)
* [Harsha Alva](https://github.com/aharshac) for fixing windows encoding problem PR [#24](https://github.com/gautamkrishnar/socli/pull/21)
* [Pia Mancini](https://github.com/piamancini) for adding SoCLI to OpenCollective [#27](https://github.com/gautamkrishnar/socli/pull/27)
* [Elliott Beach](https://github.com/e-beach) for improving color support by adding colorama [#29](https://github.com/gautamkrishnar/socli/pull/29)
* [Aditya Tandon](https://github.com/adityatandon007) for the issue [#30](https://github.com/gautamkrishnar/socli/issues/30)
* [Akshatha Nayak](https://github.com/Aksh77) for your first contribution to an open source project. PR [#31](https://github.com/gautamkrishnar/socli/issues/31)
### Bugs
If you are experiencing any bugs, don’t forget to open a [new issue](https://github.com/gautamkrishnar/socli/issues/new).
### Thanks
* Thanks to all the existing users of SoCLI.
* Thanks to all upvoters and followers on reddit.
* [impress that girl in the Starbucks by browsing SO with your CLI app XD XD](https://www.reddit.com/r/programmingcirclejerk/comments/4pwil4/impress_that_girl_in_the_starbucks_by_browsing_so/) by [insane0hflex](https://www.reddit.com/user/insane0hflex). Thanks for the post :wink:
* Special thanks to people who wrote about SoCLI on their blogs and websites:
* [wykop.pl](http://www.wykop.pl/wpis/18286681/python-stackoverflow-interfejs-bo-sciaga-musi-byc-/)
* [memect.com](http://forum.memect.com/blog/thread/py-2016-06-26/)
* [pseudoscripter](https://pseudoscripter.wordpress.com/2016/06/28/socli-stack-overflow-command-line-client/)
* [b.hatena.ne.jp](http://b.hatena.ne.jp/entry/s/github.com/gautamkrishnar/socli)
* [jericson.github.io](http://jericson.github.io/2016/08/25/long_tail_docs.html)
* [The really big list of really interesting Open Source projects](https://medium.com/@likid.geimfari/the-list-of-interesting-open-source-projects-2daaa2153f7c#.6qm1v3ioa)
* [Ostechnix](http://www.ostechnix.com/search-browse-stack-overflow-website-commandline/)
* Tweets:
* [@cyb3rops](https://twitter.com/cyb3rops/status/747380776350650368)
* [@pythontrending](https://twitter.com/pythontrending/status/745635512803819521)
* Thanks to my favourite IDE JetBrains PyCharm