eshell-command-not-found

Introduction

Have you missed the command-not-found feature in your other shell when using eshell? The eshell-command-not-found package provides command-not-found integration within eshell.

The command-not-found package suggests the installation of packages when a command isn’t found.

For example, if tput is not installed, running it will suggest the command to install the required package.

~ λ tput
The program tput is not installed. Install it by executing:
 pkg install ncurses-utils
~ λ

Installation

Prerequisite

You should have command-not-found already installed on your system. The feature is implemented through a function called command_not_found_handle. You can check if this function is defined by using the following command in bash:

declare -f command_not_found_handle

Otherwise, try running a command that is not installed in your system shell. If you don’t see any package installation suggestions, please install command-not-found.

1. Debian/Ubuntu:

   sudo apt-get install command-not-found
   sudo apt update
       

2. Fedora:

   sudo dnf install PackageKit-command-not-found
       

   dbus is required in Fedora.

3. Arch Linux:

   sudo pacman -S pkgfile
   sudo pkgfile --update
       

   In Arch Linux, pkgfile needs a command-line option -bv -- to be more useful. You need to create your own script and customize eshell-command-not-found-command until a nicer implementation is added.

   #!/bin/sh
   /usr/sbin/pkgfile -bv -- "$1"
       

4. openSUSE:

   sudo zypper install command-not-found
       

After installing command-not-found, ensure it is configured properly by trying to run a command that does not exist. If it provides suggestions, then it’s set up correctly.

MELPA

eshell-command-not-found can be installed with M-x package-install eshell-command-not-found after setting up MELPA.

Manuall Installation

Add eshell-command-not-found.el to your load-path.

Setup

Turn on eshell-command-not-found-mode.

(require 'eshell-command-not-found)
(eshell-command-not-found-mode 1)

Security Considerations

When using eshell-command-not-found, it relies on the external command-not-found tool from your system to provide package installation suggestions. Here are a few security considerations to keep in mind:

1. Third-Party Repositories: Ensure that your system’s package manager is configured to use reputable repositories. The suggestions you receive come from the metadata provided by these repositories, and fetching from untrustworthy sources could lead to compromised software.
2. System Commands Execution: The integration executes commands in the background to determine the correct packages. This can potentially expose your environment to risks if the process is manipulated. Only enable eshell-command-not-found in trusted environments.
3. Privilege Escalation: Installing packages typically requires elevated privileges (e.g., sudo). Be cautious of blindly following installation suggestions, especially in contexts where you should not exercise superuser privileges.

By being aware of these considerations and carefully managing your environment, you can use eshell-command-not-found effectively and securely.