The Clipboard Project (or CB for short) is the advanced yet oh-so-easy-to-use clipboard manager for anyone.

You'll be able to remember anything, anytime, anywhere at the mere press of a button. It's like having a new, ridonkuliciously smart second brain always by your side.

Just let the features speak for themselves!

• Copy text, files, directories, pipes, anything,
• Get an infinite number of temporary or persistent clipboards,
• Harness the power of real full-fat regex on everything you copy,
• Seamlessly integrate with your desktop clipboard system,
• Use your favorite languages like español, português, or Türkçe,
• Easily script anything to automate your workflows in a cinch,
• Customize the to your complete viewing pleasure,
• And tons more!

Oh, and did we also mention that it's 100 percent free and open source? Yes, that too!

curl -sSL https://github.com/Slackadays/Clipboard/raw/main/install.sh | sh

(Invoke-WebRequest -UseBasicParsing https://github.com/Slackadays/Clipboard/raw/main/install.ps1).Content | powershell

Alpine Linux (you'll need to enable the Community packages first)

apk add clipboard

AUR (Use your favorite AUR helper such as yay. You can also get clipboard-bin and clipboard-git)

yay -S clipboard

Gentoo GURU and LiGurOS (For Gentoo, enable the GURU repo first)

emerge -av app-misc/clipboard

Homebrew

brew install clipboard

Nix

nix-env -iA nixpkgs.clipboard-jh

Pacstall

pacstall -I clipboard-bin

Scoop

scoop install clipboard

Void Linux

sudo xbps-install -S clipboard

You can also get the latest revision of the Clipboard Project from GitHub Actions or the latest release from GitHub Releases.

You'll need CMake and C++20 support, and if you want X11 and/or Wayland compatibility, you'll also need libx11 and/or libwayland plus Wayland Protocols.

Get the latest release instead of the latest commit by adding --branch 0.7.0 right after git clone....

Change the system installation prefix by adding -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=/custom/prefix to cmake .., or the library install location by adding -DCMAKE_INSTALL_LIBDIR=/custom/dir.

# First, let's download the code and go a nice place to build everything.
$ git clone https://github.com/Slackadays/Clipboard 
$ cd Clipboard/build

# Now let's set up CMake and build CB.
$ cmake -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=MinSizeRel ..
$ cmake --build . -j 12

# Finally, let's install it onto our system.
$ cmake --install .

Remove everything listed in install_manifest.txt. If you're not using Windows, you can also do xargs rm < install_manifest.txt.

# Let's start by copying a file, adding a note to it, changing the note, then pasting the file.
$ cb copy NuclearLaunchCodes.pdf
$ cb note "Keep this a secret"
$ echo "Keep this a secret OR ELSE" | cb note
$ cb paste

# What if we cut a directory, added a file, and then removed that file? That's what we're doing here, all in the "69" clipboard.
$ cb cut69 MyDirectory
$ cb add69 SomeFile
$ cb remove69 SomeFile
$ cb paste69

# You can copy multiple files at the same time. We're using the "_420" persistent clipboard this time.
$ cb cp_420 foo.bar NotAVirus.bar.mp3.exe
$ cb remove_420 "*.mp3\.exe"
$ cb note_420 "Some kosher content here"
$ cb sh_420

# Now let's see our original note and then clear that clipboard. 
$ cb note
$ cb clr

# This is the same as "cb note" but for clipboard "_420" again.
$ cb note_420

# Get a bird's eye view of everything so far.
$ cb

Add a number to the end of your action to choose which temporary clipboard you want to use (the default is 0). Or, add _ to use a persistent clipboard instead.

  Copy   cb [--](copy|cp)[(num)|_(id)] (file) [files] or (something) | cb [[--](copy|cp)][(num)|_(id)]

Copy a file.

$ cb copy FooFile
$ cb --copy FooFile
$ cb cp FooFile 
$ cb --cp FooFile
# These are the same!

Copy a file and a directory.

$ cb copy FooFile BarDir
# These are also the same!

Copy piped in data.

$ echo "Foobar" | cb
$ echo "Foobar" | cb copy 
# The "copy" action is optional here since the only possible action here in the first place is "copy"

Copy text directly.

$ cb copy "Aventura was the best bachata band"

Note: This happens instead of copying a file/directory if there is only one item present and that item doesn't exist as a file/directory.

Copy a file to the clipboard named "4"

$ cb copy4 FooFile

Copy piped in data to the persistent clipboard named "hello"

$ echo "Foobar" | cb copy_hello

Copy text to the clipboard named "hey"

$ cb --clipboard hey copy "Aventura was the best bachata band"
$ cb -c hey copy "Aventura was the best bachata band" 
# These are the same!

Copy a file with spaces and many directories to clipboard "50" using the abbreviated action name.

$ cb cp50 "Aventura/God's Project/04 Un Chi Chi.flac" BarDir BazDir

  Cut   cb [--](cut|ct)[(num)|_(id)] (file) [files] or (something) | cb [[--](cut|ct)][(num)|_(id)]

Cut a file.

$ cb cut FooFile
$ cb --cut FooFile
$ cb ct FooFile 
$ cb --ct FooFile
# These are the same!

Cut a file and a directory.

$ cb cut FooFile BarDir
# These are also the same!

Cut piped in data.

$ echo "Foobar" | cb cut

Note: Cutting piped in data is the same as copying, except that CB will delete all content after you paste it somewhere.

Cut text directly.

$ cb cut "Hunter2"

Note: This happens instead of cutting a file/directory if there is only one item present and that item doesn't exist as a file/directory.

Cut a file to the clipboard named "4"

$ cb cut4 FooFile

Cut piped in data to the persistent clipboard named "hello"

$ echo "Foobar" | cb cut_hello

Cut text to the clipboard named "hey"

$ cb --clipboard hey cut "Aventura was the best bachata band"
$ cb -c hey cut "Aventura was the best bachata band"
# These are the same!

Cut a file with spaces and many directories to clipboard "50" using the abbreviated action name.

$ cb ct50 "Aventura/God's Project/04 Un Chi Chi.flac" BarDir BazDir

  Paste   cb [--](paste|p)[(num)|_(id)] [regex] [regexes] or cb [[--](paste|p][(num)|_(id)] | (something) or cb [[--](paste|p)][(num)|_(id)] > (some file)

Start by copying or cutting something.

$ cb copy FooFile WhyAventuraIsTheBest.pdf

Paste in the current working directory.

$ cb paste
$ cb --paste
$ cb p
$ cb --p
# These are the same!

Note: If you paste after cutting, then CB will delete the original files that you cut.

Paste anything containing "Aventura."

$ cb p ".*Aventura.*"

Now, let's copy some raw data.

$ echo "Bananas!" | cb

Paste the raw data file in the current working directory.

$ cb paste
# Also the same

Pipe everything out to some file.

$ cb paste > SomeFile

Pipe everything from clipboard "42" out to some file.

$ cb paste42 > SomeFile
$ cb p42 > SomeFile
$ cb -c 42 > SomeFile 
# These three versions all work great!

Pipe everything out to some program.

$ cb | cat
# These three versions also all work great.
$ cb | Write-Output 
# The version for PowerShell

Pipe everything from persistent clipboard "2" out to some program.

$ cb paste_2 | cat
$ cb p_2 | cat
$ cb -c _2 | cat 
# These three versions also all work great.
$ cb -c _2 | Write-Output 
# The version for PowerShell

Note: If you paste after cutting, then CB will delete the raw data afterwards, effectively only letting you paste once.

  Add Contents   cb [--](add|ad)[(num)|_(id)] (file|text) [files] or (something) | cb [[--](add|ad)][(num)|_(id)]

Start by copying something.

$ cb copy FooFile

Add a file.

$ cb add SomeOtherFile
$ cb --add SomeOtherFile
$ cb ad SomeOtherFile 
$ cb --ad SomeOtherFile
# CB now holds FooFile and SomeOtherFile

Add a directory.

$ cb add "We Broke The Rules"

Now let's copy some raw data.

$ cb copy "'Let me find that'"

Add raw data to the end of what's stored.

$ cb add " is one of Romeo Santos' catchphrases."
# The content is now: 'Let me find that' is one of Romeo Santos' catchphrases.

Add raw data by piping it in.

$ echo " What's yours?" | cb add 
# The content is now: 'Let me find that' is one of Romeo Santos' catchphrases. What's yours?

  Remove Contents   cb [--](remove|rm)[(num)|_(id)] (regex) [regexes] or (some regex) | cb [[--](remove|rm)][(num)|_(id)]

Start by copying something.

$ cb copy FooFile BarDir BazDir

Remove everything starting with "B"

$ cb remove "B.*"
$ cb --remove "B.*"
$ cb rm "B.*"
$ cb --rm "B.*"
# CB will match this against "BarDir" and "BazDir" and remove them

Remove everything matching a specific name

$ cb remove "BarDir"
# CB will match this against "BarDir" only and remove it

Now let's copy some raw data.

$ cb copy "A bachatero is someone who makes bachata music."

Remove anything with a space beforehand and that ends with "-ero"

$ cb remove "(?<= ).*ero"
# The content is now: A  is someone who makes bachata music.

Remove anything matching "music" by piping the pattern in.

$ echo "music" | cb remove
# The content is now: A  is someone who makes bachata .

  Show Contents   cb [--](show|sh)[(num)|_(id)] [regex] [regexes] or cb [--](show|sh)[(num)|_(id)] [regex] [regexes] | (something)

Start by copying something.

$ cb copy FooFile BarDir BazDir

List all the items in the clipboard.

$ cb show
$ cb --show
$ cb sh 
$ cb --sh
# These all work great!

Now let's copy some raw data.

$ cb copy "Those who are tired of bachata are tired of life"

Show the contents of the clipboard.

$ cb show

Show the raw filepaths of everything in the clipboard.

$ cb sh | cat

Show raw filepaths to a program.

$ cb copy "02 I Believe.flac"
$ eval vlc $(cb sh)
# Use the eval command here to process the raw filepath (which in this case looks like "/tmp/Clipboard/0/02 I Believe.flac") as if it were entered in a shell
# Otherwise, you'll likely get errors complaining about being unable to process quote characters.

  Clear Clipboard   cb [--](clear|clr)[(num)|_(id)]

Start by copying something.

$ cb copy FooFile BarDir BazDir

Clear the clipboard of all data.

$ cb clear
$ cb --clear
$ cb clr 
$ cb --clr
# These all work great!

  Load Contents   cb [--](load|ld)[(num)|_(id)] [clipboard] [clipboards]

Start by copying something.

$ cb copy "Yo dawg! I heard you liked bachata music."

Load the contents of the clipboard into other clipboards.

$ cb load 1 2 3 _foo
$ cb --load 1 2 3 _foo
$ cb ld 1 2 3 _foo
$ cb --ld 1 2 3 _foo
# All work great!

Note: If you don't provide a destination clipboard, then the Load action will load the contents into the default clipboard.

Load the contents of some clipboard into the default.

$ cb load_foo

Note: This is useful if you want to load content into GUI clipboard systems, as they only connect to the default clipboard.

  Swap Contents   cb [--](swap|sw)[(num)|_(id)] [clipboard]

Start by copying something to two clipboards.

$ cb copy "After breaking up from Aventura, Romeo Santos' music just wasn't up to snuff."
$ cb copy2 "I'd just like to interject for a moment. What you're referring to as Linux, is in fact, GNU/Linux, or as I've recently taken to calling it, GNU plus Linux."

Swap the contents of two clipboards.

$ cb swap 2
$ cb --swap 2
$ cb sw 2
$ cb --sw 2
# All work great!

$ cb swap2
$ cb --swap2
$ cb sw2
$ cb --sw2
# Since swapping is commutative, the target can be freely swapped with the destination.

Note: If you don't provide a destination clipboard, then the Swap action will swap the contents into the default clipboard.

  Import Clipboards   cb [--](import|imp) [source folder]

Start by exporting a clipboard.

$ cb copy "The reason Aventura was so popular was because the music was so well-written as well as the luscious guitar chorus effect."
$ cb export

Import all clipboards from a folder.

$ cb import
$ cb --import
$ cb imp
$ cb --imp
# These all work great!

Note: Currently, CB imports from a folder called Exported_Clipboards.

Choose what folder to import from.

$ cb import MySavedClipboards

  Export Clipboards   cb [--](export|ex) [clipboard] [clipboards]

Start by copying something.

$ cb copy "Aventura's music is some of the most erotic you'll find anywhere."

Export all clipboards to a folder.

$ cb export
$ cb --export
$ cb ex
$ cb --ex
# These all work great!

Note: Currently, CB exports to a folder called Exported_Clipboards.

Choose what clipboards to export.

$ cb export 1 2 3

  Set Note   cb [--](note|nt)[(num)|_(id)] (text) or (something) | cb [[--](note|nt)][(num)|_(id)]

Add a personal note to a clipboard.

$ cb note "For my Aventura music collection"
$ cb --note "For my Aventura music collection"
$ cb nt "For my Aventura music collection"
$ cb --nt "For my Aventura music collection"
# All work great!

Add a personal note to a clipboard by piping it in.

$ echo "For my Aventura music collection" | cb note

Remove a note from a clipboard.

$ cb note ""

  Show Note   cb [--](note|nt)[(num)|_(id)]

Start by adding a note to a clipboard.

$ cb note "For my Aventura music collection"

Show the note you added.

$ cb note
$ cb --note
$ cb nt
$ cb --nt

  Set Ignore Rules   cb [--](ignore|ig)[(num)|_(id)] (regex) [regexes] or (regex) | cb [[--](ignore|ig)][(num)|_(id)]

Set some kinds of content to always ignore.

$ cb ignore "(?<![A-Za-z0-9/+=])[A-Za-z0-9/+=]{40}(?![A-Za-z0-9/+=])"
$ cb --ignore "(?<![A-Za-z0-9/+=])[A-Za-z0-9/+=]{40}(?![A-Za-z0-9/+=])"
$ cb ig "(?<![A-Za-z0-9/+=])[A-Za-z0-9/+=]{40}(?![A-Za-z0-9/+=])"
$ cb --ig "(?<![A-Za-z0-9/+=])[A-Za-z0-9/+=]{40}(?![A-Za-z0-9/+=])"
# All work great!
# "(?<![A-Za-z0-9/+=])[A-Za-z0-9/+=]{40}(?![A-Za-z0-9/+=])" is the regex for an AWS SK secret.

Set an ignore regex rule by piping it in.

$ echo "[abc]{10}" | cb ignore

Remove all ignore regex rules from a clipboard.

$ cb ignore ""

  Show Ignore Rules   cb [--](ignore|ig)[(num)|_(id)]

Start by adding some ignore regex rules to a clipboard.

$ cb ignore "Foo" "Bar" "Baz"

Show the rules you just added.

$ cb ignore
$ cb --ignore
$ cb ig
$ cb --ig

  Show Detailed Info   cb [--](info|in)[(num)|_(id)] or cb [--](info|in)[(num)|_(id)] | (something)

Show helpful details for a clipboard.

$ cb info
$ cb --info
$ cb in
$ cb --in
# All are the same!

Output these helpful details in JSON format.

$ cb info | cat
$ cb info | jq

  Show Help Message   cb (-h|[--]help)

Show the help message.

$ cb help
$ cb --help
$ cb -h 
# These three versions all work great!

  Check All Clipboards' Status   cb [[--]status|st] or cb [--](status|st) | (something)

Check the status of all clipboards that have content.

$ cb status
$ cb --status
$ cb st
$ cb --st
$ cb 
# These all work great!

Get the status of all clipboards in JSON format.

$ cb status | cat

Need to paste a funky symbol somewhere a lot? Just copy it to a persistent clipboard.

$ cb cp_theta θ

Copy a password securely by deleting it once you've pasted it.

$ cb cut "AVeryStrongPassword!"
$ cb | some-program
# Now gone

On a slow system? Cache certain things so you don't have to do them again.

$ neofetch | cb cp_neo
$ cb | cat

Need to share or pore over log files? Just copy them!

$ journalctl | cb
# For systemd
$ sudo dmesg | cb
# For Linux; note that you're not running "sudo cb" here
$ cb copy logs/latest.log
# For Minecraft servers

Want CB to look different? Change up the color scheme.

# This one looks like The Matrix
$ export CLIPBOARD_THEME=green
$ cb
# This one is for light backgrounds
$ export CLIPBOARD_THEME=light
$ cb
# Check out the other themes too!

Here's what some of these themes might look like.

Make your own scripts that can fully automate your workflows.

#!/bin/sh
# This script does nothing except serve as an example of automating CB.
link="https://SomeWebsiteWithLotsOfContent"
wget link
cb copy *.jpg *.png
cb remove "AZ.*\.png"
cb | tar -cf foobar.tar
cb -c footar < foobar.tar
cb note "Latest files from website ABCXYZ"

  --all, -a   Add this when clearing to clear all clipboards at once.

Start from a blank slate.

$ cb --all clear

WARNING! This will get rid of everything you've stored with CB, so be very careful when clearing with this option.

  --clipboard (clipboard), -c (clipboard)   Add this to choose which clipboard you want to use.

Choose a non-default clipboard.

$ cb -c 5 copy Foobar
$ cb --clipboard 10 copy BarBaz

Copy to a temporary clipboard that doesn't start with a number.

$ cb -c SomeCB copy "A really really long sentence, and I mean really realy super DUPER long!"

Note: Although copying to a temporary clipboard that doesn't start with a number is impossible using the conventional method of adding it to the end of the action, this alternative method is completely supported and works great.

Choose a persistent clipboard.

$ cb -c _ copy "Generation Next"/*

  --fast-copy, -fc   Add this to use links when copying, cutting, or pasting. If you modify the items that you used with this flag, then the items you paste will have the same changes.

Copy a lot of files in much less time than before.

$ cb --fast-copy copy /usr/bin/*

  --mime, -m   Add this to request a specific content MIME type from GUI clipboard systems.

Save GUI clipboard content of a specific MIME type to the main clipboard.

$ cb --mime text/html | cb

  --no-confirmation, -nc   Add this to disable confirmation messages from CB.

Reduce distractions after showing some text content.

$ cb -nc sh | cat

  --no-progress, -np   Add this to disable progress messages from CB.

Reduce distractions while doing a search that takes a while.

$ fzf | cb -np

  CI   Set this to anything to make CB overwrite existing items without a user prompt when pasting. This variable is intended for Continuous Integration scripts where a live human is not present to make decisions.

Use CB in a CI script.

...
cb cp Temp/*
...
cb p
...

  CLIPBOARD_LOCALE   Set this to the locale that only CB will use for its commands and output, like en_US.UTF-8 or es_DO.UTF-8.

Change the locale to match what you're more comfortable with.

$ export CLIPBOARD_LOCALE=es_DO.UTF-8
$ cb cp "Amo a Aventura"

> $Env:CLIPBOARD_LOCALE=es_DO.UTF-8
# Powershell version

Override the locale case-by-case.

$ export CLIPBOARD_LOCALE=fr_CA.UTF-8
...
$ CLIPBOARD_LOCALE="" cb cp Foobar

  CLIPBOARD_TMPDIR   Set this to the directory that only CB will use to hold the items you cut or copy into a temporary directory.

Choose a special place to put your temporary clipboards this one time.

$ CLIPBOARD_TMPDIR=/home/jackson/SomeDirectory cb copy *

Choose a special place to put your temporary clipboards every time.

$ export CLIPBOARD_TMPDIR=/home/jackson/SomeDirectory
$ cb copy *
> $Env:CLIPBOARD_TMPDIR = /home/jackson/SomeDirectory
# Powershell

  CLIPBOARD_PERSISTDIR   Set this to the directory that only CB will use to hold the items you cut or copy into a persistent directory.

Choose a special place to put your persistent clipboards this one time.

$ CLIPBOARD_PERSISTDIR=/home/jackson/SomeDirectory cb copy *

Choose a special place to put your persistent clipboards every time.

$ export CLIPBOARD_PERSISTDIR=/home/jackson/SomeDirectory
$ cb copy *
> $Env:CLIPBOARD_PERSISTDIR = /home/jackson/SomeDirectory
# Powershell

  CLIPBOARD_ALWAYS_PERSIST   Set this to anything to make CB always use persistent clipboards.

Make everything you copy persistent.

$ export CLIPBOARD_ALWAYS_PERSIST=1
$ cb copy Foo Bar Baz
# This puts everything in the persistent directory but still with the clipboard name "0"

  CLIPBOARD_NOEMOJI   Set this to anything to strip emojis from CB's messages.

Get rid of those ugly emojis.

$ export CLIPBOARD_NOEMOJI=1
$ cb cp "You won't be annoyed 😒 by these things ever again! 😏😋🥵"

Note: This option only strips emojis from CB's own messages. So, if you copied some text that happens to contain emojis, then those will still remain.

  CLIPBOARD_NOGUI   Set this to anything to disable integration with GUI clipboards.

Debug a flaky GUI system by disabling its integration with CB.

$ CLIPBOARD_NOGUI=1 cb show
$ export CLIPBOARD_NOGUI=1
$ cb show

  CLIPBOARD_NOPROGRESS   Set this to anything to disable only progress messages from CB.

Reduce distractions while doing a search that takes a while.

$ fzf | CLIPBOARD_NOPROGRESS=1 cb

Disable progress messages from CB entirely.

$ export CLIPBOARD_NOPROGRESS=1
$ fzf | cb

  CLIPBOARD_SILENT   Set this to anything to disable progress and confirmation messages from CB.

Rest in peace by seeing nothing that isn't an error.

$ export CLIPBOARD_SILENT=1
$ cb cp "I'm running out of Aventura references"

  CLIPBOARD_THEME   Set this to the color theme that CB will use. Choose between light, darkhighcontrast, lighthighcontrast, amber, and green (the default is dark).

Remind yourself of the terminals of the past.

$ export CLIPBOARD_THEME=green
$ cb cp "I'm in the Matrix now"
$ export CLIPBOARD_THEME=amber
$ cb cp "Yellow terminals feel just like sitting in front of a nice campfire"

Make CB more accessible.

$ export CLIPBOARD_THEME=darkhighcontrast
$ cb show

  FORCE_COLOR   Set this to anything to make CB always show color regardless of what you set NO_COLOR to.

Override somebody else's choice to disable colors.

$ export NO_COLOR=1
...
$ FORCE_COLOR=1 cb copy "There are almost no bachateros where I live right now"

Note: CB also supports CLICOLOR_FORCE.

Override somebody else's choice to disable colors, but in a different way.

$ export CLICOLOR=0
...
$ CLICOLOR_FORCE=1 cb copy "There are almost no bachateros where I live right now"

  NO_COLOR   Set this to anything to make CB not show any colors.

Make CB look boring.

$ export NO_COLOR=1
$ cb cp "From the 1960s until the 1990s, bachata was perceived as boring music for poor Dominicans."

Note: CB also supports CLICOLOR.

Make CB look boring, but in a different way.

$ export CLICOLOR=0
$ cb cp "In the 1990s, though, several innovative musicians reinvigorated bachata by using electric guitars with fancy effects."

We're here for you! Check out the Clipboard Project Wiki for even more information, ask all your burning questions in GitHub Discussions, or join the awesome Discord group!

Say thank you to all our beautiful contributors who have helped make the Clipboard Project incredible. Want to join the club? We're always accepting new contributions too.

And if you're feeling generous, feel free to give us a ⭐! We appreciate every single one - including yours.

_{cb copy haters && cb > /dev/null}