cabinet

Cabinet

Cabinet is a lightweight, flexible data organization tool that lets you manage your data with the simplicity of a JSON file or the power of MongoDB - your choice.

• Cabinet
  • ✨ Features
    • Breaking change in 2.0.0
  • Installation and Setup
    • CLI and Python Library (Recommended)
    • CLI Only
  • Dependencies
  • Structure
  • CLI usage
  • Configuration
    • edit_file() shortcuts
    • mail
  • Examples
    • put
    • get
    • remove
    • append
    • edit
    • edit_file
    • mail
    • log
    • log_query
    • logdb
  • UI Module
  • Disclaimers
  • Author

✨ Features

• Access your data across multiple projects
• Log messages to MongoDB or a file of your choice
• Edit MongoDB as though it were a JSON file
• Send mail from the terminal
• Library for interactive command-line interface components using prompt_toolkit

Breaking change in 2.0.0

• mongodb_connection_string replaces mongodb_username and mongodb_password.

Installation and Setup

CLI and Python Library (Recommended)

• Install pipx if you don't have it already

• Install cabinet:

pipx install cabinet
cabinet --config

CLI Only

curl -s https://api.github.com/repos/tylerjwoodfin/cabinet/releases/latest \
| grep "browser_download_url" \
| cut -d '"' -f 4 \
| xargs curl -L -o cabinet.pex

sudo mv cabinet.pex /usr/local/bin/cabinet

Dependencies

Outside of the standard Python library, the following packages are included as part of pipx install cabinet:

• pymongo: Provides the MongoDB client and related errors.
• prompt_toolkit: Provides functionality for command-line interfaces.

Structure

• Data is stored in ~/.cabinet/data.json or MongoDB
  • data from MongoDB is interacted with as if it were a JSON file
  • cache is written when retrieving data.
  • if cache is older than 1 hour, it is refreshed; otherwise, data is pulled from cache by default
• Logs are written to ~/.cabinet/log/LOG_DAILY_YYYY-MM-DD by default
  • You can change the path to something other than ~/.cabinet/log as needed by setting/modifying ~/.config/cabinet/config.json -> path_dir_log

CLI usage

Usage: cabinet [OPTIONS]

Options:
  -h, --help            show this help message and exit
  --configure, -config  Configure
  --edit, -e            Edit Cabinet as MongoDB as a JSON file
  --edit-file EDIT_FILE, -ef EDIT_FILE
                        Edit a specific file
  --force-cache-update  Disable using the cache for MongoDB queries
  --no-create           (for -ef) Do not create file if it does not exist
  --get GET [GET ...], -g GET [GET ...]
                        Get a property from MongoDB
  --put PUT [PUT ...], -p PUT [PUT ...]
                        Put a property into MongoDB
  --append APPEND [APPEND ...], -a APPEND [APPEND ...]
                        Append to a string or array
  --remove REMOVE [REMOVE ...], -rm REMOVE [REMOVE ...]
                        Remove a property from MongoDB
  --get-file GET_FILE   Get file
  --export              Exports MongoDB to ~/.cabinet/export
  --strip               (for --get-file) Whether to strip file content whitespace
  --log LOG, -l LOG     Log a message to the default location
  --level LOG_LEVEL     (for -l) Log level [debug, info, warn, error, critical]
  --tags LOG_TAGS       (for -l) Comma-separated list of tags to associate with the log entry
  --query [LOG_QUERY_FILE], -q [LOG_QUERY_FILE]
                        Query log files (optional: specify log file name, defaults to today)
  --query-tags QUERY_TAGS
                        (for --query) Comma-separated list of tags to filter by
  --query-path QUERY_PATH
                        (for --query) Filter by file path (fuzzy search)
  --query-hostname QUERY_HOSTNAME
                        (for --query) Filter by hostname
  --query-level QUERY_LEVEL
                        (for --query) Filter by log level [debug, info, warning, error, critical]
  --query-date QUERY_DATE
                        (for --query) Filter by date (YYYY-MM-DD format)
  --query-message QUERY_MESSAGE
                        (for --query) Search within message text
  --editor EDITOR       (for --edit and --edit-file) Specify an editor to use
  -v, --version         Show version number and exit

Mail:
  --mail                Sends an email
  --subject SUBJECT, -s SUBJECT
                        Email subject
  --body BODY, -b BODY  Email body
  --to TO_ADDR, -t TO_ADDR
                        The "to" email address

Configuration

• Configuration data is stored in ~/.config/cabinet/config.json.

• Upon first launch, the tool will walk you through each option.

  • path_dir_log is the directory where logs will be stored by default.
  • mongodb_enabled is a boolean that determines whether MongoDB is used.
  • mongodb_db_name is the name of the database you want to use by default.
  • mongodb_connection_string is the connection string for MongoDB.
  • editor is the default editor that will be used when editing files.
  • You will be prompted to enter your MongoDB credentials (optional).
  • If you choose not to use MongoDB, data will be stored in ~/.cabinet/data.json.

• Follow these instructions to find your MongoDB connection string: MongoDB Atlas or MongoDB (for local MongoDB, untested).

• You will be asked to configure your default editor from the list of available editors on your system. If this step is skipped, or an error occurs, nano will be used.

  You can change this with cabinet --config and modifying the editor attribute.

Your config.json should look something like this:

{
    "path_dir_log": "/path/to/your/log/directory",
    "mongodb_db_name": "cabinet (or other name of your choice)",
    "editor": "nvim",
    "mongodb_enabled": true,
    "mongodb_connection_string": "<your connection string>",
}

edit_file() shortcuts

• see example below to enable something like
  • cabinet -ef shopping from the terminal
    • rather than cabinet -ef "~/path/to/shopping_list.md"
  • or cabinet.Cabinet().edit("shopping")
    • rather than cabinet.Cabinet().edit("~/path/to/whatever.md")

file:

# example only; these commands will be unique to your setup

{
  "path": {
    "edit": {
      "shopping": {
        "value": "~/path/to/whatever.md",
      },
      "todo": {
        "value": "~/path/to/whatever.md",
      }
    }
  }
}

set from terminal:

cabinet -p edit shopping value "~/path/to/whatever.md"
cabinet -p edit todo value "~/path/to/whatever.md"

mail

• It is NEVER a good idea to store your password openly either locally or in MongoDB; for this reason, I recommend a "throwaway" account that is only used for sending emails, such as a custom domain email.
• Gmail and most other mainstream email providers won't work with this; for support, search for sending mail from your email provider with smtplib.
• In Cabinet (cabinet -e), add the email object to make your settings file look like this example:

file:

{
    "email": {
        "from": "[e-mail]",
        "from_pw": "example",
        "from_name": "Cabinet (or other name of your choice)",
        "to": "[e-mail]",
        "smtp_server": "example.com",
        "imap_server": "example.com",
        "port": 123
    }
}

set from terminal:

cabinet -p email from [e-mail]
cabinet -p email from_pw example
...

Examples

put

python:

from cabinet import Cabinet

cab = Cabinet()

cab.put("employee", "Tyler", "salary", 7.25)

or terminal:

cabinet -p employee Tyler salary 7.25

results in this structure in MongoDB:

{
    "employee": {
        "Tyler": {
            "salary": 7.25 # or "7.25" if done from terminal
        }
    }
}

get

python:

from cabinet import Cabinet

cab = Cabinet()

print(cab.get("employee", "Tyler", "salary"))

# or cab.get("employee", "Tyler", "salary", is_print = True)

or terminal:

cabinet -g employee Tyler salary

• optional: --force-cache-update to force a cache update

results in:

7.25

remove

python:

from cabinet import Cabinet

cab = Cabinet()

cab.remove("employee", "Tyler", "salary")

or terminal:

cabinet -rm employee Tyler salary

results in this structure in MongoDB:

{
    "employee": {
        "tyler": {}
    }
}

append

Appends a value to an existing string (concatenation) or array. For other types (bool, int, float, etc.), prints a graceful error. Prints the updated value.

python:

from cabinet import Cabinet

cab = Cabinet()

# Append to array: ['apple'] -> ['apple', 'banana']
cab.put("fruits", ["apple"])
cab.append("fruits", "banana", is_print=True)

# Append to string: 'apple' -> 'applebanana'
cab.put("fruits", "apple")
cab.append("fruits", "banana", is_print=True)

or terminal:

# Append to array: ['apple'] -> ['apple', 'banana']
cabinet -p fruits '["apple"]'
cabinet -a fruits banana

# Append to string: 'apple' -> 'applebanana'
cabinet -p fruits apple
cabinet -a fruits banana

# Nested paths
cabinet -a person tyler fruits banana

• Arrays: Adds the value as a new element. ['apple'] → ['apple', 'banana']
• Strings: Concatenates. 'apple' → 'applebanana'
• Other types: Not allowed.
• Missing key: Not allowed.

edit

terminal:

# opens file in the default editor (`cabinet --config` -> 'editor'), saves upon exit
cabinet -e

# or

cabinet --edit

# you can add an 'editor':

cabinet -e --editor=code

edit_file

python:

from cabinet import Cabinet

cab = Cabinet()

# if put("path", "edit", "shopping", "/path/to/shopping.md") has been called, this will edit the file assigned to that shortcut.

# opens file in the default editor (`cabinet --config` -> 'editor'), saves upon exit
cab.edit("shopping")

# or you can edit a file directly...
cab.edit("/path/to/shopping.md")

# you can pass an 'editor' to override the default:
cab.edit("/path/to/shopping.md", editor="nvim")

terminal:

# assumes path -> edit -> shopping -> path/to/shopping.md has been set
cabinet -ef shoppping

# or

cabinet -ef "/path/to/shopping.md"

# or

mail

python:

from cabinet import Mail

mail = Mail()

mail.send('Test Subject', 'Test Body')

terminal:

cabinet --mail --subject "Test Subject" --body "Test Body"

# or

cabinet --mail -s "Test Subject" -b "Test Body"

log

python:

from cabinet import Cabinet

cab = Cabinet()

# writes to a file named LOG_DAILY_YYYY-MM-DD in `~/.cabinet/log` inside a YYYY-MM-DD folder
# writes somewhere other than `~/.cabinet/log`, if `~/.config/cabinet/config.json` has `path_dir_log` set

cab.log("Connection timed out") # defaults to 'info' if no level is set
cab.log("This function hit a breakpoint", level="debug")
cab.log("Looks like the server is on fire", level="critical")
cab.log("This is fine", level="info")

# NEW: Log with tags (optional list of strings)
cab.log("Checked weather successfully", tags=["weather"])
cab.log("Starting Borg Backup...", tags=["backup", "start"])
cab.log("Pruning repository", tags=["backup", "prune"])
cab.log("Compacting repository", tags=["backup", "compact"])

# writes to a file named LOG_TEMPERATURE in the default log directory
cab.log("30", log_name="LOG_TEMPERATURE")

# writes to a file named LOG_TEMPERATURE in ~/weather
cab.log("30", log_name="LOG_TEMPERATURE", log_folder_path="~/weather")

    # format (without tags)
    # 2025-10-28 17:01:01,858 — INFO -> tools/weather.py:34@{hostname} -> Checking weather
    
    # format (with tags)
    # 2025-09-27 02:01:09,012 — INFO [weather] -> tools/weather.py:116@cloud -> Checked weather successfully
    # 2025-09-27 03:05:03,732 — INFO [backup,start] -> bin/cabinet:8@cloud -> Starting Borg Backup...

terminal:

# defaults to 'info' if no level is set
cabinet -l "Connection timed out"

# -l and --log are interchangeable
cabinet --log "Connection timed out"

# change levels with --level
cabinet --log "Server is on fire" --level "critical"

# add tags with --tags (comma-separated)
cabinet --log "Checked weather successfully" --tags "weather"
cabinet --log "Starting Borg Backup..." --tags "backup,start"
cabinet --log "Pruning repository" --level "info" --tags "backup,prune"

log_query

Query log files by various criteria including tags, path, hostname, level, date, and message content.

python:

from cabinet import Cabinet

cab = Cabinet()

# Query today's log file by tag (log_file is optional and defaults to today)
results = cab.log_query(tags=["weather"])
# Returns: ['2025-10-28 17:01:09,012 — INFO [weather] -> tools/weather.py:116@cloud -> Checked weather successfully']

# Query by multiple tags in today's log (returns logs with any of these tags)
results = cab.log_query(tags=["backup"])
# Returns all logs with 'backup' tag from today

# Query a specific date's log file
results = cab.log_query("LOG_DAILY_2025-09-27.log", tags=["weather"])

# Query by log level (in today's log)
results = cab.log_query(level="ERROR")

# Query by message content (case-insensitive fuzzy search)
results = cab.log_query(message="repository")

# Query by path (case-insensitive fuzzy search on file path after arrow)
results = cab.log_query(path="cabinet")

# Query by hostname
results = cab.log_query(hostname="cloud")

# Query by date (filters by timestamp in the log entry)
results = cab.log_query(date_filter="2025-09-27")

# Combine multiple filters on today's log
results = cab.log_query(
    tags=["backup"],
    level="INFO",
    message="repository"
)

# Combine multiple filters on specific log file
results = cab.log_query(
    "LOG_DAILY_2025-09-27.log",
    tags=["backup"],
    level="INFO",
    message="repository"
)

terminal:

# Query today's log (defaults to today if no log file specified)
cabinet --query --query-tags "weather"

# Short form
cabinet -q --query-tags "backup"

# Query by level
cabinet --query --query-level "ERROR"

# Query by message content
cabinet --query --query-message "repository"

# Query by path (fuzzy search)
cabinet --query --query-path "tools"

# Query by hostname
cabinet --query --query-hostname "cloud"

# Query by date
cabinet --query --query-date "2025-10-28"

# Combine multiple filters
cabinet --query --query-tags "backup" --query-level "INFO"

# Query specific log file
cabinet --query "LOG_DAILY_2025-09-27.log" --query-tags "weather"

# Complex query with multiple filters
cabinet -q "LOG_DAILY_2025-09-27.log" --query-tags "backup,weather" --query-level "INFO" --query-message "repository"

logdb

python:

from cabinet import Cabinet
cab = Cabinet()
cab.logdb("Connection timed out") # logs default to a `logs` collection in MongoDB
cab.logdb("This function hit a breakpoint", level="debug", collection_name="debugging logs") # customize the collection name
cab.logdb("Temperature changed significantly", level="critical", db_name="weather") # customize the database name
cab.logdb("This is fine", level="info", cluster_name="myCluster") # customize the cluster name

terminal:

# defaults to 'info' if no level is set
cabinet -ldb "Connection timed out"
# -l and --log are interchangeable
cabinet --logdb "Connection timed out"
# change levels with --level
cabinet --logdb "Server is on fire" --level "critical"

UI Module

The cabinet.ui module provides interactive command-line interface components:

from cabinet.ui import list_selection, render_html, confirmation

# List selection
items = ["Option 1", "Option 2", "Option 3"]
selected_index = list_selection(items, "Choose an option:")

# HTML rendering
render_html("<b>Bold text</b> and <i>italic text</i>")

# Confirmation dialog
result = confirmation("Do you want to proceed?", "Confirmation")

Disclaimers

• Although I've done quite a bit of testing, I can't guarantee everything that works on my machine will work on yours. Always back up your data to multiple places to avoid data loss.
• If you find any issues, please contact me... or get your hands dirty and raise a PR!

Author

• Tyler Woodfin
  • GitHub
  • LinkedIn
  • Website