README
¶
pipeboard
The programmable clipboard router for terminals.
One command across macOS, Linux, Windows, and WSL. Sync between machines via SSH, store in S3, or sync with mobile devices via hosted backend. Transform clipboard contents with user-defined pipelines. All with client-side encryption and zero telemetry.
Why pipeboard?
Terminal users copy and paste hundreds of times a day—config snippets, JSON payloads, API keys, log excerpts. Each time you reach for a GUI or email yourself a snippet, you break flow.
| Workflow | Without pipeboard | With pipeboard |
|---|---|---|
| Cross-platform scripts | pbcopy on Mac, xclip on Linux, clip.exe on WSL |
pipeboard copy everywhere |
| Send clipboard to another machine | SSH, scp, or paste into Slack | pipeboard send dev |
| Grab that config you saved yesterday | Scroll through chat history | pipeboard pull kube |
| Format JSON before pasting | Copy → browser → formatter → copy | pipeboard fx pretty-json |
| Recall what you copied an hour ago | Hope it's still there | pipeboard recall 1 |
Core Features
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Unified clipboard | One CLI across macOS, Linux, Windows, and WSL |
| Peer-to-peer sync | Direct SSH transfer between machines—no cloud required |
| Named slots | Persistent storage locally, in S3, or hosted backend for async workflows |
| Transforms | User-defined pipelines to process clipboard in-place |
| History & recall | Search and restore previous clipboard contents |
| Watch mode | Real-time bidirectional sync with a peer |
| Encryption | AES-256-GCM client-side encryption for stored content |
| Zero telemetry | No tracking, no logging of clipboard contents |
Quick Start
# Install
brew install blackwell-systems/homebrew-tap/pipeboard
# or: go install github.com/blackwell-systems/pipeboard@latest
# Copy and paste (works everywhere)
echo "hello" | pipeboard # implicit copy from stdin
pipeboard paste
# Transform clipboard in-place
pipeboard fx pretty-json # format JSON
pipeboard fx strip-ansi # chain multiple transforms
# Sync with another machine (via SSH)
pipeboard send dev # push to peer
pipeboard recv mac # pull from peer
pipeboard watch dev # real-time bidirectional sync
# Store for later (local or S3)
pipeboard push myconfig # save to named slot
pipeboard pull myconfig # restore from slot
pipeboard slots # list all slots
# Clipboard history
pipeboard history --local # view recent copies
pipeboard recall 1 # restore previous entry
See Getting Started for installation options.
Power Workflows
Async clipboard: push now, pull anywhere
Save something on your laptop, pull it on a server hours later:
# Laptop at coffee shop
pipeboard push deploy-script
# Server at home (hours later)
pipeboard pull deploy-script
Slots work across networks, time zones, and reboots. Local, S3-backed, or hosted for mobile sync.
Sync with mobile devices
Desktop to mobile, mobile to desktop—seamlessly:
# One-time setup
pipeboard signup # create account
pipeboard login # authenticate
# Desktop: copy and push
echo "https://example.com/docs" | pipeboard
pipeboard push mobile-link
# Mobile: pull from Pipeboard app
# [Use the Android app to pull "mobile-link" slot]
# Mobile: push from app, desktop: pull
pipeboard pull mobile-notes # get what you saved on phone
Hosted backend keeps your clipboard encrypted and synced between CLI and mobile apps.
Find and restore anything you copied
Search your clipboard history and restore what you need:
pipeboard history --local --search "Bearer" # find that API token
pipeboard recall 2 # restore it
History is searchable, indexed, and persists across sessions.
Encrypted secrets with auto-expiry
Store sensitive data that self-destructs:
# ~/.config/pipeboard/config.yaml
sync:
backend: hosted # or "s3" or "local"
hosted:
url: https://your-backend.com
email: [email protected]
encryption: aes256
passphrase: ${PIPEBOARD_PASSPHRASE}
ttl_days: 1 # auto-delete after 24 hours
pipeboard push api-key # encrypted, expires tomorrow
pipeboard pull api-key # teammate decrypts, then it's gone
Track what you synced
Every push, pull, send, and receive is logged:
pipeboard history --slots # what did I push/pull?
pipeboard history --peer # what did I send/receive?
pipeboard history --json | jq 'select(.slot=="prod")'
Want to try first? Run the Test Drive - no installation required, just Docker:
git clone https://github.com/blackwell-systems/pipeboard && cd pipeboard && ./scripts/demo.sh
Platform Support
| Platform | Clipboard | Image | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| macOS | ✓ built-in | ✓ requires pngpaste/impbcopy | |
| Linux (Wayland) | ✓ wl-clipboard | ✓ native | |
| Linux (X11) | ✓ xclip or xsel | ✓ xclip only | |
| Windows | ✓ clip.exe + PowerShell | ✓ PowerShell | |
| WSL | ✓ clip.exe | paste only |
Run pipeboard doctor to check your setup.
- Test Drive — Try pipeboard without installing (Docker)
- Getting Started — Installation and first commands
- Commands — Full command reference
- Transforms — Build clipboard pipelines
- Configuration — Config file reference
- Sync & Remote — SSH peers and S3 slots
- Platforms — Platform-specific details
- Architecture — System design and component overview
Security
pipeboard handles potentially sensitive clipboard data. See SECURITY.md for details on data handling, transport security, and configuration recommendations.
Trademarks
pipeboard™ is a product of Blackwell Systems™. See BRAND.md for usage guidelines.
License
MIT
Documentation
Source Files