Fresh Directories for Every Vibe: How to Use tobi/try to Keep Your Workspace Clean

tobi/try

The project you're asking about, tobi/try, is a fantastic example of a "workflow sharpener." It’s a CLI (Command Line Interface) tool designed to give you a clean, disposable workspace in an instant.

Here is a breakdown of why this is a game-changer for developers and how you can get started.

In software development, we often need to "just try something real quick." Usually, that involves

cd ~/Downloads or cd /tmp

mkdir test-project-123

cd test-project-123

and then forgetting to delete it later, leaving your folders a mess.

tobi/try automates this. It follows the philosophy of "Fresh directories for every vibe." Whether you want to test a snippet of code, try a new library, or debug a weird edge case, you get a pristine environment without the manual setup.

Since it's a modern CLI tool, the installation is usually straightforward. If you have Go installed on your system, you can typically install it via the terminal

go install github.com/tobi/try@latest

(Note: Make sure your $GOPATH/bin is in your system's PATH!)

Instead of manually managing folders, you just type try. Here are a few ways it helps your daily "vibe"

Let's say you want to see how a specific Node.js package works without cluttering your main project.

# This creates a temp directory and drops you right inside it
try node-experiment

# Now you're in a fresh folder!
npm init -y
npm install lodash

If you're following a tutorial and want to write a quick Python script

try python-logic
touch main.py
python3 main.py

One of the coolest features is that it can automatically initialize a Git repository or even clone something into a temporary "try" space so you don't mess up your permanent ~/code folder.

I love using tools like this in combination with temporary aliases. If you find yourself frequently trying out specific languages, you can pipe the output of try into your favorite editor

# Create a fresh directory and open it in VS Code immediately
try new-idea && code .

It’s all about keeping your "mental workspace" as clean as your file system!