Repl.txt

repl

Start an interactive prompt, where you can run any of hledger's
commands. Data files are parsed just once, so the commands run faster.

Flags:
no command-specific flags

This command is experimental and could change in the future.

hledger repl starts a read-eval-print loop (REPL) where you can enter
commands interactively. As with the run command, each input file (or
each input file/input options combination) is parsed just once, so
commands will run more quickly than if you ran them individually at the
command line.

Also like run, the input file(s) specified for the repl command will be
the default input for all interactive commands, you can override this
temporarily by specifying an -f option in particular commands, and
commands will not see any changes made to input files (eg by add) until
you exit and restart the REPL.

The command syntax is the same as with run:

-   enter one hledger command at a time, without the usual hledger first
    word
-   empty lines and comment text from # to end of line are ignored
-   use single or double quotes to quote arguments when needed
-   type exit or quit or control-D to exit the REPL.

While it is running, the REPL remembers your command history, and you
can navigate in the usual ways: - Keypad or Emacs navigation keys to
edit the current command line - UP/DOWN or control-P/control-N to step
back/forward through history - control-R to search for a past command,
etc.

The commands and help commands, and the command help flags (CMD --tldr,
CMD -h/--help, CMD --info, CMD --man), work in the usual way, and can be
useful.

You can type control-C to cancel a long-running command (but only once;
typing it a second time will exit the REPL).

And in most shells you can type control-Z to exit temporarily to the
shell (and fg to return to the REPL).

Caveats

You may find some differences in behaviour between run command lines and
normal hledger command lines. For example, in the REPL,

-   the command name must be written first, options afterward
-   full command names or official abbreviations (as in the command
    list) must be used
-   options parsing with addon commands might be less flexible than the
    CLI
-   the stats command gives false timings, currently

Examples

Start the REPL:

hledger repl

or

hledger repl -f some.journal