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https://github.com/hubtou/pnu

The PNU project: a learning exercise to reimplement UNIX command-line tools in Python, forming a portable utilities collection
https://github.com/hubtou/pnu

challenge-project learning learning-exercise learning-python learning-unix pnu-project portability posix python shell testing-tools tools unix utilities

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The PNU project: a learning exercise to reimplement UNIX command-line tools in Python, forming a portable utilities collection

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README 

          
# ![PNU logo](https://github.com/HubTou/PNU/blob/main/_images/pnu-logo-and-title-small.png)

PNU, as in [PNU is Not Unix](http://www.catb.org/jargon/html/R/recursive-acronym.html), is a challenge project and a learning exercise to reimplement [UNIX](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unix) command-line tools in [Python](https://www.python.org/), forming a kind of "[pytnix](https://github.com/HubTou/pytnix)" portable user-land utilities collection.



It's meant to be pronounced "Pneu" (tyre in French), a "pun" which seems appropriate as it's clearly another reinvention of the [wheel](http://www.catb.org/jargon/html/W/wheel.html), longtime after the [GNU project](https://www.gnu.org/gnu/thegnuproject.en.html) :-)



## Objectives:

* Originally intended as a [learning exercise](https://github.com/topics/learning-exercise) in Python/Unix for my son, but open to anyone.

* Passing on some Unix culture & lore to a generation of [new hackers](http://www.catb.org/~esr/jargon/) (in the [original and noble meaning of the word](http://www.catb.org/~esr/jargon/html/H/hacker.html)).

* Having some handy portable Unix tools, for example for Windows (though there are [plenty of other solutions](https://github.com/HubTou/PNU/wiki/Wilderness-Survival-Guide) for that).

* Ultimately to have most of the relevant [standard utilities](https://pubs.opengroup.org/onlinepubs/9699919799/idx/utilities.html) included in [POSIX.1](https://pubs.opengroup.org/onlinepubs/9699919799/nframe.html), many utilities sitting under /bin and /usr/bin in a modern [BSD](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berkeley_Software_Distribution)/[GNU Linux](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linux) system, some usual non-standard utilities, as well as some utilities of our own.



## Project status:

* The project is ongoing. You can install [what's available](https://github.com/HubTou/PNU/releases/latest) from [our package](https://pypi.org/project/PNU/) with the following console command:

```Shell

pip install PNU

```

or you can install PNU plus a selection of additional third-parties tools with this command:

```Shell

pip install pytnix

```

* This page is both for the challenge description and for referencing unix tools rewrites made by contributors.

* To contribute you can simply create:

  * your own Github repositories and link them to the project by using the [pnu-project](https://github.com/topics/pnu-project) topic

  * your own [PyPi](https://pypi.org/) packages and link them to the project by using the [pnu-project](https://pypi.org/search/?q=pnu-project) keyword (but please don't use the "pnu-" package prefix for your own entries)



## How to contribute:

* As a player:

  * Decide on a Unix command to reimplement in Python 3.x (see list below for suggestions or our [Master / targets list](https://github.com/HubTou/PNU/wiki/The-Monster-Manual) for full details).

  * [Read the tutorials](https://github.com/HubTou/PNU/blob/main/_demos/README.md)

  * [Read the guidelines for contribution](https://github.com/HubTou/PNU/wiki/The-Player's-Handbook) (among other [documentation manuals](https://github.com/HubTou/PNU/wiki))

  * [Come discuss it with us on the forums](https://github.com/HubTou/PNU/discussions)

* As an organizer:

  * [Read the guidelines for organization](https://github.com/HubTou/PNU/wiki/Dungeon-Master's-Guide)



## Suggested tasks and progression:

The following, [(A)D&D](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dungeons_%26_Dragons) inspired, [level structure](https://github.com/HubTou/PNU/discussions/2) is proposed for [gamification](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gamification).

We suggest level bosses in order to complete a level (but no [Demogorgon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demogorgon#Dungeons_&_Dragons) here, we are not in [Stranger Things](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stranger_Things) :-)) and associated :trophy: trophies for fun :-)



We're also thinking about offering [Habitica](https://habitica.com/)'s quests for further gamification.



`The following classification of commands is still in progress.`



## Basic levels

### Level 1 sub projects

Handling return codes, printing to the terminal:

* [true](https://www.freebsd.org/cgi/man.cgi?query=true), [false](https://www.freebsd.org/cgi/man.cgi?query=false)

* [yes](https://www.freebsd.org/cgi/man.cgi?query=yes)

* [echo](https://www.freebsd.org/cgi/man.cgi?query=echo) => suggested level boss. Trophy: :baby_bottle: (hint: option can be [hardcoded](http://www.catb.org/jargon/html/H/hardcoded.html))



### Level 2 sub projects

Basic [string handling](https://docs.python.org/3/library/string.html):

* [basename, dirname](https://www.freebsd.org/cgi/man.cgi?query=basename) => without options for a start

* [caesar, rot13](https://www.freebsd.org/cgi/man.cgi?query=caesar)



Basic math or data structures, school level:

* [factor, primes](https://www.freebsd.org/cgi/man.cgi?query=factor) => suggested level boss. Trophy: :school_satchel:



### Level 3 sub projects

Basic [filters](https://github.com/HubTou/PNU/tree/main/_demos/gorgon), command line & [environment](https://www.freebsd.org/cgi/man.cgi?query=environ) processing, file operations:

* [basename](https://www.freebsd.org/cgi/man.cgi?query=basename) => with full options

* [cat](https://www.freebsd.org/cgi/man.cgi?query=cat) => POSIX version only for a start

* [head](https://www.freebsd.org/cgi/man.cgi?query=head)

* [expand, unexpand](https://www.freebsd.org/cgi/man.cgi?query=expand)

* [fold](https://www.freebsd.org/cgi/man.cgi?query=fold)

* [wc](https://www.freebsd.org/cgi/man.cgi?query=wc) => suggested level boss. Trophy: :toilet:



### Level 4 sub projects

Basic text processing utilities, multiple files or many options:

* [cat](https://www.freebsd.org/cgi/man.cgi?query=cat) => with full options

* [nl](https://www.freebsd.org/cgi/man.cgi?query=nl)

* [cmp](https://www.freebsd.org/cgi/man.cgi?query=cmp)

* [comm](https://www.freebsd.org/cgi/man.cgi?query=comm)

* [uniq](https://www.freebsd.org/cgi/man.cgi?query=uniq) => suggested level boss. Trophy: :one:



### Level 5 sub projects

Basic utilities using more complex parsing:

* [expr](https://www.freebsd.org/cgi/man.cgi?query=expr) => just a warmer

* [printf](https://www.freebsd.org/cgi/man.cgi?query=printf)

* [getopts](https://www.freebsd.org/cgi/man.cgi?query=getopts)

* [cut](https://www.freebsd.org/cgi/man.cgi?query=cut) => suggested level boss. Trophy: :scissors:



## Intermediate levels

System utilities (implying minimum Unix system knowledge).

[Regular expressions](https://docs.python.org/3/library/re.html), text parsing.

[CSV](https://docs.python.org/3/library/csv.html), [JSON](https://docs.python.org/3/library/json.html), [XML](https://docs.python.org/3/library/xml.html), [HTML](https://docs.python.org/3/library/html.html) data handling.



### Level 6 sub projects

Basic system utilities.



### Level 7 sub projects

Basic system utilities, possibly recursive ones:



### Level 8 sub projects

### Level 9 sub projects

### Level 10 sub projects



## Advanced levels

Full screen text applications, windowed applications, office documents manipulation, image manipulation, web scraping, network applications, automation.



Interactive full screen applications:

* [vi](https://www.freebsd.org/cgi/man.cgi?query=vi)



Advanced system utilities, data compression:

* [compress, uncompress](https://www.freebsd.org/cgi/man.cgi?query=compress)

* [zcat](https://www.freebsd.org/cgi/man.cgi?query=zcat)



### Level 11 sub projects

### Level 12 sub projects

### Level 13 sub projects

### Level 14 sub projects

### Level 15 sub projects



## Master levels

Languages (interpreters, compilers), database management systems, network protocols:



* [awk](https://www.freebsd.org/cgi/man.cgi?query=awk)



### Level 16 sub projects

### Level 17 sub projects

### Level 18 sub projects

### Level 19 sub projects

 

### Level 20 sub projects

* [sh](https://www.freebsd.org/cgi/man.cgi?query=sh) => Suggested level boss. Trophy: :shell:



## Immortal levels

It's a long way to the top if you wanna get your entry in the "Deities & [Demigods](http://www.catb.org/jargon/html/D/demigod.html)" of hackers, but here are some examples to inspire you from the [Unix & open source pantheon](https://www.facesofopensource.com/unix/) (note: having a :neckbeard: [beard](http://jargonf.org/wiki/barbu) is not mandatory)



However, all of this is beyond the scope of the project and probably not a good idea to implement in [Python](http://www.catb.org/jargon/html/P/Python.html) :-)



### Demigods level transcending projects

Full operating system kernels & device drivers:

* Your own [Minix](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minix)/[386BSD](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/386BSD)/[Linux](http://www.catb.org/jargon/html/L/Linux.html) like operating system with PNU [userland](http://www.catb.org/jargon/html/U/userland.html) utilities :-)



### Deities level transcending projects

Making your own hardware platform and all the software to run it.

* Although not Unix related, :mage_man: [The Woz](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Wozniak) springs to mind here and his excellent autobiography, [iWoz](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IWoz), is highly recommended for a good glimpse into a true [hacker](http://www.catb.org/jargon/html/H/hacker.html)'s mind.