A snippet tool is utility software that can boost your productivity. They are especially useful to save complex commands, or rarely used commands which we tend to forget. Moreover, they can be difficult to find in your shell history.
These tools are useful for developers. For example, YASnippet allows you to type an abbreviation and automatically expand it into function templates. Bundled language templates include: C, C++, C#, Perl, Python, Ruby, SQL, LaTeX, HTML, CSS and more.
But these tools are not only useful for developers.
Here’s our verdict captured in a legendary LinuxLinks-style ratings chart. Only free and open source software is eligible for inclusion.

Let’s scrutinize the 10 tools at hand. For each utility we have compiled its own portal page, a full description with an in-depth analysis of its features, screenshots, together with links to relevant resources.
| Snippet Tools | |
|---|---|
| pet | Simple command-line snippet manager |
| YASnippet | Template system for Emacs |
| nap | Code snippets in your terminal |
| Gisto | Code snippet manager |
| massCode | Code snippets manager for developers |
| boom | Manages your text snippets on the command line |
| The Way | Code snippets manager written in Rust |
| ScriptHaus | Organize scripts and bash one-liners |
| Snip | Simple snippet manager for your predefined Ultisnips Snippet Directory |
| snip | Simple snippet manager for bash |
This article has been updated to reflect the changes outlined in our recent announcement.
Explore our comprehensive directory of recommended free and open source software. Our carefully curated collection spans every major software category.This directory is part of our ongoing series of informative articles for Linux enthusiasts. It features hundreds of detailed reviews, along with open source alternatives to proprietary solutions from major corporations such as Google, Microsoft, Apple, Adobe, IBM, Cisco, Oracle, and Autodesk. You’ll also find interesting projects to try, hardware coverage, free programming books and tutorials, and much more. Know a useful open source Linux program that we haven’t covered yet? Let us know by completing this form. |

