# Install try with Homebrew, Nix Quickly manage and navigate project directories for experiments. Version 1.9.3 via Homebrew; verified 2026-06-06. Also installable with nix: nix profile install nixpkgs#try. ## Install ```sh sudo av install brew:try ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install try ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata ### Linux - Nix (92%): ```sh nix profile install nixpkgs#try ``` Evidence: nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/tr/try/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:try - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Package manager page:** - **Version:** 1.9.3 - **Source summary:** Quickly manage and navigate project directories for experiments - **Homepage:** - **Repository:** - **Upstream docs:** - **License:** MIT - **Source archive:** - **Last updated:** 2026-06-06T20:23:54-04:00 - **Generated:** 2026-07-25T07:20:51+00:00 ## Executables - try (cli) - try (alias) ## Dependencies - ruby ## Install behavior - Post-install hook: not defined - Bottle: available on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, sonoma, x86_64_linux ## Freshness - Page generated: 2026-07-25 - Package-manager version: 1.9.3 - Package-manager updated: 2026-06-06 - Local data: ok - Upstream repository: https://github.com/tobi/try - Upstream latest detected: v1.9.3 (current) ## Project history and usage try is a small Ruby command-line tool for creating, finding, and entering fresh directories for short-lived experiments. The README frames it as a one-file script for developers who keep making test directories and want those experiments organized instead of lost in /tmp or scattered across a filesystem. ### Project history The project is maintained in Tobi Lutke's GitHub account and centers on the phrase 'Your experiments deserve a home.' Its implementation and documentation emphasize zero configuration, no runtime dependencies beyond Ruby, and a shell integration that lets the command change the caller's working directory. ### Adoption history try became visible well beyond a private dotfile script: GitHub shows thousands of stars, the repository includes Homebrew formula material, and the README recommends RubyGems installation as try-cli. It also has a later Rust descendant, try-rs, whose README names this project as the inspiration. ### How it is used A typical user installs the gem or downloads the script, evaluates the shell init output, and then types partial experiment names. try fuzzy-matches existing experiment directories, ranks recent ones highly, and creates dated directories when no existing match is selected. ### Why package nerds care The project is a package-nerd artifact because it turns a personal shell habit into a packaged CLI with RubyGems and Homebrew paths. It is intentionally small, but it influenced the later try-rs rewrite and sits in the lineage of tiny tools that formalize local development rituals. ### Timeline - 2026: GitHub release v1.9.0 added terminal title behavior for the TUI. - 2026: The README documents RubyGems as the recommended installation path and manual shell setup as a fallback. ### Related projects - try-rs is the direct Rust port and re-imagining of try. - The tool is related to fuzzy directory switchers and shell workspace managers, but focuses specifically on experiment directories. ### Sources - - - - source_facts.package-manager ## Security Notes narrow executable package without higher-risk signals. - **Geiger risk:** green / low - narrow executable package without higher-risk signals ## Source Database Details - **Source Database:** Homebrew formula API - **Tap:** homebrew/core - **Full Name:** try - **Version Scheme:** 0 - **Revision:** 0 - **Head Version:** HEAD - **Bottle Stable Root URL:** - **Deprecated:** no - **Disabled:** no - **Keg Only:** no - **URL Keys:** head, stable ## Other Package-Manager Records - Nix - try: normalized package name match | nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/tr/try/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ## Related links - [Source-control packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/source-control-tools/) - Belongs to a source-control command family. - [Package publisher tools](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/package-publishers/) - Belongs to a package publishing or registry command family. - [Terminal utility packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/terminal-utilities/) - Matched terminal and command-line workflow metadata. - [Text processing packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/text-processing-tools/) - Matched text, document, or structured-data processing metadata. - [ruby](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/ruby/) - Runtime dependency declared by Homebrew. - [try-rs](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/try-rs/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, experiments, workspace-manager. - [asciidoctor](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/asciidoctor/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, ruby. - [brew-gem](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/brew-gem/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, ruby. - [chruby](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/chruby/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, ruby. - [cucumber-ruby](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/cucumber-ruby/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, ruby. - [desk](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/desk/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, workspace-manager. - [diffoscope](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/diffoscope/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, directories. - [dvc](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/dvc/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, experiments. - [licensefinder](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/licensefinder/) - Both packages touch the same language runtime or ecosystem. Shared terms: cli, developer, developer-tools, project, ruby. ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/try.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/try.yml) ## Sources - Nucleus package database - Geiger risk classifier - package-page enrichment - curated package history - package version freshness - av.db category and tag curation - package relationship graph - external package-manager database matches - cross-ecosystem install command graph