Enhanced Ed (eed) Usage Guidelines

Why Use eed

• Atomic commits: Every edit is automatically committed, making it safe to experiment
• Easy rollback: eed --undo instantly reverts the last change
• Precision editing: When you know line numbers, no need to re-read entire files
• Consistent workflow: Every edit follows the same pattern with clear commit messages

Basic eed Syntax

eed -m "commit message" /path/to/file - <<'EOF'
# ed commands here
.
w  # write (save)
q  # quit
EOF

Essential ed Commands

• a - append (add lines after current line)
• i - insert (add lines before current line)
• c - change (replace lines)
• d - delete (remove lines)
• s/old/new/ - substitute (replace text within a line)
• . - end input mode (when adding/changing text)
• w - write (save file)
• q - quit editor

Line Addressing

• 5 - line 5
• 10,20 - lines 10 through 20
• $ - last line
• 1,$ - entire file
• /pattern/ - first line matching pattern

Common Patterns

Add lines after specific line number:

eed -m "add method" file.dart - <<'EOF'
45a
void newMethod() {
// implementation
}
.
w
q
EOF

Replace specific lines:

eed -m "fix bug" file.dart - <<'EOF'
12,15c
// new implementation
return corrected_value;
.
w
q
EOF

Delete lines:

eed -m "remove unused code" file.dart - <<'EOF'
20,25d
w
q
EOF

String substitution:

eed -m "rename variable" file.dart - <<'EOF'
s/oldName/newName/
w
q
EOF

Best Practices

1. Always use commit messages: Use descriptive -m "message" for every edit
2. One logical change per edit: Don't mix unrelated changes in single eed command
3. Use absolute paths: Always provide full file paths to avoid confusion
4. End with w and q: Always write and quit - never forget these commands
5. Test after complex edits: Run flutter analyze after significant changes
6. Leverage undo: Don't hesitate to experiment - eed --undo makes it safe

Recovery Strategies

If edit goes wrong:

eed --undo  # Reverts last eed operation immediately

If multiple edits need reverting:

git log --oneline -10  # See recent commits
git reset --hard COMMIT_HASH  # Reset to specific commit

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Missing . in input mode: When using a, i, or c, always end with . on new line
2. Forgetting w and q: File won't be saved without w, editor won't exit without q
3. Complex nested heredocs: Keep it simple - use multiple sequential edits instead
4. Wrong line numbers: Double-check line numbers before editing - use Read tool first
5. Batch unrelated changes: Each eed should have one clear purpose

Pro Tips

• Know your line numbers: Use Read tool to identify exact line numbers before editing
• Sequential edits: For complex changes, break into multiple simple eed commands
• Commit message discipline: Write clear, actionable commit messages
• Trust the tool: eed with git integration makes experimentation safe
• Check the result: Always verify edits with Read or flutter analyze

When NOT to Use eed

• Creating new files: Use Write tool for new file creation
• Reading files: Use Read tool for file inspection
• Large refactoring: Consider manual editing for extensive restructuring
• Binary files: eed is text-only, use appropriate tools for binary content