espanso

Espanso is an open-source, cross-platform text expansion tool that automatically replaces short triggers with longer text or dynamic content across applications. By running in the background, it enables consistent expansions in almost any program you type into.

Snippets are stored in a YAML-based configuration that can be organized into packages. Each snippet defines a trigger and a replacement, and may include variables or commands to generate dynamic output such as dates, times, or clipboard content. Expansions occur when the trigger is typed, typically followed by a space or punctuation, and the system applies the replacement in real time.

The software runs on Linux, macOS, and Windows as a background service, providing system-wide text expansion that works across most applications. It uses a local agent to monitor input and apply replacements without requiring changes to target programs, ensuring broad compatibility and minimal disruption to workflows.

Espanso provides a command-line interface to manage configuration and packages, making it possible to add, update, or remove snippets and organize them into logical groups. The project is maintained by an open-source community, with the source code available on its public repository. It is released under an open-source license, reflecting its community-driven development and emphasis on accessibility and extensibility.