I Built an Open-Source Code Snippet Collection
If you've ever found yourself repeatedly Googling the same code snippets, then SnipNest is something you'll find very useful. It's a place to share snippets with ease.
Table of contents#
Why SnipNest?#
The idea for SnipNest came from my own frustrations. As a developer, I often need quick solutions to problems I've solved a dozen times before. While there are plenty of resources out there, I didn't find one that would fit my preference. I wanted a structured, easy-to-use, and searchable collection of snippets. That's how SnipNest was born.
The Journey So Far#
Building this project has been a challenge. I explored multiple storage options (e.g., databases, JSON etc.) and landed on using MDX files. Each snippet is stored as a file containing metadata (name, description, keywords and contributors) alongside the actual code of the snippet with an example on how to use it. This makes it straightforward to contribute while keeping the content well-organized. Though later I might explore using plain markdown files.
A big part of the experience was working with Next.js. I was pleasantly surprised by how quickly I could spin up a prototype. It's been my go-to React framework, and using it for SnipNest confirmed that Next.js is still my favorite. I came across little to no issues during development.
To make SnipNest even more accessible, I've released a Visual Studio Code extension. With this extension, developers are able to browse, search, and insert snippets directly into their code editor.
The core idea is simplicity. To submit a snippet, contributors fork the project, add their snippet, and open a pull request.
How You Can Help#
I can't do this alone! There are countless snippets out there, and I need your help to make SnipNest grow in useful code.
If you've written a useful snippet before — utility, helper function, or anything you think may help others — consider contributing. Your snippets could save someone hours of debugging and searching.
Get Involved#
- GitHub Repository: https://github.com/itsbrunodev/snipnest
- Visual Studio Code Extension: SnipNest for Visual Studio Code
- How to Contribute: Fork the repo, add your snippet, and submit a pull request. Read the contributing guidelines to get started.
A Big Thank You#
To everyone who has inspired or supported me to make this idea come to life. A special thanks to those who have starred the repository, it really helps me stay motivated to continue improving and growing SnipNest!
I'd love to hear your thoughts and feedbacks.