Bagels is a terminal-based expense tracker written in Python. It provides a simple text-based user interface (TUI) for recording and viewing expenses, allowing users to add transactions with descriptions, amounts, and categories. Bagels emphasizes ease of use and speed, offering features like auto-completion and quick keyboard navigation. It also supports exporting data to CSV for further analysis or use in other tools.
A new open-source project named "Bagels" has been introduced as a terminal user interface (TUI) based application for tracking personal expenses. Developed with Python and leveraging the textual user interface library "Textual," Bagels offers a streamlined and efficient method for managing finances directly within the terminal. This approach eliminates the need for a separate graphical application or web interface, appealing to users comfortable working within a command-line environment. The project aims to provide a simple yet powerful tool for recording and categorizing expenses, allowing users to maintain a clear overview of their spending habits. Bagels employs a straightforward interface, presumably navigable with keyboard shortcuts and commands, enabling users to input transactions, categorize them, and potentially generate reports or summaries of their financial data. Being an open-source initiative, the codebase is publicly available on GitHub, encouraging community contributions, bug reports, and feature requests, fostering collaborative development and improvement of the software. While the precise feature set isn't fully detailed, the core functionality revolves around expense input and categorization, hinting at potential for expansion with features like budgeting, reporting, and possibly integration with other financial tools. The emphasis on a TUI suggests a focus on efficiency and minimal system resource usage, making it a potentially attractive option for users seeking a lightweight and fast expense tracking solution.
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https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42828833
HN users generally praised Bagels for its simplicity and use of a text-based interface. Several commenters appreciated the developer's focus on a straightforward, easy-to-use tool that avoids unnecessary complexity. Some suggested potential improvements, like adding support for budgeting or different currencies. One user highlighted the benefit of plain text data storage for easy backups and portability. The project's reliance on Python and the
textualTUI framework also drew positive remarks. A few questioned the long-term viability of the project and suggested exploring alternatives like Ledger.The Hacker News post titled "Show HN: Bagels – TUI expense tracker" linking to the GitHub repository for Bagels, a terminal-based expense tracker, has generated a modest number of comments, primarily focused on its functionality and potential alternatives.
Several commenters express appreciation for the simplicity and clean interface of Bagels. One user highlights the appeal of text-based interfaces for their speed and efficiency, contrasting them favorably with browser-based or graphical applications. Another commenter echoes this sentiment, praising the speed and ease of use, particularly for those comfortable with command-line tools.
A significant portion of the discussion revolves around comparisons with other expense tracking tools. Ledger, a command-line accounting tool, is mentioned multiple times, with users discussing its power and flexibility. One commenter suggests integrating Bagels with Ledger, potentially leveraging Bagels for quick data entry and Ledger for more comprehensive reporting and analysis. Another user mentions Beancount, another text-based accounting system, as a potential alternative.
The conversation also touches on the desired features and potential improvements for Bagels. One commenter requests the ability to categorize expenses, a common feature in many expense trackers. Another user suggests the possibility of using a more structured data format, potentially enabling easier data import and export. The discussion also includes brief mentions of other tools like fzf (a command-line fuzzy finder) and the potential benefits of cloud synchronization for data backup and accessibility across devices.
While generally positive, some comments express reservations or suggest alternative approaches. One user questions the long-term viability of using a TUI for expense tracking, suggesting that graphical interfaces might be more suitable for complex financial management. Another commenter points out the existing abundance of expense tracking applications, implicitly questioning the need for another tool.
Overall, the comments reflect a mix of interest and skepticism towards Bagels. While many appreciate its minimalist approach and speed, others question its long-term practicality and compare it to existing solutions. The discussion highlights the ongoing debate between the simplicity of text-based interfaces and the richness of graphical applications, particularly in the context of financial management.