Binks CLI

A command-line interface for the Binks pastebin service that supports text pastes, file uploads, password protection, and end-to-end encrypted mode.

Installation

cargo build --release

Examples

# Paste from stdin
echo "Hello, World!" | binks

# Paste from file
cat myfile.txt | binks

# Paste with expiration
echo "Temporary paste" | binks --expiration 1h

# Password-protected paste
binks paste --content "My secret" --password

# End-to-end encrypted paste (prints URL with #k=<key>)
binks paste --content "Client-side secret" --encrypted

# Encrypted paste via bare pipe (no subcommand)
echo "secret" | binks --encrypted

# Copy URL to clipboard automatically
echo "Hello" | binks --copy

# Script-friendly: print only the URL
echo "Hello" | binks --quiet

# Print version
binks --version

File Upload

# Upload a single file
binks upload path/to/file.txt

# Upload with custom settings (note: options go before the command)
binks --expiration 1d --password secret upload file.txt

# Upload and copy URL to clipboard
binks --copy upload image.png

# End-to-end encrypted upload
binks upload ./archive.zip --encrypted

Retrieving Pastes and Files

# Get a paste - shows content for text, shows content + downloads file for uploads
# Also falls back to the file endpoint automatically for file-only uploads
binks get PASTE_ID

# Get with password
binks get PASTE_ID --password mypassword

# Get encrypted paste (key can be passed directly or included as URL fragment)
binks get PASTE_ID --key BASE64URL_KEY
binks get "https://binks.example/PASTE_ID#k=BASE64URL_KEY"

# Save text content to file or download file with custom name
binks get PASTE_ID --output myfile.txt

# Fetch raw text content (no metadata parsing)
binks get PASTE_ID --raw

# Show detailed metadata instead of content/downloading
binks get PASTE_ID --info

# Show metadata as JSON for scripting
binks get PASTE_ID --info --json

# Copy file path to clipboard after download
binks get PASTE_ID --copy

Configuration

# Shorten a URL
binks shorten https://example.com/very/long/path

# Shorten with custom ID and expiration
binks shorten https://example.com --id myalias --expiration 1d

# Shorten with burn-after (link expires after N accesses)
binks shorten https://example.com --burn-after 1

Configuration

# Set BINKS_URL environment variable
export BINKS_URL=https://your-binks-server.com

# Or persist it in the config file
binks config set api_url https://your-binks-server.com

# Self-signed / custom CA cert (development)
binks --ca-cert /path/to/ca.pem paste --content "hello"
binks --insecure paste --content "hello"

Options

Global Options

• --api-url: Set the API URL (overrides config; BINKS_URL env var also accepted)
• --expiration: Set expiration time (never, 1h, 1d, 1w, 1m, 1y)
• --burn-after: Number of reads before burning the paste
• --copy / -c: Copy URL to clipboard after creation
• --json: Output results as JSON for scripting
• --quiet / -q: Print only the final URL (suppresses status messages)
• --encrypted: End-to-end encrypt when piping without a subcommand
• --key KEY: Provide an explicit encryption key for --encrypted (base64url)
• --password PASSWORD: Password-protect when piping without a subcommand
• --url / -u: Custom short ID / URL override
• --insecure: Accept invalid TLS certificates (DANGEROUS — dev only)
• --ca-cert PATH: Trust a custom PEM CA certificate bundle
• --version: Print version and exit

Commands

paste

Create a new text paste

• --content: Content to paste (reads from stdin if not provided)
• --file: File to attach to the paste
• --id: Custom ID for the paste
• --password [PASSWORD]: Password protect the paste (prompt if omitted)
• --encrypted: Encrypt paste content and attached file locally (conflicts with --password)
• --key KEY: Explicit encryption key for --encrypted (otherwise auto-generated)

upload

Upload a file directly (from file path or stdin)

• path: Path to the file to upload (optional, reads from stdin if not provided)
• --id: Custom ID for the file
• --name: Filename to use when uploading from stdin
• --password [PASSWORD]: Password protect upload (prompt if omitted)
• --encrypted: Encrypt upload locally (conflicts with --password)
• --key KEY: Explicit encryption key for --encrypted (otherwise auto-generated)

get

Retrieve a paste or file by ID (shows content for text, shows content + downloads files for uploads; falls back to /api/file/{id} automatically when the paste endpoint returns 404)

• id: Paste/file ID to retrieve
• --output: Save content to file or use custom filename for downloads
• --info: Show metadata information instead of content/downloading
• --json: Output metadata as JSON (requires --info)
• --raw: Fetch raw text content directly from /api/paste/{id}/raw
• --password [PASSWORD]: Password for protected pastes
• --key KEY: Decryption key for encrypted pastes/files (or use #k= in URL)
• --force: Overwrite existing files without confirmation

shorten

Shorten a URL

• url: The URL to shorten
• --id: Custom short ID
• --expiration: Expiration time
• --burn-after: Number of accesses before the link is burned

config

Manage CLI configuration

• show: Display all current configuration values
• set <key> <value>: Set a configuration value
• get <key>: Read a stored value
• unset <key>: Remove a configured value (restores default)
• path: Print the path to the active config file
• reset: Delete the config file and restore all defaults
• edit: Open the config file in $VISUAL / $EDITOR

Valid config keys: api_url, expiration, auto_copy, burn_after, json_output, session_cookie, insecure, ca_cert

login

Authenticate with the Binks admin API and persist the session cookie

• [username]: Admin username (prompts if omitted)

delete

Delete a paste, file, or link by ID (requires admin login)

• id: The ID of the resource to delete