Naming History

This document explains the naming evolution of the project and the reasoning behind the change.

Timeline

Before 20 December 2025: The cmdai Era

The project was initially developed and published under the name cmdai (short for “command AI”). The name reflected the tool’s purpose: using AI to generate commands.

20 December 2025: The Caro Transition

After initial development and testing, the project was renamed to caro thanks to the generosity of @aeplay, who graciously transferred the caro crate name to the project.

Why “caro”?

The name caro offers several advantages over the original cmdai:

1. Brevity: Shorter and easier to type (4 characters vs 5)
2. Memorability: More distinctive and memorable as a brand name
3. Pronounceability: Natural pronunciation in multiple languages
4. Brandability: Better suited for a product name and domain (caro.sh)
5. Community: Reflects the open-source nature with a friendly, approachable name

Etymology

caro can be interpreted multiple ways:

• Latin: “dear” or “beloved” (feminine form of carus)
• A friendly, approachable name that’s easy to remember
• Short enough to type quickly in terminal commands

Migration Guide

For Users

If you previously installed cmdai, you can migrate to caro easily:

# Uninstall the old version (optional)
cargo uninstall cmdai

# Install the new version
cargo install caro

# Update any shell aliases (if you manually added them)
# Remove: alias caro='cmdai'
# No alias needed - the binary is now named 'caro' directly

For Developers

The package name change affects:

• Crate name: cmdai -> caro
• Binary name: cmdai -> caro
• Repository URL: github.com/wildcard/cmdai -> github.com/wildcard/caro
• Config directory: ~/.config/cmdai/ -> ~/.config/caro/
• Documentation URLs and references

Configuration Migration

Your configuration will need to be migrated:

# If you have existing configuration
mv ~/.config/cmdai ~/.config/caro

The configuration file format remains the same - only the directory location has changed.

Acknowledgments

Special thanks to @aeplay for:

• Graciously transferring the caro crate name to this project
• Believing in the project’s future and potential
• Supporting the open-source Rust community

This generosity enabled the project to have a better, more memorable name that will serve it well as it grows.

FAQ

Will cmdai continue to exist?

No. The cmdai crate name will be deprecated in favor of caro. We recommend all users migrate to the new name.

What about the cmdai repository?

The repository has been renamed from wildcard/cmdai to wildcard/caro. GitHub automatically redirects old URLs to the new location.

Do I need to update my scripts?

If your scripts reference the cmdai binary, you’ll need to update them to use caro instead. The command-line interface and all flags remain identical.

Will my old configuration work?

Yes, but you’ll need to move it from ~/.config/cmdai/ to ~/.config/caro/. The configuration file format has not changed.