Current Version: 0.7.7.11 Status: Phase 4 Complete - Full BiDi Algorithm UAX #9 Compliance Next Phase: Phase 5 - Console I/O with BiDi Rendering

ArbSh is an Arabic-first command-line shell built on C#/.NET, designed specifically for Arabic developers and users. Inspired by PowerShell's object pipeline architecture, ArbSh provides a powerful, extensible environment with native Arabic language support and full Unicode BiDi compliance.

• Native Arabic Commands: Execute commands using Arabic script (احصل-مساعدة for Get-Help)
• Full BiDi Support: Complete Unicode BiDi Algorithm (UAX #9) implementation
• RTL Text Handling: Proper Right-to-Left text rendering and processing
• Arabic Parameter Names: Support for Arabic parameter aliases (-الاسم)

• Object Pipeline: PowerShell-inspired object-based command pipeline
• Task-Based Concurrency: Efficient parallel pipeline execution
• Reflection-Based Binding: Dynamic parameter binding with type conversion
• Subexpression Execution: PowerShell-style $(...) command substitution
• Type Literal Support: [TypeName] type casting functionality

• Built on .NET: Cross-platform support (Windows, macOS, Linux)
• Unicode Compliant: Full UTF-8 and Unicode text processing
• Modern C# Architecture: Extensible cmdlet framework

Completed Features:

• Complete BiDi Algorithm Implementation: All rule sets (P, X, W, N, I, L) fully implemented
• Subexpression Execution: PowerShell-style $(...) command substitution WORKING
• Type Literal Utilization: [TypeName] type casting functionality WORKING
• 70+ BiDi Tests Passing: Comprehensive Unicode BidiTest.txt compliance
• Arabic Command Support: احصل-مساعدة (Get-Help) with Arabic parameters

Pipeline System:

• Object-based pipeline with task-based concurrency
• Dynamic parameter binding using reflection
• Command discovery and caching
• Stream redirection and merging (>, >>, 2>, 2>&1, <)

Advanced Parsing:

• Quote handling ("...", '...') with escape sequences
• Variable expansion ($variableName) with concatenation
• Statement separation (;) and pipeline operators (|)
• Subexpression parsing $(...) with recursive command structures
• Type literal parsing [TypeName] with whitespace support

Arabic Language Integration:

• Arabic command names via [ArabicName] attributes
• Arabic parameter aliases (e.g., -الاسم for -CommandName)
• Full Unicode text processing and BiDi algorithm compliance

Available Cmdlets:

• Write-Output - Output objects to pipeline or console
• Get-Help / احصل-مساعدة - Display command help and documentation
• Get-Command - List all available commands
• Test-Array-Binding - Array parameter binding testing
• Test-Type-Literal - Type literal functionality testing

BiDi Algorithm Implementation:

• Complete UAX #9 compliance with all rule sets (P, X, W, N, I, L)
• ICU4N library integration for accurate Unicode character properties
• 70+ BidiTest.txt compliance tests passing
• Real-time BiDi processing for mixed Arabic/English content

Upcoming Features:

• RTL console input with proper cursor movement
• BiDi-aware output rendering using implemented algorithm
• Arabic error messages and help text
• Complete Arabic localization
• Enhanced Arabic developer workflow

ArbSh/
├── src_csharp/                 # C#/.NET Implementation
│   ├── ArbSh.Console/          # Main console application
│   │   ├── Commands/           # Cmdlet implementations
│   │   ├── Parsing/            # Parser and tokenizer
│   │   ├── I18n/               # BiDi algorithm and Arabic support
│   │   ├── Models/             # Data models and pipeline objects
│   │   └── Program.cs          # REPL entry point
│   └── ArbSh.sln              # Visual Studio solution
├── docs/                       # Comprehensive documentation
│   ├── BIDI_*_RULES_DESIGN.md # BiDi algorithm technical specs
│   ├── USAGE_EXAMPLES.md      # Complete feature guide
│   └── PROJECT_ORGANIZATION.md # Architecture documentation
├── old_c_code/                # Original C implementation (reference)
├── ROADMAP.md                 # Development phases and progress
├── CHANGELOG.md               # Version history
└── README.md                  # This file

Build System: Standard .NET CLI (dotnet build, dotnet run)

• .NET 6.0 or later
• Windows, macOS, or Linux

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone https://github.com/OmarAglan/ArbSh.git
   cd ArbSh

2. Navigate to the console project:

   cd src_csharp/ArbSh.Console

3. Run the shell:

   dotnet run

4. Try some commands:

   ArbSh> Get-Command
   ArbSh> احصل-مساعدة
   ArbSh> Write-Output $(Get-Command)
   ArbSh> Test-Type-Literal [int] 42
   ArbSh> exit

A PowerShell script (create-release.ps1) automates release creation:

2. Run the release script:

   .\create-release.ps1 -Version "0.7.7.11"

This creates a self-contained release build and packages it into releases/ directory.

• USAGE_EXAMPLES.md - Complete feature guide with working examples
• PROJECT_ORGANIZATION.md - Architecture and project structure
• ROADMAP.md - Development phases and progress tracking
• CHANGELOG.md - Version history and technical details
• docs/DOCUMENTATION_INDEX.md - Complete documentation index

ArbSh welcomes contributions from developers interested in Arabic language computing and modern shell development. See our documentation for:

• Project architecture and organization
• BiDi algorithm implementation details
• Arabic language integration patterns
• Testing frameworks and standards

ArbSh is designed specifically for Arabic developers and users, not as a bilingual shell. Our approach:

• Native Arabic Commands: Primary interface in Arabic script
• Cultural Localization: Arabic developer workflow optimization
• Unicode Compliance: Full BiDi algorithm implementation
• Community Focus: Built by and for the Arabic developer community

Planned for Phase 5:

• RTL console input and cursor movement
• BiDi-aware visual text rendering
• Arabic error messages and help text

Future Phases:

• External process execution (Phase 6)
• Advanced scripting features (Phase 7)
• Tab completion and command history
• Rich error handling and reporting

ArbSh aims to be the premier command-line shell for Arabic developers, providing:

• Seamless Arabic language integration
• Modern object-oriented pipeline architecture
• Full Unicode and BiDi compliance
• Cross-platform compatibility
• Extensible cmdlet framework

Current Status: Phase 4 Complete - Ready for Phase 5 Console I/O Integration