Why Is the Format Structured This Way?

Design Decision

The format TRIGGER:<TYPE>COMMAND xREPEAT is not chosen at random. It's a compromise between:

  • Simplicity (Users can understand it)
  • Machine readability (Code can parse it)
  • Flexibility (various command types)

Alternatives (and Why They Weren't Chosen)

Alternative 1: JSON format

{
  "triggers": [
    {
      "id": "follow",
      "command": "/give @a diamond",
      "repeat": 1
    }
  ]
}

Pro: Structured, easy to parse Con: Too strict, users make a lot of mistakes with brackets/commas

Alternative 2: Config-based (YAML)

actions:
  follow:
    command: /give @a diamond
    repeat: 1

Pro: Readable Con: Too much setup

Alternative 3: SQL database

INSERT INTO actions VALUES ('follow', '/give @a diamond', 1);

Pro: Powerful, data persistent Con: Overkill, needs external tools

The Chosen Format: Why It Is Better

follow:/give @a diamond x1

Advantages:

  1. One line per action – Easy to understand
  2. Separation with : and x – Clear structure without brackets
  3. Minimal, concise – Beginners understand it quickly
  4. Not too strict (Optional: x may be missing)
  5. Comment support (#) – Simply deactivate lines
  6. Compatible – Works in regular text editors

Parsing Is Easy

For the code:

# Example: "follow:/give @a diamond x3"
parts = line.split(":")
trigger = parts[0]           # "follow"
cmd_with_repeat = parts[1]   # "/give @a diamond x3"

# Extract repeat count
if "x" in cmd_with_repeat:
    cmd, repeat = cmd_with_repeat.rsplit("x", 1)
    repeat_count = int(repeat)
else:
    cmd = cmd_with_repeat
    repeat_count = 1

# Determine type
if cmd.startswith("/"):
    kind = "vanilla"
elif cmd.startswith("!"):
    kind = "plugin"
elif cmd.startswith("$"):
    kind = "built_in"

Simple, efficient, robust!

Final Note

The format works because it has found a sweet spot between manual editing and machine processing. Not too flexible, not too strict – just right.