Espanso Dynamic Forms

Appearance

Use Cases ​

This page showcases common scenarios where Espanso Dynamic Forms excels. Each use case links to relevant forms from the Library and explains how to adapt them.

AI Prompt Engineering ​

Create structured prompts that get better results from AI assistants like ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini.

Code Assistance ​

Get help with code for debugging, explaining, refactoring, or writing new code.

Recommended form: Code Assistance

Why it works:

  • Structured format helps AI understand the context
  • Task type selection generates appropriate prompts
  • File uploads provide complete code context
  • Requirements checkboxes set expectations

Trigger example:

yml
- trigger: ':code'
  replace: '{{output}}'
  force_mode: clipboard
  vars:
    - name: output
      type: script
      params:
        args:
          - C:/Program Files/Espanso Dynamic Forms/EDF.exe
          - --form-config
          - \{\{env.EDF_FORMS}}/code.yml

Writing Replies ​

Compose thoughtful replies to messages, emails, or comments.

Recommended form: Reply

Why it works:

  • Clipboard pre-fill captures the message you're replying to
  • Style guidelines ensure consistent tone
  • Draft field lets you refine before AI polish

Creating Forms with AI ​

Use the Form Factory to describe what you need and have AI generate the configuration.

Recommended form: Form Factory

Workflow:

  1. Trigger the Form Factory
  2. Describe your form requirements
  3. Paste the output into an AI assistant
  4. Save the generated config to a .yml file
  5. Create a trigger for your new form

Email and Communication ​

Follow-up Emails ​

Quickly draft follow-up emails after meetings or calls.

Recommended form: Email

Customization ideas:

  • Add your signature using {{env.USERNAME}}
  • Add a tone selector (formal, casual, friendly)
  • Include a template for specific email types

Message Templates ​

Create reusable message templates for common communications:

  • Meeting invitations
  • Status updates
  • Thank you notes
  • Announcements

Starting point: Demo

File Processing ​

Code Context for AI ​

Provide AI assistants with file contents for code review or analysis.

Recommended form: Files (Advanced)

Why it works:

  • Select multiple files at once
  • Recent files feature for quick access
  • Multiple output templates for different formats
  • Description field adds context

File Content Extraction ​

Extract text from files to include in documents or prompts.

Recommended form: File Upload

Use cases:

  • Include config file contents in documentation
  • Extract text from uploaded documents
  • Read file metadata (size, hash, type)

Code Generation ​

Boilerplate Code ​

Generate repetitive code structures from templates.

Recommended form: Code Generator

The pattern:

  1. Dynamic array for variable definitions
  2. Complex Liquid template with loops
  3. Output is ready-to-use code

Adaptation ideas:

  • TypeScript interfaces
  • Python dataclasses
  • SQL table definitions
  • React components
  • API endpoint handlers

Configuration Files ​

Generate configuration files from user input:

  • Docker Compose files
  • Nginx configs
  • Environment files
  • CI/CD pipelines

Approach:

  1. Define fields for each config option
  2. Use conditionals to include optional sections
  3. Output in the appropriate format (YAML, JSON, INI)

Data Entry ​

Structured Notes ​

Capture meeting notes, decisions, or observations with consistent structure.

Form features to use:

  • Required fields for essential info
  • Dropdown for categories
  • Date picker for timestamps
  • Checkbox arrays for action items

Bug Reports ​

Collect structured bug reports with all necessary information.

Suggested fields:

  • Title (required, string)
  • Severity (enum: Critical, High, Medium, Low)
  • Steps to reproduce (array of strings)
  • Expected behavior (textarea)
  • Actual behavior (textarea)
  • Screenshots (file array)
  • Environment (nested object)

Feature Requests ​

Capture feature ideas with context and priority.

Suggested fields:

  • Feature title
  • Problem statement
  • Proposed solution
  • User story format ("As a... I want... So that...")
  • Priority (enum)
  • Related features (array)

Quick Insert ​

Date Stamps ​

Insert formatted dates for logs, journals, or documents.

Recommended form: Date Picker

Template variations:

yml
# ISO format
template: "{{ mydate }}"
# Full format
template: "{{ mydate | date: '%A, %B %d, %Y' }}"
# With time
template: "{{ 'now' | date: '%Y-%m-%d %H:%M' }}"

Checklists ​

Create quick multi-select checklists.

Recommended form: Checkbox

Use cases:

  • Daily standup status
  • Pre-flight checklists
  • Review criteria
  • Approval workflows

Building Your Own ​

Start from Boilerplate ​

Browse Boilerplate Snippets for copy-paste starting points.

Modify Existing Forms ​

  1. Find a similar form in the Ready-Made Forms
  2. Copy the YAML to your own file
  3. Modify fields, layout, and template
  4. Create a trigger pointing to your file

Use the Form Factory ​

For complex forms, describe your requirements in the Form Factory and let AI generate the initial config.

Tips for All Use Cases ​

  1. Pre-fill from clipboard — Use {{clipboard}} in data section
  2. Use environment variables — {{env.USERNAME}} for personalization
  3. Add validation — Required fields prevent incomplete submissions
  4. Organize with tabs — Use Categorization for complex forms
  5. Test your templates — Verify output formatting before daily use