Tuna

Smart Links

Smart Links are saved links that accept text input.

They are a good fit when you keep doing the same web action over and over:

  • searching a site
  • opening a map query
  • looking something up in docs
  • sending the current text to an internal tool

Instead of rebuilding the URL every time, you save it once and run it like any other Tuna command.

What A Smart Link Does

A Smart Link is a URL template with one placeholder.

Most of the time that placeholder is {{input}}.

That means the URL waits for the text you type or send from another command.

Examples:

  • https://github.com/search?q={{input}}
  • https://www.google.com/maps/search/{{input}}
  • https://developer.apple.com/search/?q={{input}}

If you want the link to start from your clipboard instead, use {{clipboard}}. Tuna reads the current clipboard when the link runs without an input target, including runs from a hotkey, Combo Mode binding, or tuna:// URL.

When you open the link interactively, Tuna seeds the target with the clipboard and still lets you edit the text before opening the link.

Good Uses

Smart Links are best when:

  • the destination is always the same site
  • the changing part is just some text
  • you want the action to feel native to Tuna instead of living in a browser bookmark bar

They are not meant to replace scripts or full automation.

If the job is “take this text and open a predictable web destination,” Smart Links are usually the simplest tool.

Creating A Smart Link

  1. Open Tuna Settings and go to Sources.
  2. Scroll down to Extensions and choose Smart Links.
  3. Add a name and a URL template.
  4. Save it.

After that, the Smart Link shows up in Tuna as its own item.

Tuna gets fallback icons directly from each Smart Link’s website at /favicon.ico. If you prefer higher-resolution icons, turn on Use favicone.com for higher-resolution icons in the Smart Links catalog settings. This is off by default because enabling it sends each Smart Link host to favicone.com.

Running A Smart Link

There are two common ways to use one.

Start From The Smart Link

Pick the Smart Link first, then use Open Smart Link… and enter the text you want.

This is the best path when you know the destination first.

Start From Text

Start with text in Text Mode or from another text item, then send it to a Smart Link with Send to Smart Link….

This is the best path when you already have the text and want to decide where it should go.

Both flows use Tuna’s normal subject, action, target model from How Commands Work.

Copy-Paste Examples

You can start with examples like these:

Name Template
GitHub Search https://github.com/search?q={{input}}
Maps Search https://www.google.com/maps/search/{{input}}
Apple Docs Search https://developer.apple.com/search/?q={{input}}
YouTube Search `https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query={{input \

The default behavior is normal URL encoding.

If a site wants spaces written as + instead, use |plusify.

Numeric and calculated input uses the solver’s unformatted value. For example, entering 1234 in a GitHub pull-request link inserts 1234, not the displayed 1,234.

Limits

Keep these expectations in mind:

  • a Smart Link takes one placeholder
  • Smart Links work with text input
  • they are for reusable URLs, not multi-step automation

If you need more control than that, move up to Custom Scripts and Script Directories.

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