Add init command

Signed-off-by: Bryan Frimin <bryan@getprobo.com>

Author: gearnode

cmd/privatebin/main.go

@@ -65,6 +65,9 @@ var (
 	skipTLSVerify bool
 	proxy         string
 
+	force    bool
+	initHost string
+
 	rootCmd = &cobra.Command{
 		Use:     "privatebin",
 		Version: fmt.Sprintf("%s-%s (%s)", version, commit, date),
@@ -334,6 +337,63 @@ var (
 			return nil
 		},
 	}
+
+	initCmd = &cobra.Command{
+		Use:          "init",
+		Short:        "Generate a configuration file",
+		SilenceUsage: true,
+		PersistentPreRunE: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
+			if cfgPath == "" {
+				homeDir, err := os.UserHomeDir()
+				if err != nil {
+					return fmt.Errorf("cannot get user home directory: %w", err)
+				}
+
+				cfgPath = path.Join(homeDir, ".config", "privatebin", "config.json")
+			}
+
+			return nil
+		},
+		RunE: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
+			if !force {
+				if _, err := os.Stat(cfgPath); err == nil {
+					return fmt.Errorf("configuration file already exists at %s, use --force to overwrite", cfgPath)
+				}
+			}
+
+			cfg := map[string]any{
+				"bin": []map[string]any{
+					{
+						"name": "",
+						"host": initHost,
+					},
+				},
+				"expire":    "1day",
+				"formatter": "plaintext",
+				"gzip":      true,
+			}
+
+			data, err := json.MarshalIndent(cfg, "", "  ")
+			if err != nil {
+				return fmt.Errorf("cannot marshal configuration: %w", err)
+			}
+
+			data = append(data, '\n')
+
+			dir := filepath.Dir(cfgPath)
+			if err := os.MkdirAll(dir, 0o755); err != nil {
+				return fmt.Errorf("cannot create configuration directory: %w", err)
+			}
+
+			if err := os.WriteFile(cfgPath, data, 0o600); err != nil {
+				return fmt.Errorf("cannot write configuration file: %w", err)
+			}
+
+			fmt.Fprintf(os.Stdout, "%s\n", cfgPath)
+
+			return nil
+		},
+	}
 )
 
 func init() {
@@ -358,7 +418,10 @@ func init() {
 	showCmd.Flags().StringVar(&password, "password", "", "the paste password")
 	showCmd.Flags().BoolVar(&skipTLSVerify, "skip-tls-verify", false, "skip TLS certificate verification")
 
-	rootCmd.AddCommand(showCmd, createCmd)
+	initCmd.Flags().BoolVar(&force, "force", false, "overwrite existing configuration file")
+	initCmd.Flags().StringVar(&initHost, "host", "https://privatebin.net", "the host of the default privatebin instance")
+
+	rootCmd.AddCommand(showCmd, createCmd, initCmd)
 }
 
 func main() {

doc/privatebin-init.1.md

@@ -0,0 +1,59 @@
+---
+title: PRIVATEBIN-INIT
+header: Privatebin Manual
+footer: 1.0.0
+date: Feb 14, 2026
+section: 1
+---
+# NAME
+**privatebin-init** – generate a configuration file
+
+# SYNOPSIS
+**privatebin init** [-h | -help] [-\-force] [-\-host=\<url\>]
+
+# DESCRIPTION
+Generate a configuration file with sensible defaults and write it to
+the default location at _~/.config/privatebin/config.json_. If the
+**-\-config** flag is set, the file is written to that path instead.
+
+The generated configuration contains a single bin entry pointing to the
+host specified by **-\-host** (defaulting to _https://privatebin.net_),
+with the following defaults: expire set to _1day_, formatter set to
+_plaintext_, and gzip enabled.
+
+If a configuration file already exists at the target path, the command
+will fail unless **-\-force** is specified.
+
+# OPTIONS
+**-h, -\-help**
+: Show help message.
+
+**-\-force**
+: Overwrite existing configuration file.
+
+**-\-host** \<url\>
+: The host URL of the default privatebin instance (default:
+  _https://privatebin.net_).
+
+# EXAMPLES
+Generate a default configuration file:
+
+    $ privatebin init
+
+Generate a configuration file for a custom instance:
+
+    $ privatebin init --host https://bin.example.com
+
+Overwrite an existing configuration file:
+
+    $ privatebin init --force
+
+Generate a configuration file at a custom path:
+
+    $ privatebin init --config /path/to/config.json
+
+# SEE ALSO
+**privatebin.conf**(5)
+
+# AUTHORS
+Bryan Frimin.