function jrnl --description 'Lightweight journaling tool'
    argparse h/help d/dir=? -- $argv
    if set -q _flag_h
        echo jrnl: a lightweight journaling tool
        echo
        echo Call jrnl without options to get started.
        echo
        echo Usage:
        echo \tOpen today\'s entry:
        echo \t\> jrnl
        echo \tSet the journal directory "(~/jrnl)" by default:
        echo \tWith environment variable \'jrnl_directory\':
        echo \t\> set -Ug jrnl_directory path/to/journal
        echo \tWith command option:
        echo \t\> jrnl -d=path
        echo \t\> jrnl --dir=path
        echo \tShow this help menu:
        echo \t\> jrnl -h
        echo \t\> jrnl --help
        echo Author:
        echo \tDaniel Fichtinger '<daniel@ficd.ca>'
        echo License:
        echo \tMIT '(c)' Daniel Fichtinger 2025
        return 0

    end

    set -f jdir ~/jrnl
    if set -ql _flag_dir[1]
        set jdir _flag_dir[1]
    else if set -q jrnl_directory
        set jdir $jrnl_directory
    end

    if not test -d $jdir
        mkdir -p $jdir
    end

    set template $jdir/.template.md

    if not test -f $template
        set -l prompt "There is no template, create one now? (y/n): "
        while read --nchars 1 -l response --prompt-str="$prompt" or return 1
            printf "\033[1A\033[2K"
            switch $response
                case y Y
                    begin
                        echo '# %{date}'\n
                        echo '<!-- Use the %{date} placeholder for the date. -->'
                        echo '<!-- Comments will be ignored. -->'

                        # echo "## Gratitude"\n

                        # echo "I'm grateful for ..."\n

                        # echo "## + Wins"\n

                        # echo "- small_victories"\n

                        # echo "## - Challenges"\n

                        # echo "- hard_things"\n

                        # echo "## Reflection"\n

                        # echo "_One sentence to reflect on today:_"\n

                        # echo "- reflection"\n

                        # echo "## Learned"\n

                        # echo "- fact_insight_or_skill"\n

                        # echo "## Tomorrow"\n

                        # echo "- prep"\n
                    end >$template
                    eval $EDITOR $template
                    break
                case n N
                    break
            end
        end

    end

    # get the date
    set today (date +'%Y-%m-%d')
    set entry "$jdir/$today.md"
    # check if journal entry exists
    if not test -f $entry
        set contents (cat $template | \
        string match --invert --regex '^<!--.*-->' | \
        string replace --all '%{date}' "$(date +'%A, %b %d, %Y')" | \
        string collect -N)
        echo $contents
        return 0
        # set contents (string join \n "# $today" "$(tail -n +2 $template)" | string collect -N)
        cat $template >$entry
        set -l prompt "Created $entry, open in $EDITOR? (y/n)"
        while read --nchars 1 -l response --prompt-str="$prompt" or return 1
            printf "\033[1A\033[2K"
            switch $response
                case y Y
                    eval $EDITOR $entry
                    break
                case n N
                    break
            end
        end
    else
        eval $EDITOR $entry
    end
end