diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 6d0c68a..ae6885c 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -43,11 +43,34 @@ mode and supports:
   `4x`, `5w`, `5dw`, `3rX`, and `2s`
 - `Esc` return to command mode
 - `Ctrl+G` show file, modified state, line, and column info
+- `,name` then `Enter` run a command defined in `~/.bimrc` and insert its output
 - `:w`, `:w path`, `:q`, `:q!`, `:wq`, and `:wq path`
 
 There is no persistent ruler/status line. The bottom line is used only for
 commands, messages, and explicit `Ctrl+G` file info.
 
+## `~/.bimrc` commands
+
+`bim` can load simple command shortcuts from `~/.bimrc`. Each non-empty,
+non-comment line is a command name, an equals sign, and the shell command to run:
+
+```text
+date=date +'%A, %B %d, %Y'
+uuid=uuidgen
+```
+
+In command mode, type `,date` then `Enter` to run the configured `date` command
+and insert its standard output at the cursor. `Esc` cancels a pending command,
+and Backspace edits it before it runs. `bim` appends one space after inserted
+command output so short snippets are ready for continued typing.
+
+Commands are not run when `bim` starts. They only run when invoked explicitly
+with `,name`. `bim` does not source `~/.bimrc`; it parses command definitions as
+data. For safety, `~/.bimrc` must be a regular file owned by the current user,
+must not be a symlink, and must not be writable by group or other users.
+Command names may contain letters, digits, underscores, and hyphens, and must
+start with a letter or underscore.
+
 Run it with:
 
 ```bash
diff --git a/bim b/bim
index 8a48851..ef98576 100755
--- a/bim
+++ b/bim
@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@ renderedMessage=$'\001'
 pendingInput=""
 pendingCommand=""
 commandCount=""
+bimCommandActive=0
+bimCommandName=""
 lastChangeKeys=""
 insertChangeKeys=""
 replayKeysRemaining=0
@@ -33,6 +35,58 @@ undoCursorCol=0
 undoTopRow=0
 undoDirty=0
 insertUndoSaved=0
+startupMessage=""
+declare -A bimCommands=()
+
+trim_whitespace() {
+    local value="$1"
+    value="${value#"${value%%[![:space:]]*}"}"
+    value="${value%"${value##*[![:space:]]}"}"
+    printf '%s' "$value"
+}
+
+load_bimrc() {
+    local bimrcPath="${HOME:-}/.bimrc"
+    local permissions line trimmed name commandText invalidCount=0
+
+    [[ -n "${HOME:-}" && -e "$bimrcPath" ]] || return
+
+    if [[ -L "$bimrcPath" || ! -f "$bimrcPath" || ! -O "$bimrcPath" ]]; then
+        startupMessage="Ignoring unsafe ~/.bimrc"
+        return
+    fi
+
+    permissions="$(stat -c %A "$bimrcPath" 2>/dev/null)" || {
+        startupMessage="Could not inspect ~/.bimrc"
+        return
+    }
+    if [[ "${permissions:5:1}" == "w" || "${permissions:8:1}" == "w" ]]; then
+        startupMessage="Ignoring group/world-writable ~/.bimrc"
+        return
+    fi
+
+    while IFS= read -r line || [[ -n "$line" ]]; do
+        trimmed="$(trim_whitespace "$line")"
+        [[ -z "$trimmed" || "${trimmed:0:1}" == "#" ]] && continue
+        if [[ "$line" != *"="* ]]; then
+            ((invalidCount++))
+            continue
+        fi
+        name="$(trim_whitespace "${line%%=*}")"
+        commandText="$(trim_whitespace "${line#*=}")"
+        if [[ "$name" =~ ^[A-Za-z_][A-Za-z0-9_-]*$ && -n "$commandText" ]]; then
+            bimCommands["$name"]="$commandText"
+        else
+            ((invalidCount++))
+        fi
+    done < "$bimrcPath"
+
+    if ((invalidCount > 0)); then
+        startupMessage="Ignored $invalidCount invalid ~/.bimrc line(s)"
+    fi
+}
+
+load_bimrc
 
 if [[ -n "$filePath" && -f "$filePath" ]]; then
     mapfile -t lines < "$filePath"
@@ -58,6 +112,7 @@ trap cleanup EXIT
 trap 'exit 130' INT TERM
 stty raw -echo
 printf '\033[?1049h\033[?25l'
+statusMessage="$startupMessage"
 
 screen_size() {
     screenRows="$(tput lines 2>/dev/null || printf '24')"
@@ -97,7 +152,9 @@ file_info() {
 
 draw_message() {
     local message="$statusMessage"
-    if [[ -n "$pendingCommand" || -n "$commandCount" ]]; then
+    if ((bimCommandActive)); then
+        message=",$bimCommandName"
+    elif [[ -n "$pendingCommand" || -n "$commandCount" ]]; then
         message="${commandCount}${pendingCommand}"
     fi
 
@@ -453,6 +510,82 @@ repeat_last_change() {
     statusMessage=""
 }
 
+bim_command_exists() {
+    local name="$1"
+    [[ -n "${bimCommands[$name]+set}" ]]
+}
+
+bim_command_has_prefix() {
+    local prefix="$1"
+    local name
+    for name in "${!bimCommands[@]}"; do
+        [[ "$name" == "$prefix"* ]] && return 0
+    done
+    return 1
+}
+
+run_bim_command() {
+    local name="$1"
+    local commandText="${bimCommands[$name]}"
+    local output exitStatus
+
+    output="$(bash -c "$commandText" </dev/null 2>/dev/null)"
+    exitStatus=$?
+    if ((exitStatus != 0)); then
+        statusMessage=",$name failed with status $exitStatus"
+        return
+    fi
+    if [[ -z "$output" ]]; then
+        statusMessage=",$name produced no output"
+        return
+    fi
+
+    insert_text_at_cursor "${output} "
+    statusMessage="Inserted ,$name"
+}
+
+handle_bim_command_key() {
+    local key="$1"
+
+    case "$key" in
+        $'\033')
+            bimCommandActive=0
+            bimCommandName=""
+            statusMessage=""
+            return
+            ;;
+        $'\r'|$'\n')
+            if bim_command_exists "$bimCommandName"; then
+                run_bim_command "$bimCommandName"
+            else
+                statusMessage="Unknown command: ,$bimCommandName"
+            fi
+            bimCommandActive=0
+            bimCommandName=""
+            return
+            ;;
+        $'\177'|$'\b')
+            if ((${#bimCommandName} > 0)); then
+                bimCommandName="${bimCommandName:0:${#bimCommandName}-1}"
+            fi
+            return
+            ;;
+    esac
+
+    if [[ "$key" =~ ^[A-Za-z0-9_-]$ ]]; then
+        bimCommandName+="$key"
+        if ! bim_command_has_prefix "$bimCommandName"; then
+            statusMessage="Unknown command: ,$bimCommandName"
+            bimCommandActive=0
+            bimCommandName=""
+        fi
+    else
+        statusMessage="Invalid command name: ,$bimCommandName"
+        bimCommandActive=0
+        bimCommandName=""
+    fi
+}
+
 save_undo() {
     undoLines=("${lines[@]}")
     undoCursorRow="$cursorRow"
@@ -536,6 +669,42 @@ backspace_insert() {
     fi
 }
 
+insert_text_at_cursor() {
+    local text="$1"
+    local line="${lines[cursorRow]}"
+    local prefix="${line:0:cursorCol}"
+    local suffix="${line:cursorCol}"
+    local rest="$text"
+    local segment
+    local -a parts=()
+    local i lastIndex
+
+    [[ -n "$text" ]] || return 1
+
+    while [[ "$rest" == *$'\n'* ]]; do
+        segment="${rest%%$'\n'*}"
+        parts+=("$segment")
+        rest="${rest#*$'\n'}"
+    done
+    parts+=("$rest")
+
+    save_undo
+    if ((${#parts[@]} == 1)); then
+        lines[cursorRow]="${prefix}${parts[0]}${suffix}"
+        cursorCol=$((cursorCol + ${#parts[0]}))
+    else
+        lastIndex=$((${#parts[@]} - 1))
+        parts[0]="${prefix}${parts[0]}"
+        parts[lastIndex]="${parts[lastIndex]}${suffix}"
+        lines=("${lines[@]:0:cursorRow}" "${parts[@]}" "${lines[@]:cursorRow+1}")
+        cursorRow=$((cursorRow + lastIndex))
+        cursorCol=$((${#parts[lastIndex]} - ${#suffix}))
+    fi
+    dirty=1
+    insertUndoSaved=0
+    clamp_cursor
+}
+
 delete_under_cursor() {
     local line="${lines[cursorRow]}"
     if ((cursorCol < ${#line})); then
@@ -1132,6 +1301,13 @@ prompt_command() {
 handle_command_key() {
     local key="$1"
     local count i
+    if ((bimCommandActive)); then
+        handle_bim_command_key "$key"
+        commandCount=""
+        pendingCommand=""
+        return
+    fi
+
     if [[ -n "$pendingCommand" ]]; then
         count="$(command_count)"
         if [[ "$pendingCommand" == "r" ]]; then
@@ -1382,6 +1558,16 @@ handle_command_key() {
             commandCount=""
             prompt_command
             ;;
+        ,)
+            commandCount=""
+            if ((${#bimCommands[@]} == 0)); then
+                statusMessage="No ~/.bimrc commands"
+            else
+                bimCommandActive=1
+                bimCommandName=""
+                statusMessage=""
+            fi
+            ;;
         $'\007')
             commandCount=""
             file_info