# Automating frequent tasks

`zk` was designed with automation in mind and strive to be
[a good Unix citizen](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unix_philosophy). As such,
it offers a number of ways to interface with other programs:

- write [command aliases](../config/config-alias.md) or
  [named filters](../config/config-filter.md) for repeated complex commands
- [call `zk` from other programs](external-call.md)
- [send notes for processing by other programs](external-processing.md)
- [create a note with initial content](../notes/note-creation.md) from a
  standard input pipe

If you find out that `zk` does not behave as expected or could communicate
better with other programs,
[please post an issue](https://github.com/zk-org/zk/issues).