/cli-creator

name: cli-creator
description: Spec CLI surface area before implementation - command tree, flags, exit codes, I/O contract. Use when designing or planning a CLI interface.

Create CLI

Design CLI surface area (syntax + behavior), human-first, script-friendly.

Do This First

• Read `agent-scripts/skills/create-cli/references/cli-guidelines.md` and apply it as the default rubric.
• Ask only the minimum clarifying questions needed to lock the interface.

Clarify (fast)

Ask, then proceed with best-guess defaults if user is unsure:

• Command name + one-sentence purpose.
• Primary user: humans, scripts, or both.
• Input sources: args vs stdin; files vs URLs; secrets (never via flags).
• Output contract: human text, `--json`, `--plain`, exit codes.
• Interactivity: prompts allowed? need `--no-input`? confirmations for destructive ops?
• Config model: flags/env/config-file; precedence; XDG vs repo-local.
• Platform/runtime constraints: macOS/Linux/Windows; single binary vs runtime.

Deliverables (what to output)

When designing a CLI, produce a compact spec the user can implement:

• Command tree + USAGE synopsis.
• Args/flags table (types, defaults, required/optional, examples).
• Subcommand semantics (what each does; idempotence; state changes).
• Output rules: stdout vs stderr; TTY detection; `--json`/`--plain`; `--quiet`/`--verbose`.
• Error + exit code map (top failure modes).
• Safety rules: `--dry-run`, confirmations, `--force`, `--no-input`.
• Config/env rules + precedence (flags > env > project config > user config > system).
• 5–10 example invocations (common flows; include piped/stdin examples).

Default Conventions (unless user says otherwise)

• `-h/--help` always shows help and ignores other args.
• `--version` prints version to stdout.
• Primary data to stdout; diagnostics/errors to stderr.
• Add `--json` for machine output; consider `--plain` for stable line-based text.
• Prompts only when stdin is a TTY; `--no-input` disables prompts.
• Destructive operations: interactive confirmation + non-interactive requires `--force` or explicit `--confirm=...`.
• Respect `NO_COLOR`, `TERM=dumb`; provide `--no-color`.
• Handle Ctrl-C: exit fast; bounded cleanup; be crash-only when possible.

Templates (copy into your answer)

CLI spec skeleton

Fill these sections, drop anything irrelevant:

1. **Name**: `mycmd` 2. **One-liner**: `...` 3. **USAGE**:

• `mycmd [global flags] <subcommand> [args]`

4. **Subcommands**:

• `mycmd init ...`
• `mycmd run ...`

5. **Global flags**:

• `-h, --help`
• `--version`
• `-q, --quiet` / `-v, --verbose` (define exactly)
• `--json` / `--plain` (if applicable)

6. **I/O contract**:

• stdout:
• stderr:

7. **Exit codes**:

• `0` success
• `1` generic failure
• `2` invalid usage (parse/validation)
• (add command-specific codes only when actually useful)

8. **Env/config**:

• env vars:
• config file path + precedence:

9. **Examples**:

• …

Notes

• Prefer recommending a parsing library (language-specific) only when asked; otherwise keep this skill language-agnostic.
• If the request is “design parameters”, do not drift into implementation.