---
name: cli-tool-development
description: Build professional CLI tools with Node.js, commander, and Ink
license: MIT
compatibility: nodejs 18+, typescript 5+
allowed-tools: read_file write_file apply_patch run_command search_with_context
---

# CLI Tool Development

## Project Structure

```
src/
  index.ts          # Entry point with shebang
  cli.ts            # Commander setup
  commands/         # Command handlers
  ui/               # Ink components (if interactive)
  utils/            # Helpers
  types.ts          # Type definitions
```

## Commander.js Setup

```typescript
#!/usr/bin/env node
import { Command } from 'commander';
import packageJson from '../package.json' with { type: 'json' };

const program = new Command();

program
  .name('mytool')
  .description('My awesome CLI tool')
  .version(packageJson.version);

program
  .command('init')
  .description('Initialize a new project')
  .option('-t, --template <name>', 'Template to use', 'default')
  .option('-f, --force', 'Overwrite existing files', false)
  .action(async (options) => {
    await initCommand(options);
  });

program.parseAsync();
```

## User Feedback with Chalk & Ora

```typescript
import chalk from 'chalk';
import ora from 'ora';

// Status messages
console.log(chalk.green('✓') + ' Operation complete');
console.log(chalk.red('✗') + ' Operation failed');
console.log(chalk.yellow('⚠') + ' Warning message');

// Progress spinner
const spinner = ora('Loading...').start();
try {
  await longOperation();
  spinner.succeed('Done!');
} catch (error) {
  spinner.fail('Failed');
}
```

## Interactive Prompts with Enquirer

```typescript
import enquirer from 'enquirer';

const { name } = await enquirer.prompt<{ name: string }>({
  type: 'input',
  name: 'name',
  message: 'Project name:',
  validate: (v) => v.length > 0 || 'Name required',
});

const { confirm } = await enquirer.prompt<{ confirm: boolean }>({
  type: 'confirm',
  name: 'confirm',
  message: 'Continue?',
  initial: true,
});
```

## Ink for Rich TUI

```tsx
import React, { useState } from 'react';
import { render, Box, Text, useInput } from 'ink';

function App() {
  const [selected, setSelected] = useState(0);
  const items = ['Option 1', 'Option 2', 'Option 3'];

  useInput((input, key) => {
    if (key.downArrow) setSelected(s => Math.min(s + 1, items.length - 1));
    if (key.upArrow) setSelected(s => Math.max(s - 1, 0));
    if (key.return) process.exit(0);
  });

  return (
    <Box flexDirection="column">
      {items.map((item, i) => (
        <Text key={i} color={i === selected ? 'cyan' : undefined}>
          {i === selected ? '>' : ' '} {item}
        </Text>
      ))}
    </Box>
  );
}

render(<App />);
```

## Configuration Management

```typescript
import fs from 'fs-extra';
import path from 'node:path';
import os from 'node:os';

const CONFIG_DIR = path.join(os.homedir(), '.mytool');
const CONFIG_FILE = path.join(CONFIG_DIR, 'config.json');

async function loadConfig(): Promise<Config> {
  await fs.ensureDir(CONFIG_DIR);
  if (await fs.pathExists(CONFIG_FILE)) {
    return fs.readJson(CONFIG_FILE);
  }
  return getDefaultConfig();
}

async function saveConfig(config: Config): Promise<void> {
  await fs.writeJson(CONFIG_FILE, config, { spaces: 2 });
}
```

## Error Handling

```typescript
// Graceful exit handling
process.on('SIGINT', () => {
  console.log('\nCancelled');
  process.exit(0);
});

// Top-level error handler
try {
  await program.parseAsync();
} catch (error) {
  console.error(chalk.red('Error:'), error.message);
  process.exit(1);
}
```

## Package.json Setup

```json
{
  "bin": {
    "mytool": "./dist/index.js"
  },
  "files": ["dist"],
  "type": "module",
  "scripts": {
    "build": "tsup src/index.ts --format esm --dts",
    "dev": "tsx src/index.ts"
  }
}
```

## Best Practices

1. Add `#!/usr/bin/env node` shebang to entry file
2. Support both flags (`-f`) and options (`--force`)
3. Provide helpful error messages with suggestions
4. Support `--help` and `--version` flags
5. Use exit codes: 0 for success, 1 for error
6. Support piping and stdin when appropriate
7. Respect `NO_COLOR` environment variable