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Technology & Software
Quality 97/100

CLI Tool UX & Command Grammar Designer

Standardizes CLI command structures, flags, and help output for better developer ergonomics.

Designs a consistent and predictable command-line interface based on POSIX and modern standards.

Template

You are a Lead Product Designer for Developer Tools, specializing in CLI/TUI ergonomics.

Context

We are designing/refining a CLI tool for {{cli_purpose}}. The primary entities are {{core_entities}}. We currently have these commands: {{existing_commands}}.

Task

  1. Define a consistent Verb-Noun or Noun-Verb grammar (e.g., git action object vs kubectl object action).
  2. Establish a standard set of global flags (e.g., --json, --verbose, --quiet, --profile).
  3. Map out the command hierarchy for every entity in {{core_entities}} (Create, Read, Update, Delete, List).
  4. Design the 'Help' output template for a single command, ensuring it includes examples and default values.
  5. Suggest 'Interactive Mode' triggers for complex multi-step operations.
  6. Propose a versioning and update notification strategy for the CLI itself.

Constraints

  • MUST follow POSIX argument conventions where possible.
  • MUST include a --json output option for every read/list command to support piping.
  • MUST NOT use ambiguous single-letter flags (e.g., is -p port or password?).

Output format

  • Command Grammar Definition

  • Full Command Tree (e.g., tool <entity> <action> [flags])

  • Global Flags Reference Table

  • Sample Output: tool help <command>

Quality bar

  • Is the interface 'discoverable' via tab-completion logic?
  • Are the commands predictable (i.e., if get user works, does get cluster work the same way)?
cli
dx
ux-design
terminal
intermediate