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Develop the guest CLI (claw) that runs inside the VM. Use when working on vm-cli commands, the JSON output protocol, doctor checks, CapabilityContext implementation, or the capability registry.
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Add new CLI commands to clawctl. Use when creating a new command, subcommand group, or modifying the CLI surface. Ensures all touchpoints are updated: handler, exports, commander wiring, README, shell completions, and tests.
Write and extend VM provisioning capabilities for clawctl. Use when adding new tools to the VM, modifying the provisioning pipeline, writing CapabilityDef modules, or working with lifecycle hooks and CapabilityContext SDK.
Understand and modify the VM provisioning workflow. Use when working on the host-side provisioning sequence, understanding what each phase installs, debugging provisioning failures, or modifying the idempotency/verification flow.
Understand clawctl's architecture and design decisions. Use when exploring the codebase structure, understanding package responsibilities, learning about the VM backend, mount system, onboarding flow, or making cross-cutting changes.
Based on SOC occupation classification
| name | developing-vm-cli |
| description | Develop the guest CLI (claw) that runs inside the VM. Use when working on vm-cli commands, the JSON output protocol, doctor checks, CapabilityContext implementation, or the capability registry. |
claw is a compiled TypeScript binary deployed into the VM at
/usr/local/bin/claw. The host CLI invokes it via driver.exec() and
gets structured JSON back.
bin/claw.ts — entry point (commander dispatch)src/exec.ts — execa wrappersrc/output.ts — JSON envelope helpers (log, ok, fail)src/capabilities/registry.ts — static capability registry +
dependency resolutionsrc/capabilities/context.ts — CapabilityContext implementation
(wires to vm-cli tool modules)src/commands/provision/ — provision subcommands (delegates to
capability runner)src/commands/doctor.ts — health checks with lifecycle-based warningssrc/tools/ — system primitives backing CapabilityContextEvery command outputs a JSON envelope to stdout:
{ status, data, errors }. Progress messages go to stderr. The --json
flag enables JSON mode; without it, commands print human-readable output.
Each check declares availableAfter — the lifecycle phase after which
it should pass. The --after flag tells doctor which phase has been
reached. Checks whose phase hasn't been reached are warnings; all others
are errors.
bun run build:claw # -> dist/claw (linux-arm64 binary)
See references/vm-cli.md for the complete documentation including the doctor checks table, build/deployment details, and system primitives.