go-cli-command-design

name	go-cli-command-design
description	Design and review predictable Go command-line interfaces with canonical names and flags; explicit inputs and precedence; human, plain, and structured output; safe prompting; stdout and stderr contracts; help; errors; exit codes; cancellation; dependency injection; and platform behavior. Use when creating a Go CLI, changing its public command contract, making command code testable, or reviewing compatibility for people, scripts, AI agents, and CI.
license	MIT
compatibility	Codex, Claude Code, and other Agent Skills-compatible clients.
metadata	{"version":"0.4.0","displayName":"Go CLI Command Design","category":"Go","tags":"go,golang,cli,command-design,flags,streams,portability"}

Go CLI Command Design

Design the command as a public interface before treating it as an implementation. Keep results pipeable, failures diagnosable, and process-global state at the edge.

Core Workflow

1. State the command purpose, invocation syntax, callers, and compatibility promises.
2. Assign each input to a flag, operand, stdin, environment, or config source.
3. Define precedence, validation, conflicts, defaults, and blocking behavior.
4. Reserve stdout for results and requested help; use stderr for diagnostics, invalid-usage help, and progress.