| name | cli-design |
| description | Use when building, improving, or reviewing command-line interfaces for better user experience - before implementing commands/output/errors, when users report confusion or frustration, or when CLI feels hard to use - provides UX principles, visual design techniques, and practical patterns for creating discoverable, delightful CLIs |
Designing CLIs
Overview
Modern CLIs are conversations between human and machine. Great CLIs feel discoverable, responsive, and forgiving. Poor CLIs leave users guessing, waiting, and frustrated.
Core principle: Every CLI interaction should answer: "What happened? What can I do? What's next?"
When to Use
Building:
- Creating new CLI commands or tools
- Designing output format, error messages, progress indicators
- Planning CLI architecture (flags, subcommands, interaction model)
Improving:
- Enhancing existing CLI user experience
- Adding features to existing commands
- Making CLI "less confusing" or "easier to use"
Reviewing:
- Auditing CLI code for UX issues
- Responding to user complaints about difficulty
- Troubleshooting discoverability problems
Quick Decision Framework
| Working On | Read This |
|---|
| New CLI under time pressure | practical-patterns.md (Priority Checklist) |
| Adding to existing CLI | practical-patterns.md (Working with Existing CLIs) |
| Fixing "confusing" CLI | practical-patterns.md (CLI UX Audit Checklist) |
| Command structure, flags | ux-principles.md (Familiarity, Discoverability) |
