How to Build a CLI Tool

Ref

• IBM: Overview of the command-line tool
• Best Practices Building a CLI Tool for Your Service

Background

The command line has become a powerful way for developers to interact with cloud services. Cloud computing services, continuous integration products, and some APIs have their own CLIs.

Points

1. Provide an Excellent Help Screen

   usability and discovery are paramount in a CLI application.

   

2. “Steal, Steal, Steal”

   Look at the good patterns in Linux and other tools you respect.

   • always support short and long format for flags