CLI Tool - Init Command

The cli init command helps you quickly generate CLI application templates using the go-zoox/cli framework.

Note: For a complete guide to all CLI tool commands, see CLI Tool Complete Guide.

Installation

The CLI tool is included in the CLI framework. To use it, you need to build it:

go build -o cli ./cmd/cli

Or install it globally:

go install github.com/go-zoox/cli/cmd/cli@latest

Quick Start

Interactive Mode

The easiest way to use the CLI tool is in interactive mode:

cli init

This will guide you through:

1. Project name and description
2. CLI type (single or multiple commands)

The tool will automatically generate example flags and commands for you to get started quickly.

Mixed Mode (Recommended)

You can provide some parameters via command line, and the tool will only ask for the missing ones:

# Provide name, tool will ask for type
cli init --name myapp

# Provide name and type, tool will generate example code directly
cli init --name myapp --type multiple

# Provide all parameters, skip all prompts
cli init --name myapp --type single --output ./myapp --skip-interactive

Non-Interactive Mode

Use --skip-interactive to skip all prompts (requires all parameters):

cli init --name myapp --type single --output ./myapp --skip-interactive

Usage

Initialize a Single Command CLI

cli init --name myapp --type single

This creates a new single command CLI application with:

• main.go - Main application file
• go.mod - Go module file
• README.md - Project documentation
• .gitignore - Git ignore file

Initialize a Multiple Commands CLI

cli init --name myapp --type multiple

This creates a new multiple commands CLI application where you can add multiple subcommands.

Flags

Flag	Short	Description	Default
--name	-n	Project name	Required
--type	-t	CLI type (single|multiple)	single
--output	-o	Output directory	. (current directory)
--skip-interactive	-s	Skip interactive prompts	false

Interactive Prompts

Project Information

• Project name: The name of your CLI application
• Usage/Description: A brief description of what your CLI does
• Version: Version number (default: 0.1.0)
• CLI type: Choose between single command or multiple commands

Generated Examples

The tool automatically generates example code to help you get started:

Single Command Mode includes:

• --name flag (string, default: "World", alias: -n)
• --verbose flag (bool, alias: -v)

Multiple Commands Mode includes:

• list command with --all flag (bool, alias: -a)
• create command with --name flag (string, required, alias: -n)

You can modify these examples or use the cli add command to add more commands and flags later.

Generated Files

main.go

The generated main.go file includes:

• Complete CLI setup with your configuration
• Flag definitions
• Command handlers with TODO comments
• Example code showing how to access flag values

go.mod

The generated go.mod file includes:

• Module name
• Go version (1.18)
• Dependency on github.com/go-zoox/cli

README.md

A basic README with:

• Project name and description
• Installation instructions
• Usage examples

.gitignore

A standard Go .gitignore file that excludes:

• Binaries
• Test files
• IDE files
• OS-specific files

Examples

Example 1: Simple Single Command CLI

cli init --name greet --type single

The generated code will include example flags. Here's what it looks like:

app.Command(func(ctx *cli.Context) error {
    name := ctx.String("name")
    fmt.Printf("Hello, %s!\n", name)
    return nil
})

Example 2: Multiple Commands CLI

cli init --name todo --type multiple

The generated code will include example commands (list and create) with their flags. You can modify or add more commands using cli add.

Add Command

The cli add command allows you to add new commands or flags to an existing CLI project.

Add a Command

To add a new command to a multiple commands CLI:

# Fully interactive mode
cli add

# Provide command name, tool will ask for usage and flags
cli add --command mycommand

Add a Flag

To add a new flag to your CLI:

# Fully interactive mode
cli add

# Provide flag name, tool will ask for type and other details
cli add --flag port

# Add flag to a specific command
cli add --flag port --to-command list

Mixed Mode for Add Command

The add command supports mixed mode - you can provide partial information and the tool will ask for the rest:

# Provide command name, tool asks for usage and flags
cli add --command delete

# Provide flag name, tool asks for type, usage, etc.
cli add --flag verbose

# Provide flag name and target command, tool asks for flag details
cli add --flag limit --to-command list

Next Steps

After generating your CLI project:

1. Navigate to the project directory:

   cd myapp

2. Install dependencies:

   go mod tidy

3. Run your CLI:

   go run main.go

4. Build your CLI:

   go build -o myapp

5. Test with flags:

   ./myapp --help
   ./myapp --name "World"

Tips

• Use mixed mode for the best experience - provide what you know, let the tool ask for the rest
• The tool generates example code automatically - you can modify it or add more using cli add
• Use --skip-interactive to skip all prompts when you have all required parameters
• You can always edit the generated code to customize it
• The generated code includes TODO comments to guide you
• Use cli add to add more commands and flags after initialization
• All flags support environment variables automatically
• Short aliases make your CLI more user-friendly

Troubleshooting

"command not found: cli"

Make sure you've built or installed the CLI tool:

go install github.com/go-zoox/cli/cmd/cli@latest

"failed to create directory"

Make sure you have write permissions in the output directory.

Generated code doesn't compile

Run go mod tidy to ensure all dependencies are properly resolved.

Related Commands

After initializing your project, you can use other CLI tool commands:

• cli add - Add commands or flags
• cli list - List commands and flags
• cli validate - Validate project structure
• cli format - Format code
• cli build - Build project

See CLI Tool Complete Guide for all available commands.