A professional design framework for architecting intuitive, consistent, and script-friendly command-line interface specifications.
Install & Download
1. ClawHub CLI
The fastest way to install a skill directly from the registry.
npx clawhub@latest install create-cli
2. Manual Installation
Copy the skill folder to one of these locations
~/.openclaw/skills/ <project>/skills/ Priority: Workspace > Local > Bundled
3. Prompt Installation
Copy this prompt to OpenClaw to install it automatically.
Help me install create-cli using Clawhub. If Clawhub is not installed, install it first (npm i -g clawhub).
Prefer to download?
Get the raw skill files in a ZIP archive.
What is Create CLI?
Create CLI is a dedicated design skill within the Openclaw Skills ecosystem focused on the architecture of command-line tools. It prioritizes human-centric design and script compatibility, ensuring that terminal applications are discoverable, composable, and robust. By using this skill, developers can formalize the syntax, flags, and behavior of their tools before writing implementation code, resulting in a more polished and predictable user experience.
This skill leverages industry-standard rubrics to guide you through complex design decisions, such as configuration precedence, TTY detection, and machine-readable output contracts. Whether you are building a simple utility or a complex multi-command system, Create CLI provides the structure needed to meet the high expectations of modern terminal users and automation pipelines.
Create CLI Use Cases
- Designing a comprehensive specification for a new command-line tool from scratch.
- Refactoring existing CLI surface areas to improve consistency and discoverability.
- Planning complex subcommand hierarchies and argument validation logic.
- Standardizing error handling and exit codes for reliable script integration.
- Drafting documentation-ready usage synopses and example invocations for developer tools.
How Create CLI Works
- Establish a design rubric by referencing integrated Openclaw Skills guidelines and industry standards.
- Define the core purpose of the command and identify whether the primary users are humans, scripts, or both.
- Map the command tree, including global flags, subcommands, and positional arguments.
- Formalize the I/O contract, specifying how the tool handles stdin, stdout, stderr, and machine-readable formats.
- Define configuration rules, including the precedence of environment variables, flags, and local configuration files.
- Generate a language-agnostic CLI spec that includes safety rules, exit code maps, and shell completion strategies.
Create CLI Setup
To utilize this skill for designing your next interface, ensure you have access to the local reference guidelines within your Openclaw Skills environment:
# Review the internal CLI design rubric
cat agent-scripts/skills/create-cli/references/cli-guidelines.md
# Propose changes or check upstream standards
open https://clig.dev/
Create CLI Data Schema & Taxonomy
| Specification Component | Description |
|---|---|
| Command Tree | A hierarchical map of all subcommands and their specific purposes. |
| Arguments & Flags | A detailed table of types, defaults, and requirement status for every input. |
| I/O Contract | Rules for TTY detection, machine-readable output (--json), and diagnostics. |
| Exit Code Map | A registry of numeric codes corresponding to specific failure scenarios. |
| Config Hierarchy | The defined order of operations for flags, env vars, and config files. |
Create CLI Advanced Features
- Support for standardized safety patterns including --dry-run and mandatory --force for destructive operations.
- Built-in planning for NO_COLOR and TERM=dumb compliance to ensure accessibility.
- Comprehensive handling of interactive prompts with --no-input overrides for automation.
- Logical modeling for shell completion generation and discovery.
- Language-agnostic design approach that fits any runtime within the Openclaw Skills framework.
SKILL.md
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