Xclif

Xclif is an opinionated Python framework for building beautiful, scalable CLIs that feature file-based routing and a decorator-based API.

pip install xclif

Getting Started

• Getting Started
  • Installation
  • Why Xclif?
  • Next Steps
• Quick Start
  • Step 1: Define your routes
  • Step 2: Write commands as functions
  • Step 3: Three-line entry point
  • Flat API (not recommended)
  • Testing

Guides

• File-Based Routing
  • How it works
  • Entry point
  • Group commands
  • Best practices
• Commands
  • Defining a command
  • Markdown descriptions
  • Command naming
  • Aliases
  • Parameter rules
  • Supported types
  • Return value
  • Implicit options
  • Agent-optimized help
  • Building subcommand trees imperatively
• Options & Arguments
  • Arguments
  • Options
  • Boolean flags
  • Repeatable options
  • Short aliases
  • Interspersed options
  • Config-backed parameters
  • Per-parameter metadata
  • Constrained choices
  • The -- separator
• Configuration
  • Basic usage
  • Environment variables
  • Config files
  • Auto-injected config subcommands
  • Conflict detection
  • Full example
• Flat (Imperative) API
  • Overview
  • Command.command()
  • Command.group()
• Manifest Compiler
  • When to use it
  • Compiling a manifest
  • Loading the manifest at runtime
  • What the manifest looks like
  • Keeping the manifest up to date
  • API Reference
• MCP Server Mode
  • Installation
  • Usage
  • How it works
  • Example
  • Limitations

Reference

• API Reference
• Xclif Option System Design

Project

• Xclif — Internal Architecture
• The Xclif Manifesto
• Changelog