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8. Commander.js CLI Framework

Status: Accepted Date: 2025-01-28 Deciders: Development Team

Context​

We need a consistent approach for building CLI tools across the monorepo. Multiple scripts and tools require argument parsing, help generation, and command organization.

Requirements:

  • Type-safe argument parsing
  • Automatic help generation
  • Subcommand support for complex tools
  • Consistent UX across all CLI tools
  • Good TypeScript integration

Alternatives considered:

  • Native Node.js argument parsing
  • Yargs
  • Custom argument parsing

Decision​

Use Commander.js for all CLI tools.

Consequences​

Positive:

  • Consistent CLI UX across all tools
  • Reduced boilerplate for argument parsing
  • Type safety for command arguments
  • Professional help output
  • Easy to add new commands and options
  • Excellent TypeScript integration with strong typing
  • Clean, declarative API for defining commands
  • Automatic help generation with consistent formatting
  • Mature ecosystem with good documentation

Negative:

  • Additional dependency for simple scripts
  • Learning curve for team members unfamiliar with Commander.js
  • Slight overhead compared to native parsing

Mitigation:

  • Use Commander.js for complex CLI tools only
  • Simple one-off scripts can use native argument parsing
  • Document patterns and examples for team reference