Cli Building

Community

damusix

cli-building

Use when building TypeScript CLIs. Guides command structure, interactive prompts, tab completion, and terminal UI niceties (spinners, progress, inline regions) using citty, `@clack/prompts`, `@bomb.sh/tab`, and `@bomb.sh/tty` — and shipping them: CI gates, versioning (Changesets / release-please), and npm or single-binary release.

Overview

Publisher	damusix
Repository	`skills`
Skill name	`cli-building`
Stars	63
Forks	3
Bundled files	15
Links	Skill source Repository

Markdown instructions
A SKILL.md file the model loads on demand, so it only costs tokens when a request actually matches.
Works with any LLM
AI skills are plain Markdown, not provider-specific code, so this works with GPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok, or a local model.
15 bundled files
Scripts, templates, and references the model can read while it works. Files are read-only and never executed.
Open source
Published by damusix on GitHub. Read the source before you install it.

Installation

Install the Cli Building AI skill in TypingMind to use it with any LLM, or drop it into another agent that reads SKILL.md.

Install in TypingMind

TypingMind installs a skill straight from its GitHub folder — it reads SKILL.md, bundles the resource files, and stores the result locally.

Open the app and go to Plugins → Skills.
Choose "Install from GitHub".
Paste the skill folder URL below and confirm.
Enable the skill in any chat where you want it available.

Plugins → Skills → Add skill → From GitHub URL, then paste the folder URL and press Continue.

Install in another agent

Any agent that reads the Agent Skills format can use this skill — copy the folder into that agent's skills directory.

Claude Code — .claude/skills

git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/damusix/skills.git /tmp/skills
mkdir -p .claude/skills
cp -r /tmp/skills/cli-building .claude/skills/cli-building

Restart Claude Code after copying so it picks up the new skill.

Use it in TypingMind

Enable Cli Building in any TypingMind chat and the model takes it from there. Its name and description sit in the system prompt, and the moment a request matches, the model loads the full instructions itself — you never invoke it by hand, and it costs no tokens until it is actually used.

The model loads Cli Building on its own as soon as a request matches it.

Works with any AI model

AI skills are plain Markdown instructions rather than provider-specific code, so Cli Building is not tied to the model it was written for. Install it once in TypingMind and use it with GPT-5, Claude, Gemini, Grok, DeepSeek, Mistral, Llama, or a local model you run yourself — all on your own API keys.

Loaded only when it is needed
The system prompt carries just the name and description. The instructions are fetched on the first matching request, so an idle skill costs nothing.
Switch models mid-chat
Because the skill is instructions rather than code, changing model does not break it — the next model reads the same SKILL.md.

Skill instructions

This is the SKILL.md content the model loads. Read it before installing — a skill is instructions your model will follow.

Citty CLI

Quick Start


npm install citty `@bomb.sh/tab` `@clack/prompts`

Minimal command:

ts
import { defineCommand, runMain } from 'citty';

export default defineCommand({
    meta: { name: 'greet', description: 'Say hello' },
    args: { name: { type: 'string', description: 'Your name', required: true } },
    run({ args }) { console.log(`Hello, ${args.name}!`); },
});

Critical Rules

Every command exports default defineCommand() — no exceptions
Lazy-load subcommands — () => import('./cmd').then(m => m.default)
Check isCancel() after every @clack/prompts call — never skip
Citty handles all arg parsing — no external parsers
Architecture is opt-in — only suggest cli/ structure when the user asks for project layout or scaffolding. Single-file CLIs are valid.
Gate tab() behind process.argv[2] === 'complete' — the adapter eagerly resolves lazy subcommands, defeating rule 2 on every startup

Architecture (only when user asks for structure)

See architecture for the full cli/ layout with commands, prompts, and lib directories. Do not impose this structure unless the user explicitly asks for scaffolding or project organization.

Workflow

Define commands — commands
Add prompts if interactive — prompts
Add spinners/progress for long-running work — tty-ui
Wire tab completion — tab-completion
Scaffold cli/ if multi-command — architecture
Configure bin entry — sidecar setup
Verify — run with --help to confirm command registration
Ship it — CI gates, versioning, npm or binary release — release

References

Architecture — Structure and responsibilities
Entrypoint — runMain + tab completion wiring
Commands — defineCommand, args, subcommands
Prompts — @clack/prompts reusable modules
Tab Completion — @bomb.sh/tab citty adapter, completion protocol, per-shell install (compinit ordering, fish autoload), lazy-loading gate
TTY UI — spinners and progress: @clack/prompts spinner first, @bomb.sh/tty inline regions and layout for richer feedback
Sidecar Setup — bin entry, build config
Citty API — Resolvable, plugins, CLIError
Release — CI gates, Changesets/release-please, npm + binary distribution
Versioning — named schemes (SemVer/CalVer), 0.x vs 1.0, pre-releases, which bump, decision matrix, recording the policy
Update Command — ask-first self-update: install-mode routing, streaming download (stall timeout, resumable retry), checksum-verified atomic swap, passive banner

Bundled files

The model reads these on demand while the skill is loaded. They are exposed as readable files and are never executed.

references/architecture.md4 KB
references/citty-api.md4 KB
references/commands.md5 KB
references/entrypoint.md2 KB
references/prompts.md5 KB
references/release.md11 KB
references/sidecar-setup.md2 KB
references/tab-completion.md9 KB
references/tty-ui.md8 KB
references/update-command.md19 KB
references/versioning.md11 KB
references/workflows/ci.yml3 KB
references/workflows/install.sh3 KB
references/workflows/release-changesets.yml5 KB
references/workflows/release-please.yml4 KB

Frequently asked questions

What does the Cli Building AI skill do?

Why use Cli Building on TypingMind?

Because you install it once and use it with any model. Cli Building is plain Markdown rather than provider-specific code, so the same skill runs on GPT-5, Claude, Gemini, Grok, or a local model — and you can switch model mid-chat without it breaking. TypingMind runs on your own API keys, so you pay providers directly instead of a per-seat subscription, and your skills and chats stay in your own storage.

How do I install Cli Building in TypingMind?

Open Plugins → Skills → Install from GitHub in TypingMind and paste https://github.com/damusix/skills/tree/main/cli-building. TypingMind reads its SKILL.md and bundles its files and installs it as a skill you can enable per chat.

Which AI models can use Cli Building?

Any model you connect in TypingMind. AI skills are plain Markdown instructions rather than provider-specific code, so GPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok, and local models can all load this skill when a request matches it.

How many AI models can I use with Cli Building?

As many as you like. As long as a model supports skills, you can use Cli Building with it — GPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok, DeepSeek, Mistral, Llama and more — all on TypingMind with your own API keys.

Is the Cli Building AI skill free?

It is published on GitHub by damusix. Check the repository for licensing terms. You only pay your own AI provider for the tokens you use.

What are AI skills?

An AI skill is a reusable instruction bundle that teaches an AI model how to do one specific task. It follows the open Agent Skills format: a SKILL.md file with a name and description, plus any scripts, templates or reference files the model may need. The model reads the instructions only when your request matches the skill, so an installed skill costs nothing until it is used.

How are AI skills different from plugins or MCP servers?

A plugin or MCP server gives a model new tools to call — code that runs somewhere and returns a result. An AI skill gives the model knowledge and process instead: how to approach a task, which steps to follow, what good output looks like. Skills are plain Markdown, so they need no server, no API key and no runtime, and they work with any model.

View all

Finishing A Development Branch

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Use when implementation is complete, all tests pass, and you need to decide how to integrate the work

Receiving Code Review

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Use when receiving code review feedback, before implementing suggestions, especially if feedback seems unclear or technically questionable - requires technical rigor and verification, not performative…

Requesting Code Review

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Use when completing tasks, implementing major features, or before merging to verify work meets requirements

Systematic Debugging

Use when encountering any bug, test failure, or unexpected behavior, before proposing fixes

Overview

Installation

Install in TypingMind

Install in another agent

Use it in TypingMind

Works with any AI model

Skill instructions

Citty CLI

Quick Start

Critical Rules

Architecture (only when user asks for structure)

Workflow

References

Bundled files

Frequently asked questions

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