Client Interface Guidelines

Client Interface Guidelines

Overview

Apply this skill as the default gate for agent-native CLI/client tools.

Optimize for machine reliability first. Treat operator inspection as a secondary debugging and status layer, not as a co-equal interface mode.

Workflow

1. Read references/00-how-to-use-this-skill.md.
2. Start with references/09-agent-first-contract.md.
3. Apply references/10-agent-must-should-checklist.md.
4. Validate using references/11-agent-test-matrix-template.md.
5. Use references/12-delivery-route-selection.md when a CLI chooses between local device, remote beta, cloud build, or other delivery routes.
6. Use references/02 to 07 for detailed guidance.
7. Optionally run references/08-quick-review-checklist.md for full coverage.

Reference Files

• references/00-how-to-use-this-skill.md
• references/01-philosophy.md
• references/02-basics-help-docs.md
• references/03-output-errors.md
• references/04-arguments-interactivity-subcommands.md
• references/05-robustness-future-signals.md
• references/06-configuration-environment.md
• references/07-naming-distribution-analytics.md
• references/08-quick-review-checklist.md
• references/09-agent-first-contract.md
• references/10-agent-must-should-checklist.md
• references/11-agent-test-matrix-template.md
• references/12-delivery-route-selection.md

Non-Negotiables

• Stable machine-readable contract and schema versioning.
• Non-interactive operation with --no-input support.
• Structured errors with stable codes and mapped exit codes.
• Strict stdout/stderr separation.
• Secure secret handling with no flag/env secret input.
• Additive interface evolution with explicit deprecation path.
• JSON is the default behavioral contract unless there is a strong reason otherwise.