Provides design rules and crate recommendations for building professional Rust CLI applications.

Install

mkdir -p .claude/skills/domain-cli && curl -L -o skill.zip "https://agentskills.codes/api/skills/download/7164" && unzip -o skill.zip -d .claude/skills/domain-cli && rm skill.zip

Installs to .claude/skills/domain-cli

Activation

This is the description your AI agent reads to decide when to run this skill — the better it matches your request, the more reliably it fires.

Use when building CLI tools. Keywords: CLI, command line, terminal, clap, structopt, argument parsing, subcommand, interactive, TUI, ratatui, crossterm, indicatif, progress bar, colored output, shell completion, config file, environment variable, 命令行, 终端应用, 参数解析
262 chars✓ has a “when” triggerlonger than Claude Code's old 250-char listing cap (fine on current versions)
Intermediate

Key capabilities

  • Implement layered configuration loading
  • Handle CLI exit codes and error reporting
  • Integrate progress bars and terminal UI
  • Define type-safe argument structures
  • Manage command hierarchies with subcommands

How it works

It applies domain constraints to Rust design patterns, using derive macros for argument parsing and layered configuration sources for precedence.

Inputs & outputs

You give it
CLI command requirements
You get back
Rust CLI structure using clap and indicatif

When to use domain-cli

  • Parse CLI arguments
  • Build interactive TUIs
  • Implement layered configuration loading

About this skill

CLI Domain

Layer 3: Domain Constraints

Domain Constraints → Design Implications

Domain RuleDesign ConstraintRust Implication
User ergonomicsClear help, errorsclap derive macros
Config precedenceCLI > env > fileLayered config loading
Exit codesNon-zero on errorProper Result handling
Stdout/stderrData vs errorseprintln! for errors
InterruptibleHandle Ctrl+CSignal handling

Critical Constraints

User Communication

RULE: Errors to stderr, data to stdout
WHY: Pipeable output, scriptability
RUST: eprintln! for errors, println! for data

Configuration Priority

RULE: CLI args > env vars > config file > defaults
WHY: User expectation, override capability
RUST: Layered config with clap + figment/config

Exit Codes

RULE: Return non-zero on any error
WHY: Script integration, automation
RUST: main() -> Result<(), Error> or explicit exit()

Trace Down ↓

From constraints to design (Layer 2):

"Need argument parsing"
    ↓ m05-type-driven: Derive structs for args
    ↓ clap: #[derive(Parser)]

"Need config layering"
    ↓ m09-domain: Config as domain object
    ↓ figment/config: Layer sources

"Need progress display"
    ↓ m12-lifecycle: Progress bar as RAII
    ↓ indicatif: ProgressBar

Key Crates

PurposeCrate
Argument parsingclap
Interactive promptsdialoguer
Progress barsindicatif
Colored outputcolored
Terminal UIratatui
Terminal controlcrossterm
Console utilitiesconsole

Design Patterns

PatternPurposeImplementation
Args structType-safe args#[derive(Parser)]
SubcommandsCommand hierarchy#[derive(Subcommand)]
Config layersOverride precedenceCLI > env > file
ProgressUser feedbackProgressBar::new(len)

Code Pattern: CLI Structure

use clap::{Parser, Subcommand};

#[derive(Parser)]
#[command(name = "myapp", about = "My CLI tool")]
struct Cli {
    /// Enable verbose output
    #[arg(short, long)]
    verbose: bool,

    #[command(subcommand)]
    command: Commands,
}

#[derive(Subcommand)]
enum Commands {
    /// Initialize a new project
    Init { name: String },
    /// Run the application
    Run {
        #[arg(short, long)]
        port: Option<u16>,
    },
}

fn main() -> anyhow::Result<()> {
    let cli = Cli::parse();
    match cli.command {
        Commands::Init { name } => init_project(&name)?,
        Commands::Run { port } => run_server(port.unwrap_or(8080))?,
    }
    Ok(())
}

Common Mistakes

MistakeDomain ViolationFix
Errors to stdoutBreaks pipingeprintln!
No help textPoor UX#[arg(help = "...")]
Panic on errorBad exit codeResult + proper handling
No progress for long opsUser uncertaintyindicatif

Trace to Layer 1

ConstraintLayer 2 PatternLayer 1 Implementation
Type-safe argsDerive macrosclap Parser
Error handlingResult propagationanyhow + exit codes
User feedbackProgress RAIIindicatif ProgressBar
Config precedenceBuilder patternLayered sources

Related Skills

WhenSee
Error handlingm06-error-handling
Type-driven argsm05-type-driven
Progress lifecyclem12-lifecycle
Async CLIm07-concurrency

When not to use it

  • Writing errors to stdout
  • Panicking on user input errors

Limitations

  • Requires adherence to specific Rust crate ecosystem
  • Strict separation of stdout and stderr required

How it compares

It enforces specific CLI ergonomics and exit code standards rather than just providing generic argument parsing code.

Compared to similar skills

domain-cli side by side with the closest alternatives in the catalog.

SkillInstallsUpdatedSafetyDifficulty
domain-cli (this skill)16moNo flagsIntermediate
write-script-rust43moNo flagsBeginner
rust-rebuild03moNo flagsAdvanced
implementing-cards72moReviewAdvanced

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