Instruction file imported from bostonaholic/reflect (.cursor/rules/cli.mdc). Copyright stays with the author.

Command Line Interface Rules

Input Validation

• Always validate command line arguments before processing
• Provide clear error messages for invalid inputs
• Use appropriate argument types (string, number, boolean)

User Experience

• Include helpful usage information with --help flag
• Provide clear feedback for long-running operations
• Use consistent formatting for output messages

Error Handling

• Handle all potential errors gracefully
• Log errors with appropriate context
• Provide meaningful exit codes

Security

• Never log sensitive information
• Validate file paths to prevent directory traversal
• Sanitize user input before processing

Performance

• Use streaming for large file operations
• Implement progress indicators for long operations
• Cache frequently accessed data when appropriate

Testing

• Write unit tests for complex function
• Include integration tests for end-to-end flows
• Test error cases and edge conditions