python-cli-patterns_skill

Overview

This skill provides practical patterns and templates for building Python CLI applications using Typer and Rich. It bundles examples for command grouping, argument and option handling, rich terminal output, progress reporting, and error handling to accelerate real-world CLI development. Use it as a starting point or reference when creating robust, user-friendly command-line tools.

How this skill works

The skill demonstrates a minimal Typer app structure with typed arguments, options, and commands, plus techniques for organizing multi-command CLIs via add_typer. It shows how to integrate Rich for tables, progress bars, and colored output, and includes a small error helper that prints messages and exits cleanly. Example assets and reference notes point to advanced patterns for configuration and formatting.

When to use it

• When you need a lightweight, typed CLI with automatic help and completion.
• To structure multi-command tools (subcommands like users create/list).
• When you want polished terminal output (tables, panels, colored status).
• To add progress indicators for long-running operations.
• When you want consistent error messages and exit codes.

Best practices

• Use Typer type hints for automatic validation and clear help text.
• Group related commands with add_typer to keep the interface discoverable.
• Keep console output separate from business logic; return structured results for testing.
• Use Rich for user-facing displays and typer.echo for simple messages.
• Provide explicit exit codes and uniform error handling with a small helper.

Example use cases

• A developer tool with multiple subcommands: myapp users list / myapp users create.
• A data-processing CLI that shows a Rich progress bar while processing items.
• A deployment helper that prints summary tables of targets and statuses.
• Quick utilities that accept typed flags and arguments and provide rich help text.
• Scripts that validate config files and surface human-friendly errors on failure.