hashimoto-cli-ux
Installation
SKILL.md
Mitchell Hashimoto CLI UX Style Guide
Overview
Mitchell Hashimoto founded HashiCorp and created some of the most beloved developer tools: Vagrant, Terraform, Consul, Vault, and Nomad. These tools share a consistent, thoughtful CLI design that has become the gold standard for developer experience. Hashimoto's CLIs are famous for being discoverable, helpful, and powerful without being overwhelming.
Core Philosophy
"A CLI should be a conversation, not a puzzle."
"Error messages are documentation. Write them like you're helping a colleague."
"The best CLI is one you can use without reading the docs first."
Hashimoto believes that CLIs should respect the user's time and intelligence. They should be easy to explore, provide helpful feedback, and never leave the user guessing what went wrong or what to do next.
Design Principles
- Consistent Command Structure:
<tool> <noun> <verb> [options]or<tool> <command> [options]