The CLI Book: Writing Successful Command Line Interfaces with Node.js

Learn everything that makes command line clients such as Git and npm so successful, and how to compose the best on your own. This book is your concise step-by-step guide to writing command line clients with Node.js.

You'll start by discovering what is needed for a successful command line client and develop a solid foundation for practical skill. Next you will build an application based on learned principles in Node.js. The sometimes-puzzling world of streaming is fully explained with practical examples, as well as unit testing and integration testing. Lastly you'll explore a full range of tips and tricks designed to make the daily life of a software maintainer easier.

The Node.js ecosystem provides support for writing command line clients and has a thriving, very active community. With this book as your guide, you'll become a successful creator of your own command line clients. Make an impact in the areas you really care about using The CLI Book.

What You'll Learn

• Become a successful creator of your own command line clients and make an impact
• Set your command line tool apart from others
• Prioritize user experience
• Employ best practices to structure and architect your own clients
• Apply tips and tricks collected from years of developing with Node.js

Who This Book Is For

Those who know some JavaScript and want to deepen their knowledge, especially in the area of CLI development.

About the Author

Robert Kowalski has started using Node.js when version 0.4 was still new and has spent time working on the npm core team, which is where he learned a lot about good command line interfaces. As a developer he has also had to user other command line tools and it was this that made him realize how much a book like this was needed. In the past he has worked for big companies such as IBM and startups including Jimdo and Bitfinex, all in different roles, as well as committing to Node.js and Apache CouchDB. He speaks at conferences and has enjoyed writing since he was a child. You can find Robert on Twitter @robinson_k.