qmd CLI

Eight principles, scored

Behavioral and source checks. Every non-pass row carries a copy-paste remediation prompt.

1. P1
   Non-Interactive by Default

   no rich-TUI affordance detected (no `--tui`/`--interactive`/`--ui` flag, no spinner/progress/tui mention in --help). MAY-tier — rich TUI in TTY contexts is a nice-to-have, not required.

   Remediation · P1⧉ copy prompt

   Make qmd satisfy P1 (Non-Interactive by Default) from the agent-native CLI standard. Address:
   - Rich-TUI affordance for TTY contexts (no rich-TUI affordance detected (no `--tui`/`--interactive`/`--ui` flag, no spinner/progress/tui mention in --help). MAY-tier — rich TUI in TTY contexts is a nice-to-have, not required.)
   Requirements: https://anc.dev/p1

   warn
2. P2
   Structured, Parseable Output

   --output/--format flag detected but could not validate JSON via safe probes (--help/--version override output flags in most CLIs) · CLI emits structured output but exposes no `schema` subcommand or `--schema` flag at top level or nested one level deep. Agents need a runtime-discoverable schema to pin against shape changes.

   Remediation · P2⧉ copy prompt

   Make qmd satisfy P2 (Structured, Parseable Output) from the agent-native CLI standard. Address:
   - Structured output support (--output/--format flag detected but could not validate JSON via safe probes (--help/--version override output flags in most CLIs))
   - Structured-output CLI exposes its schema at runtime (CLI emits structured output but exposes no `schema` subcommand or `--schema` flag at top level or nested one level deep. Agents need a runtime-discoverable schema to pin against shape changes.)
   - --json / --jsonl short aliases for --output (no --json or --jsonl short alias found. Agents and pipelines benefit from short forms alongside the canonical `--output` enum.)
   - `--raw` flag for pipe-safe unformatted output (no `--raw` flag advertised. MAY-tier — useful for pipelines that want to strip formatting before piping to other tools.)
   - Bad invocation exits with structured usage-error code (2) (bad invocation exited with code 1. The 0/1/2/77/78 convention reserves code 2 for usage errors; using a different non-zero code (often 1) blurs the distinction between usage errors and general failure.)
   Requirements: https://anc.dev/p2

   fail
3. P3
   Progressive Help Discovery

   no `examples` subcommand or `--examples` flag found. MAY-tier — a curated usage block keeps agents from hunting through long help text. · `-h` and `--help` produce byte-identical output. SHOULD-tier — clap renders the short summary on `-h` and the full description on `--help` when `long_about` is set; collapsing them gives agents no concise list-level grep target.

   Remediation · P3⧉ copy prompt

   Make qmd satisfy P3 (Progressive Help Discovery) from the agent-native CLI standard. Address:
   - `examples` subcommand or `--examples` flag for curated usage patterns (no `examples` subcommand or `--examples` flag found. MAY-tier — a curated usage block keeps agents from hunting through long help text.)
   - Short `-h` summary differs from `--help` long form (`-h` and `--help` produce byte-identical output. SHOULD-tier — clap renders the short summary on `-h` and the full description on `--help` when `long_about` is set; collapsing them gives agents no concise list-level grep target.)
   - Each subcommand's `--help` ships at least one invocation example (subcommands missing example invocations in their `--help`: skill. Examples teach agents the call shape faster than option tables; use clap's `after_help` or a dedicated `Examples:` block.)
   - Help text pairs human and `--output json` example invocations (no paired text + `--output json` example found within 5 lines in top-level or any subcommand `--help`. Pairing keeps agents from reverse-engineering the JSON invocation from the text one.)
   - Command-list entries name the command without repeating the binary name (command-list entries repeat the binary name `qmd`: `qmd query <query>`, `qmd query 'lex:..\nvec:...'`, `qmd search <query>`, `qmd vsearch <query>`, `qmd get <file>[:from[:count]] - Show a document (line-numbered; #docid in header)` and 5 more. Drop the prefix so a reader or agent scanning the block gets the command token directly instead of reconstructing it from a repeated binary name.)
   Requirements: https://anc.dev/p3

   fail
4. P4
   Fail-Fast, Actionable Errors

   stderr was empty on bad invocation. Argument parsers must explain why the input was rejected — silent failure forces the agent to guess.

   Remediation · P4⧉ copy prompt

   Make qmd satisfy P4 (Fail-Fast, Actionable Errors) from the agent-native CLI standard. Address:
   - Error messages include a hint or remediation phrase (stderr was empty on bad invocation. Argument parsers must explain why the input was rejected — silent failure forces the agent to guess.)
   Requirements: https://anc.dev/p4

   fail
5. P5
   Safe Retries & Mutation Boundaries

   read-pattern subcommand(s) present (query, search, get) but no write-pattern surface detected. If the CLI is read-only by design the MUST is satisfied vacuously; otherwise the write surface needs an agent-recognizable verb (create/add/update/set/delete/…).

   Remediation · P5⧉ copy prompt

   Make qmd satisfy P5 (Safe Retries & Mutation Boundaries) from the agent-native CLI standard. Address:
   - Read and write surfaces are both visible in subcommand list (read-pattern subcommand(s) present (query, search, get) but no write-pattern surface detected. If the CLI is read-only by design the MUST is satisfied vacuously; otherwise the write surface needs an agent-recognizable verb (create/add/update/set/delete/…).)
   Requirements: https://anc.dev/p5

   warn
6. P6
   Composable, Predictable Command Structure

   pager referenced in --help but no --no-pager escape hatch advertised · 3/9 subcommand(s) follow standard verb names. Non-standard: query, vsearch, multi-get, skills, mcp, bench. MAY-tier — community-standard verbs (get/list/create/update/delete) help agents predict subcommand behavior across CLIs.

   Remediation · P6⧉ copy prompt

   Make qmd satisfy P6 (Composable, Predictable Command Structure) from the agent-native CLI standard. Address:
   - Pager-using CLI ships --no-pager escape hatch (pager referenced in --help but no --no-pager escape hatch advertised)
   - Subcommand verbs follow community-standard names (3/9 subcommand(s) follow standard verb names. Non-standard: query, vsearch, multi-get, skills, mcp, bench. MAY-tier — community-standard verbs (get/list/create/update/delete) help agents predict subcommand behavior across CLIs.)
   - `--color` flag for explicit color control (no `--color` flag advertised. MAY-tier — `auto|always|never` lets agents and pipelines override the TTY-based default.)
   - Subcommand naming follows a consistent verb/noun convention (subcommand naming is inconsistent: 6 non-verb subcommand(s) (query, vsearch, multi-get, skills, mcp, bench) mix verb and non-verb children at the second level, so an agent cannot predict where the action lives. SHOULD-tier: pick a consistent shape (all verb-first, all noun-verb hierarchy, or any combination where each non-verb group's children are uniformly verbs). The verb list is a heuristic; inspect `--help` to confirm.)
   Requirements: https://anc.dev/p6

   warn
7. P7
   Bounded, High-Signal Responses

   no --quiet/-q flag detected in --help output · no `--verbose` / `-v` flag advertised. SHOULD-tier — agents debugging failures need a way to escalate diagnostic detail.

   Remediation · P7⧉ copy prompt

   Make qmd satisfy P7 (Bounded, High-Signal Responses) from the agent-native CLI standard. Address:
   - Quiet mode available (no --quiet/-q flag detected in --help output)
   - `--verbose` flag for diagnostic escalation (no `--verbose` / `-v` flag advertised. SHOULD-tier — agents debugging failures need a way to escalate diagnostic detail.)
   - Cursor-based pagination flags for list traversal (list-style subcommand present but no cursor/page flag advertised (looked for --after, --before, --cursor, --page, --offset). MAY-tier — cursor pagination lets agents traverse large result sets without re-scanning earlier pages.)
   - Help text advertises TTY-aware verbosity behavior (no TTY-aware language found in `--help`. MAY-tier — automatic verbosity reduction when stdout is piped or redirected lets agents skip the explicit `--quiet` flag. Behavioral probes cannot simulate a real TTY without a pty crate, so this audit relies on documented intent.)
   Requirements: https://anc.dev/p7

   warn
8. P8
   Discoverable Through Agent Skill Bundles

   All 3 checks pass.

   pass