callstack__agent-device/docs/agents/cli-flags.md

Adding a CLI Flag

A new flag touches only the layers that need to understand it. Stop at the layer where it stops mattering — threading it further is the common failure, not stopping too early.

1. packages/contracts/src/cli-flags.ts: add to CliFlags; add the definition to the matching src/commands/cli-grammar/flag-definitions-*.ts owner and the relevant group in flag-groups.ts (for example SNAPSHOT_FLAGS). Then update the command family metadata/schema that exposes the flag; find the owner with rg -n "<command>|supportedFlags|allowedFlags" src/commands src/cli-schema src/cli/parser. For schema-only CLI commands (cdp, auth, connect, proxy, react-devtools, web) the owner is SCHEMA_ONLY_CLI_COMMAND_SCHEMAS in src/cli-schema/command-overrides.ts. New flags are operator-only by default. Add a flag to PROJECT_CONFIG_FLAG_KEYS in src/cli-schema/cli-config.ts only when repository control is safe; this positive allowlist is the completeness gate.
2. src/commands/cli-grammar/*: read the CLI flag into command input.
3. src/commands/command-projection.ts and command-family projection helpers: write the input into the daemon request only if the flag affects daemon execution.
4. src/commands/*-command-contracts.ts: add to the command input schema only if the option should be available through Node.js or MCP as structured input.
5. src/client/client-types.ts: update the public typed client option only when the Node.js interface exposes it.
6. src/client/client-normalizers.ts: update daemon flag normalization only when the request still needs a public-to-internal translation.
7. src/daemon/context.ts and src/core/dispatch-context.ts: add the field only when it flows into platform dispatch.
8. Handler/platform modules: thread the option only after the command surface, grammar, and projection prove it belongs there.
9. scripts/integration-progress-model.ts: classify the flag (device-observable vs intentionally-outside). The architecture-progress gate fails CI on unclassified public flags.
10. If the flag changes interaction semantics, revisit the affected cells in packages/contracts/src/interaction-guarantees.ts (scope with appliesTo when the flag exists only on some commands).

Command-only flags (like find --first) that never reach the platform layer usually stop at steps 1-3, plus step 9.

Where CLI help and schema live

• Long help prose: src/cli/parser/cli-help.ts. Flag definitions: src/commands/cli-grammar/.
• Command-specific usage/flag metadata lives with the command family metadata that owns the command.
• Parser/help rendering stays in src/cli/parser/; command schema metadata is derived from command metadata, family declarations, and the schema-only merge path in src/cli-schema/command-overrides.ts. Keep the two separate.
• Locating an owner: rg -n "helpDescription|summary|supportedFlags|allowedFlags" src/commands src/cli/parser src/cli-schema.