Developer tools, SDKs and CLIs checklist

Every rule in the developer tools, SDKs and CLIs playbook, by chapter, required rules first. Each links to its own page with how we built it and how to check it. This is a lot to check. An Expert can check it for you.

Command-line behaviour

• Recommended DEV-1 Exit with zero only when the command did everything it was asked
• Recommended DEV-2 Write results to stdout and everything else to stderr
• Recommended DEV-3 Offer JSON output with a stable shape
• Recommended DEV-4 Never wait for input when no person is there
• Recommended DEV-5 Show a dry run and ask before destructive commands
• Recommended DEV-6 Make command-line tools read the locale or say they do not
• Recommended DEV-13 Clean up and exit with 128 plus the signal number when stopped

Configuration and telemetry

• Required DEV-7 Take secrets from the environment or a file instead of a flag
• Recommended DEV-14 Read settings in one documented order from standard folders
• Recommended DEV-15 Send no telemetry from CI or when DO_NOT_TRACK is set

Help, completion and updates

• Recommended DEV-8 Give every command help with an example and a version flag
• Recommended DEV-16 Ship shell completion generated from the command definitions
• Recommended DEV-17 Check for new versions at most once a day and never in scripts

Libraries and SDKs

• Recommended DEV-9 Declare the public API and hide the rest
• Recommended DEV-10 Check every release against the public API
• Recommended DEV-11 Deprecate in a minor release before removing in a major one
• Recommended DEV-12 Publish a support matrix

Distribution

• Required DEV-18 Publish a checksum and a signature with every download
• Recommended DEV-19 Pin the checksum in every package manager manifest

Related playbooks

• Update integrity

  In the Desktop apps and extensions playbook. Tools that update themselves need the same signed, verified updates as desktop apps.

• Releases

  In the Open source maintenance playbook. Most developer tools are published in the open. Release notes, tags and versions follow the open source rules.

• Changes over time

  In the API design playbook. An SDK wraps an API. Version the API and the SDK on the same promise, so neither breaks callers.

• Apps and command-line tools

  In the Localization playbook. Command-line tools print messages people read. Store and translate them as the apps do.

Show the badge on your project

When your project passes every Required rule, you can show this badge on your site or in your README. It links to this checklist, so anyone can run the same checks.

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