CLI Logging UX expert persona

CLI Logging & Developer Experience

Decision framework

Apply these three tests to every piece of user-facing output. If a message fails any test, redesign it.

1. The "So What?" Test

Every warning must answer: what should the user do about this?

# Fails — not actionable, user can't do anything
Sub-skill 'my-skill' from 'my-package' overwrites existing skill

# Passes — tells the user exactly what to do
Skipping my-skill — local file exists (not managed by APM). Use 'apm install --force' to overwrite.

If the user can't act on it, it's not a warning — it's noise. Demote to

--verbose

or remove.

2. The Traffic Light Rule

Use color semantics consistently. Never use a warning color for an informational state.

Color	Helper	Meaning	When to use
Green	`_rich_success()`	Success / completed	Operation finished as expected
Yellow	`_rich_warning()`	User action needed	Something requires user decision
Red	`_rich_error()`	Error / failure	Operation failed, cannot continue
Blue	`_rich_info()`	Informational	Status updates, progress, summaries
Dim	`_rich_echo(color="dim")`	Secondary detail	Verbose-mode details, grouping headers

3. The Newspaper Test

Can the user scan output like headlines? Top-level = what happened. Details = drill down.

# Bad — warnings break the visual flow between status and summary
[checkmark] package-name
[warning] something happened
[warning] something else happened
  [tree] 3 skill(s) integrated

# Good — clean tree, diagnostics at the end
[checkmark] package-name
  [tree] 3 skill(s) integrated

── Diagnostics ──
  [warning] 2 skills replaced by a different package (last installed wins)
    Run with --verbose to see details

Inline output vs deferred diagnostics

Use inline output for:

Success confirmations (
```
_rich_success
```
)
Progress updates (
```
_rich_info
```
with indented
```
└─
```
prefix)
Errors that halt the current operation (
```
_rich_error
```
)

Use DiagnosticCollector for:

Warnings that apply across multiple packages (collisions, overwrites)
Issues the user should know about but that don't stop the operation
Anything that would repeat N times in a loop

python

# Bad — inline warning repeated per file, clutters output
for file in files:
    if collision:
        _rich_warning(f"Skipping {file}...")

# Good — collect during loop, render grouped summary at the end
for file in files:
    if collision:
        diagnostics.skip(file, package=pkg_name)

# Later, after the loop:
if diagnostics.has_diagnostics:
    diagnostics.render_summary()

DiagnosticCollector categories:

skip()

for collisions,

overwrite()

for cross-package replacements,

warn()

for general warnings,

error()

for failures.

Console helper conventions

Always use the helpers from

apm_cli.utils.console

— never raw

print()

or bare

click.echo()

Emojis are banned. Never use emoji characters anywhere in CLI output — not in messages, symbols, help text, or status indicators. Use ASCII text symbols exclusively via

STATUS_SYMBOLS

python

from apm_cli.utils.console import (
    _rich_success, _rich_error, _rich_warning, _rich_info, _rich_echo
)

_rich_success("Installed 3 APM dependencies")        # green, bold
_rich_info("  └─ 2 prompts integrated → .github/prompts/")  # blue
_rich_warning("Config drift detected — re-run apm install")  # yellow
_rich_error("Failed to download package")              # red
_rich_echo("    [pkg-name]", color="dim")              # dim, for verbose details

Use

STATUS_SYMBOLS

dict with

symbol=

parameter for consistent ASCII prefixes:

python

_rich_info("Starting operation...", symbol="gear")     # renders as "[*] Starting operation..."

Output structure pattern

Follow this visual hierarchy for multi-package operations:

[checkmark] package-name-1                      # _rich_success — download/copy ok
  [tree] 2 prompts integrated → .github/prompts/     # _rich_info — indented summary
  [tree] 1 skill(s) integrated → .github/skills/
[checkmark] package-name-2
  [tree] 1 instruction(s) integrated → .github/instructions/

── Diagnostics ──                         # Only if diagnostics.has_diagnostics
  [warning] N files skipped — ...                   # Grouped by category
    Run with --verbose to see details

Installed 2 APM dependencies              # _rich_success — final summary

Content-awareness principle

Before reporting changes, check if anything actually changed. Don't report no-ops.

python

# Bad — always copies and reports, even when content is identical
shutil.rmtree(target)
shutil.copytree(source, target)
_rich_info(f"  └─ Skill updated")

# Good — skip when content matches
if SkillIntegrator._dirs_equal(source, target):
    continue  # Nothing changed, nothing to report

CommandLogger Architecture

APM is a large and growing CLI with 10+ commands, 8+ integrators, and dozens of output sites. The logging architecture enforces Separation of Concerns: commands declare what happened; the logger decides how to render it. This keeps output consistent, testable, and evolvable without shotgun surgery across command files.

The three layers

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│  Command layer  (install.py, pack.py, audit.py …)   │
│  Calls: logger.success(), logger.tree_item(), …      │
│  NEVER calls: _rich_*, click.echo(), print()         │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│  Logger layer   (command_logger.py)                  │
│  CommandLogger ← InstallLogger, future subclasses    │
│  Owns: verbose gating, symbol choice, indentation    │
│  Delegates to: _rich_* helpers                       │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│  Rendering layer (console.py)                        │
│  _rich_echo, _rich_success, _rich_error, …           │
│  Owns: Rich/colorama fallback, color, STATUS_SYMBOLS │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Changes to output style (colors, symbols, indentation) happen in the logger or rendering layer only — command code is untouched. New output patterns (e.g. a tree sub-item, a package metadata line) become new logger methods, not ad-hoc format strings in commands.

Base class:

CommandLogger

src/apm_cli/core/command_logger.py

— base for all commands.

Method	Purpose	When to use
`start(msg, symbol=)`	Operation start	Beginning of a command
`progress(msg, symbol=)`	Status update with `[i]` prefix	Mid-operation phase changes
`success(msg, symbol=)`	Green success	Operation completed
`warning(msg, symbol=)`	Yellow warning	User action needed
`error(msg, symbol=)`	Red error	Operation failed
`verbose_detail(msg)`	Dim text, verbose-only	Internal details (paths, hashes)
`tree_item(msg)`	Green text, no symbol prefix	`└─` sub-items under a package
`package_inline_warning(msg)`	Yellow text, verbose-only	Per-package diagnostic hints
`dry_run_notice(msg)`	`[dry-run]` prefix	Dry-run explanation
`auth_step(step, success, detail)`	Auth resolution step	Verbose auth tracing
`render_summary()`	Render DiagnosticCollector	End of command

Subclass:

InstallLogger(CommandLogger)

Install-specific phases. Commands that don't need these use

CommandLogger

directly.

Method	Purpose	Output
`validation_start(count)`	Start validation	`[*] Validating N package(s)...`
`validation_pass(name, present)`	Package OK	`[+] name` or `name (already in apm.yml)`
`validation_fail(name, reason)`	Package bad	`[x] name -- reason`
`resolution_start(count, lockfile)`	Start resolution	Context-aware install/update message
`download_complete(name, ref=, sha=, cached=)`	Package installed	`[+] name #tag @sha` or `(cached)`
`download_failed(name, error)`	Download error	`[x] name -- error`
`lockfile_entry(key, ref=, sha=)`	Lockfile verbose line	`key: locked at sha` / `pinned to ref` / omitted
`package_auth(source, token_type=)`	Auth source verbose	`Auth: source (type)`
`package_type_info(label)`	Package type verbose	`Package type: label`
`install_summary(apm, mcp, errors)`	Final summary	`Installed N APM dependencies.`

When to add a new logger method

If a command needs a new output pattern (new indentation level, new semantic meaning, new verbose gate), add a method to CommandLogger or a subclass. Signs you need a new method:

You're writing

_rich_echo(f"    Something: {value}", color="dim")

in a command file

You're checking
```
if logger.verbose:
```
before calling
```
_rich_echo
```
in a command
You're formatting a string with specific indentation that other commands might reuse
Multiple commands emit the same kind of line (e.g., file lists, auth info)

Rule: No direct

_rich_*

in commands

Command functions must NOT call

_rich_info()

_rich_error()

, etc. directly. Use

logger.progress()

logger.error()

, etc. instead. The

_rich_*

helpers are internal to the logger and rendering layers.

Exception: Rich tables and panels for display (not lifecycle logging) may use

console.print()

directly — these are data presentation, not status reporting.

Rule: Every command gets a

CommandLogger

Every Click command function must instantiate a

CommandLogger

(or subclass) and pass it to helpers:

python

@cli.command()
@click.option("--verbose", "-v", is_flag=True)
@click.option("--dry-run", is_flag=True)
def my_command(verbose, dry_run):
    logger = CommandLogger("my-command", verbose=verbose, dry_run=dry_run)
    logger.start("Starting operation...")
    _do_work(logger=logger)
    logger.render_summary()

Rule: Verbose gating lives in the logger

Never check

if verbose:

in command code. Use methods that gate internally:

python

# Bad — manual verbose check in command
if verbose:
    _rich_echo(f"    Auth: {source}", color="dim")

# Good — logger handles the gate
logger.package_auth(source, token_type)  # No-ops when not verbose
logger.verbose_detail(f"    Path: {path}")  # No-ops when not verbose

DiagnosticCollector integration

Access via

logger.diagnostics

(lazy-initialized). The collector owns the collect-then-render lifecycle:

python

# During operation — collect
diagnostics.skip(file, package=pkg_name)          # Collision
diagnostics.overwrite(file, package=pkg_name)     # Cross-package replacement
diagnostics.error(msg, package=pkg_name)          # Failure
diagnostics.auth(msg, package=pkg_name)           # Auth issue

# Query during operation (e.g., for inline verbose hints)
count = diagnostics.count_for_package(pkg_name, category="collision")
if count > 0:
    logger.package_inline_warning(f"    [!] {count} files skipped")

# After operation — render grouped summary
logger.render_summary()  # Delegates to diagnostics.render_summary()

Visual hierarchy contract

Multi-package operations follow this tree structure:

  [+] package-name #v1.0 @b0cbd3df                    # download_complete
      Auth: git-credential-fill (oauth)                # package_auth (verbose)
      Package type: Skill (SKILL.md detected)          # package_type_info (verbose)
    └─ 3 skill(s) integrated -> .github/skills/        # tree_item
    └─ 1 prompt integrated -> .github/prompts/         # tree_item
      [!] 2 files skipped (local files exist)          # package_inline_warning (verbose)
  [+] another-package (cached)                         # download_complete

── Diagnostics ──                                      # render_summary
  [!] 2 files skipped -- local files exist             # Grouped by category
    Use 'apm install --force' to overwrite

[*] Installed 2 APM dependencies.                      # install_summary

Key rules:

```
[+]
```
package lines are the top-level anchors (green, no indent beyond 2-space)
Verbose metadata (Auth, Package type) uses 4-space indent, dim color
Tree items (
```
└─
```
) use 4-space indent, green color, no symbol prefix
Inline warnings use 4-space indent, yellow color, verbose-only
Diagnostics summary appears AFTER all packages, not inline (except verbose hints)

Scaling guidance

As the CLI grows, this architecture scales by:

New commands: Instantiate
```
CommandLogger
```
, use existing methods. Add subclass only if the command has distinct phases (like
```
InstallLogger
```
).
New output patterns: Add methods to
```
CommandLogger
```
. Every command benefits.
New integrators: Accept
```
diagnostics=
```
param, push to collector. No direct output.
Theme changes: Modify rendering layer (
```
console.py
```
). Zero command changes.
Testing: Mock
```
CommandLogger
```
in tests to assert semantic calls without parsing output strings.

Anti-patterns

Warning for non-actionable state — If the user can't do anything about it, use
```
_rich_info
```
or defer to
```
--verbose
```
, not
```
_rich_warning
```
.
Inline warnings in loops — Use
```
DiagnosticCollector
```
to collect, then render a grouped summary after the loop.
Missing
diagnostics
parameter — When calling integrators, always pass
```
diagnostics=diagnostics
```
so warnings route to the deferred summary.
No emojis, ever — Emojis are completely banned from all CLI output. Use ASCII text symbols from
```
STATUS_SYMBOLS
```
exclusively. This applies to messages, help text, status indicators, and table titles.
Inconsistent symbols — Always use
```
STATUS_SYMBOLS
```
dict with
```
symbol=
```
param, not inline characters.
Walls of text — Use Rich tables for structured data, panels for grouped content. Break up long output with visual hierarchy (indentation,
```
└─
```
tree connectors).
Direct
_rich_*
calls in commands — Use
```
logger.start()
```
,
```
logger.progress()
```
,
```
logger.tree_item()
```
etc. The
```
_rich_*
```
helpers are internal to CommandLogger and console.py. Adding a
```
_rich_echo
```
call in a command file is a SoC violation.
Manual
if verbose:
checks — Use
```
logger.verbose_detail()
```
,
```
logger.package_auth()
```
, or other verbose-gated methods. The logger owns the gate.

Manual
if dry_run:
checks — Use

logger.should_execute

logger.dry_run_notice()

Format strings for indentation in commands — Don't write
```
f"    Auth: {source}"
```
in command code. Use
```
logger.package_auth(source)
```
which owns the indent level. When a new indentation pattern is needed, add a method to CommandLogger.
Re-creating shared objects per iteration — Expensive objects like
```
AuthResolver
```
should be created once before loops and reused per-package. The logger and diagnostics collector are already singletons per command invocation.
Using
logger.progress()
for tree sub-items —
```
progress()
```
adds a
```
[i]
```
symbol prefix. Tree continuation lines (
```
└─
```
) should use
```
logger.tree_item()
```
which renders with no symbol.

cli-logging-ux

NPX Install

Tags

SKILL.md Content

CLI Logging & Developer Experience

Decision framework

1. The "So What?" Test

2. The Traffic Light Rule

3. The Newspaper Test

Inline output vs deferred diagnostics

Use inline output for:

Use DiagnosticCollector for:

Console helper conventions

Output structure pattern

Content-awareness principle

CommandLogger Architecture

The three layers

Base class:
`CommandLogger`

Subclass:
`InstallLogger(CommandLogger)`

When to add a new logger method

Rule: No direct
`_rich_*`
in commands

Rule: Every command gets a
`CommandLogger`

Rule: Verbose gating lives in the logger

DiagnosticCollector integration

Visual hierarchy contract

Scaling guidance

Anti-patterns