--- title: CLI description: Look up all Presswork command families, arguments, options, help forms, output streams, color behavior, diagnostics, and exit status. --- Presswork provides `check`, `create`, and `skills` command families. `presswork --help` displays root help, `presswork --version` displays the installed version, and `presswork help COMMAND` displays command help. Help and version requests exit `0`. Calling `presswork` without a command is invalid. Unknown commands or options, missing option values, and excess arguments write an `invalid-invocation` diagnostic to standard error and exit `2`. ## Repository Root selection Without `--root`, Presswork discovers the nearest ancestor of the current directory whose `.git` marker is a file or directory. It does not follow a `.git` symbolic link. The selected Repository Root is reported as an absolute real path. `--root ` selects one explicit Repository Root. Relative paths resolve from the current directory. An invalid explicit root never falls back to ancestor discovery. ## Command summary | Command | Purpose | | -------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------- | | `presswork check [options]` | Validate repository documentation and write a Check Report. | | `presswork create [options] [document-type]` | List Document Types or initialize one indexed Document Draft. | | `presswork skills docs [options]` | Write one repository-specific `presswork-docs` Agent Skill. | ## `presswork check` Use this syntax to select options for a Check. ```text presswork check [options] ``` Run a Check against the discovered Repository Root and write a human-readable Check Report. ```sh presswork check ``` `presswork check -h`, `presswork check --help`, and `presswork help check` display Check help without running a Check. ### Options | Option | Meaning | | --------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------- | | `--root ` | Use one explicit Repository Root. | | `--json` | Write the Check Report as one JSON object followed by a newline. | | `--no-color` | Disable color in human output. | Human output starts with `Check complete` or `Check incomplete`. It reports the Repository Root, Profile, Markdown Dialect, Recognized Document count, Checked Document count, Violations, and Operational Diagnostics. Violations are grouped under their source document and include position, Rule identifier, message, relevant destination, optional Document Type, and recovery guidance. Check Reports use standard output. Operational Diagnostics use standard error. An incomplete Check writes its retained Check Report to standard output and mirrors each Operational Diagnostic to standard error. A failure before a Check Report can be produced leaves standard output empty. See [Check Report](/check-report/) for the JSON fields, ordering, and complete or incomplete semantics. ## `presswork create` Use this syntax to list Document Types or initialize one Document Draft. ```text presswork create [options] [document-type] ``` `presswork create --help`, `presswork create DOCUMENT_TYPE --help`, and `presswork help create` display the same static help without loading a Repository Root. ### Options | Option | Meaning | | -------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | `--list-types` | List repository Document Types with their Creation Policies. | | `-f, --field ` | Supply one required creation field. Repeat the option for each field. | | `--root ` | Use one explicit Repository Root. | | `--json` | Write the catalog, successful result, or diagnostic as one JSON object followed by a newline. | | `--no-color` | Disable color in human output. | `--list-types` cannot be combined with `[document-type]` or `--field`. The Basic Profile returns an empty catalog when the repository defines no Document Types. Initialize a `proposal` Document Draft with its required `slug` and `title` fields. ```sh presswork create proposal \ --field slug=first-proposal \ --field "title=First proposal" ``` A successful creation exits `0` and reports the created repository-relative path, updated Index Document, unfinished draft status, and pending Template requirements. It writes human or JSON output to standard output. Creation never overwrites an existing destination or chooses another filename. An `external` Creation Policy reports the external owner workflow and refuses initialization. A `manual` policy explains that Presswork only validates and also refuses initialization. Invalid or missing fields, conflicts, refusals, and creation failures write one diagnostic to standard error, leave standard output empty, and exit `2`. ## `presswork skills docs` Use this syntax to select an explicit Repository Root for skill rendering. ```text presswork skills docs [options] ``` Render the current repository's validated policy as raw, complete `SKILL.md` bytes on standard output. ```sh presswork skills docs ``` The only operational option for `presswork skills docs` is `--root `. Commander help remains available through `-h` and `--help`. The command does not accept `--json` or `--no-color`. On success, the command exits `0` and writes only the raw, complete `SKILL.md` bytes to standard output. The output has no JSON wrapper, banner, progress, color, or unrelated logs. Before rendering, Presswork resolves and validates the Repository Root, Presswork Configuration, Profile, Document Types, Templates, Creation Policies, Index Sections, and an operationally complete Check. Existing Violations do not block rendering. Discovery, configuration, Template, or operational failure writes one diagnostic to standard error, leaves standard output empty, and exits `2`. Use `presswork skills -h`, `presswork skills --help`, or `presswork help skills` for family help. Use `presswork skills docs -h`, `presswork skills docs --help`, or `presswork skills help docs` for `docs` help. These forms display static help without loading a Repository Root. ## JSON, color, and streams For `check` and `create`, `--json` selects machine-readable output. Each JSON value is one object followed by a newline. Diagnostics also use one JSON object per line when `--json` is present. Color is optional decoration in human output and carries no meaning. It is omitted for JSON, redirected output, `--no-color`, and a non-empty `NO_COLOR` environment variable. Normal command output uses standard output. Diagnostics use standard error. The nested `skills docs` command is the exception to these shared presentation options: it accepts only `--root` and writes raw `SKILL.md`. ## Exit status | Exit | Meaning | | ---- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | `0` | Help or version succeeded, creation or catalog listing succeeded, skill guidance rendered, or a Check completed with no Violations. | | `1` | A Check completed and found one or more Violations. | | `2` | Invocation, Repository Root, configuration, operational, creation, skill-rendering, or internal failure prevented success. Incomplete Checks also exit `2`. | Expected diagnostics include a stable `code`, message, recovery guidance, and a relevant path when applicable. They do not expose caught causes or stack traces. See [Rules and diagnostics](/rules-and-diagnostics/) for stable diagnostic codes, [Check Report](/check-report/) for report data, or [Concepts](/concepts/) for how the command contracts fit the Presswork model.