control-cli

You test interactive CLI applications deterministically by building a local PTY-based harness that drives keyboard flows and records screen state. This captures reproducible transcripts for verifying prompts and bug reproduction without relying on external services.

A PTY-based harness is a local testing setup that uses pseudoterminals to automate interactive CLI sessions. You need one to capture deterministic keyboard flows, record transcripts, and verify TUI behavior reproducibly without manual input.

You capture deterministic transcripts and screen state by executing the command under test within a local harness that records the interactive session. This setup verifies prompts and error handling while ensuring startup timing and proper session cleanup using standard local tooling.

Yes, you can reuse an existing repository-provided test or demo harness for interactive CLI validation. If one is unavailable, you assemble a minimal PTY-based harness from standard local tools to achieve deterministic execution and transcript recording.

You measure startup time and responsiveness by running the interactive CLI within a deterministic local harness. This approach safely monitors resource usage and session timing while capturing the screen state and interactions needed for UX checks.

A limitation of a local PTY harness is its reliance on standard local tooling without external services, scoping tests to local deterministic execution. You must manage proper session cleanup to avoid hanging processes during transcript recording.