CLI command naming
CLI command naming
BusDK module CLIs use short, consistent subcommand names so that the same verb means the same kind of operation across modules. All module CLIs in the Module CLI reference follow these conventions.
Use a single short verb when the module has only one operation of that type. For example, if a module has exactly one command that adds a record to its primary dataset, name it add rather than a longer form like add-item. That keeps bus accounts add, bus entities add, bus journal add, and bus inventory add parallel. When a module has multiple distinct add-like operations (for example, adding a header vs adding a line), the subcommands must be distinguished — for example add for the main entity and a qualified form or positional for the sub-entity (e.g. bus invoices add for a new invoice and bus invoices <invoice-id> add for a line).
Use the same verb across modules for the same kind of action. init creates baseline datasets and schemas when absent. list prints records in deterministic order. add appends a new record to the primary dataset. validate checks data against schemas or invariants. Modules that need extra verbs use them consistently: report and export for outputs, open, close, and lock for lifecycle state, match and allocate for reconciliation, and so on. Avoid introducing a new verb when an existing one already fits (e.g. use add for the single “add item” command, not add-item).
For multi-word concepts that are standard terms (e.g. report types), hyphenated subcommand names are acceptable: trial-balance, general-ledger, profit-and-loss, balance-sheet. For a single “record a movement” operation, use the short verb move rather than record-movement.
This document defines the current naming convention only. Deprecated or alternate command names are not maintained; the canonical names are those documented in each module’s CLI reference and in the minimum required command surface.