claude-dev-cli 0.13.3

A powerful CLI tool for developers using Claude AI with multi-API routing, test generation, code review, and usage tracking

Claude Dev CLI

A powerful command-line tool for developers using Claude AI with multi-API routing, test generation, code review, and comprehensive usage tracking.

Features

🔑 Multi-API Key Management

• Secure Storage: API keys stored in system keyring (macOS Keychain, Linux Secret Service, Windows Credential Locker)
• Route tasks to different Claude API keys (personal, client, enterprise)
• Automatic API selection based on project configuration
• Automatic migration from plaintext to secure storage

🎯 Model Profiles (v0.10.0+)

• Named Profiles: Use friendly names instead of full model IDs (fast, smart, powerful)
• Custom Pricing: Define input/output costs per Mtok for accurate usage tracking
• API-Specific Profiles: Different models and pricing per API config
• Project Defaults: Set per-project model preferences
• Dynamic Resolution: Profile names automatically resolve to model IDs
• Built-in Profiles:
  • fast: Claude 3.5 Haiku ($0.80/$4.00 per Mtok)
  • smart: Claude Sonnet 4 ($3.00/$15.00 per Mtok) - default
  • powerful: Claude Opus 4 ($15.00/$75.00 per Mtok)

🚀 Code Generation (v0.12.0+)

• Generate Code from Specs: Create new code from descriptions, files, PDFs, or URLs
  • cdc generate code --description "REST API client" -o client.py
  • Multiple input sources: text, files (.md, .txt), PDFs, URLs
  • Auto-detects target language from file extension
  • Interactive refinement mode
• Add Features to Projects: Analyze existing code and generate implementation plans
  • cdc generate feature --description "Add authentication" src/
  • Multi-file analysis and modification
  • Preview mode to review changes before applying
  • Supports same input sources as code generation
• Multiple Input Sources:
  • --description TEXT: Inline specification
  • -f/--file PATH: Read from file
  • --pdf PATH: Extract from PDF
  • --url URL: Fetch from URL
• Optional Dependencies: Install with pip install 'claude-dev-cli[generation]'
  • Enables PDF and URL support
  • Graceful fallback if not installed

📁 Multi-File Support (v0.11.0+)

• Batch Processing: Review, refactor, test, or document multiple files at once
• Directory Support: Process all code files in a directory with --max-files limit
• Auto-Detection: Commands auto-detect git changes when no files specified
  • cdc review → reviews staged files, falls back to modified files, then current directory
• Git Integration: New cdc git review command for reviewing changes
  • --staged: Review only staged changes
  • --branch <range>: Review branch changes (e.g., main..HEAD)
• Multi-Language: Supports 25+ file extensions (Python, JS/TS, Go, Rust, Java, C++, etc.)
• Smart Display: Shows file list preview (first 5-10 files, then "... and N more")
• Commands with multi-file support:
  • review, refactor, generate tests, generate docs

🧪 Developer Tools

• Test Generation: Automatic pytest test generation for Python code
• Code Review: Comprehensive code reviews with security, performance, and best practice checks
• Debug Assistant: Analyze errors and get fixes with explanations
• Documentation: Generate docstrings and README documentation
• Refactoring: Get suggestions for code improvements
• Git Integration: Generate conventional commit messages from diffs

📊 Usage Tracking

• Track token usage per API key
• Cost estimation based on current pricing
• Filter by date range and API config
• Detailed breakdowns by model, date, and API

💬 Interaction Modes

• Single-shot: Quick questions with piping support
• Interactive: Chat mode with conversation history
• Streaming: Real-time responses

📝 Custom Templates

• Built-in Templates: 8 pre-built templates for common tasks (code review, testing, debugging, etc.)
• User Templates: Create and manage your own reusable prompt templates
• Variable Substitution: Use {{variable}} placeholders for dynamic content
• Categories: Organize templates by category (review, testing, debugging, etc.)

🧠 Context Intelligence (v0.8.0+)

• Auto-Context: --auto-context flag on 7 commands for intelligent context gathering
  • ask, review, debug, refactor (v0.8.0)
  • git commit, generate tests, generate docs (v0.8.1)
• Git Integration: Automatically include branch, commits, modified files
• Dependency Analysis: Parse imports and include related files
• Multi-Language Error Parsing (v0.8.2): Python, JavaScript/TypeScript, Go, Rust, Java
• Context Summary (v0.8.2): Preview context before API calls with cdc context summary
• Smart Truncation: Prevent token limits with configurable file size limits
• Project Memory: Remember preferences per project
• Global Config: Set context defaults in ~/.claude-dev-cli/config.json

🎒 TOON Format Support (Optional)

• Token Reduction: 30-60% fewer tokens than JSON
• Cost Savings: Reduce API costs significantly
• Format Conversion: JSON ↔ TOON with CLI tools
• Auto-fallback: Works without TOON installed

Installation

Via Homebrew (macOS/Linux)

# Add the tap
brew tap thinmanj/tap

# Install
brew install claude-dev-cli

# Or in one command
brew install thinmanj/tap/claude-dev-cli

Via pip

# Basic installation
pip install claude-dev-cli

# With code generation support (PDF & URL input)
pip install claude-dev-cli[generation]

# With TOON support (30-60% token reduction)
pip install claude-dev-cli[toon]

# With all optional features
pip install claude-dev-cli[generation,toon]

Via pipx (Recommended for CLI tools)

# Isolated installation
pipx install claude-dev-cli

# With code generation support
pipx install claude-dev-cli[generation]

# With TOON support
pipx install claude-dev-cli[toon]

# With all optional features
pipx install claude-dev-cli[generation,toon]

Quick Start

1. Set Up API Keys

# Add your personal API key
export PERSONAL_ANTHROPIC_API_KEY="sk-ant-..."
cdc config add personal --default --description "My personal API key"
# 🔐 Stored securely in system keyring

# Add client's API key
export CLIENT_ANTHROPIC_API_KEY="sk-ant-..."
cdc config add client --description "Client's Enterprise API"

# List configured APIs (shows storage method)
cdc config list

# Manually migrate existing keys (automatic on first run)
cdc config migrate-keys

2. Basic Usage

# Ask a question (uses 'smart' profile by default)
cdc ask "explain asyncio in Python"

# Use a specific model profile
cdc ask -m fast "quick question"  # Uses Haiku (fast & cheap)
cdc ask -m powerful "complex task"  # Uses Opus 4 (most capable)

# With file context
cdc ask -f mycode.py "review this code"

# Pipe input
cat error.log | cdc ask "what's causing this error?"

# Interactive mode
cdc interactive

# Use specific API
cdc ask -a client "generate tests for this function"

3. Model Profile Management (v0.10.0+)

# List available model profiles
cdc model list
# ┌───────────┬──────────────────────────┬────────┬────────┐
# │ Profile   │ Model ID                 │ Input  │ Output │
# │ fast      │ claude-3-5-haiku-...     │ $0.80  │ $4.00  │
# │ smart     │ claude-sonnet-4-...      │ $3.00  │ $15.00 │ ← default
# │ powerful  │ claude-opus-4-...        │ $15.00 │ $75.00 │
# └───────────┴──────────────────────────┴────────┴────────┘

# Add a custom profile
cdc model add lightning claude-3-5-haiku-20241022 \
  --input-price 0.80 --output-price 4.00 \
  --description "Ultra-fast model for simple tasks"

# Set default model profile
cdc model set-default fast  # Use Haiku by default

# Set default for specific API config
cdc model set-default powerful --api enterprise  # Opus for enterprise API

# Show profile details
cdc model show smart

# Remove a profile
cdc model remove lightning

# Use profiles in any command
cdc ask -m fast "simple question"
cdc review -m powerful complex_file.py  # More thorough review
cdc generate tests -m smart mymodule.py  # Balanced approach

3. Code Generation Commands (NEW in v0.12.0, enhanced v0.13.0)

# Generate code from specification (single file)
cdc generate code --description "REST API client for weather data" -o client.py
cdc generate code --file spec.md -o implementation.go
cdc generate code --pdf requirements.pdf -o app.js
cdc generate code --url https://example.com/api-spec -o service.py

# Generate multi-file projects (NEW in v0.13.0)
cdc generate code --description "FastAPI REST API with auth" -o my-api/
cdc generate code --file spec.md -o project/ --dry-run  # Preview first
cdc generate code --file spec.md -o project/ --yes  # No confirmation
# Creates complete directory structure with multiple files

# Generate code with interactive refinement
cdc generate code --description "Database ORM" -o orm.py --interactive

# Generate code with project context
cdc generate code --file spec.md -o service.py --auto-context

# Add features to existing project (NEW: multi-file output in v0.13.0)
cdc generate feature --description "Add user authentication with JWT" src/
cdc generate feature --file feature-spec.md
cdc generate feature --pdf product-requirements.pdf --preview
cdc generate feature --url https://example.com/feature-spec

# Preview feature changes before applying
cdc generate feature --description "Add caching layer" src/ --preview
cdc generate feature --description "Add REST API" --dry-run  # Preview changes
cdc generate feature --file spec.md --yes  # Apply without confirmation

# Interactive feature implementation
cdc generate feature --description "Add logging" src/ --interactive

# Hunk-by-hunk approval (like git add -p) - NEW in v0.13.1
cdc generate feature -f spec.md
# At confirmation prompt, type 'patch' to review changes hunk-by-hunk
# Options: y (yes), n (no), s (skip file), q (quit), help

3.1 Interactive Diff Approval (v0.13.1+)

When applying file modifications, you can review and approve changes hunk-by-hunk, similar to git add -p:

# After generating feature/refactor changes:
cdc generate feature -f spec.md

# At the confirmation prompt:
Continue? (Y/n/preview/patch/help) patch

# For each file:
File: src/main.py
Modify file (3 hunk(s))

Hunk 1/3:
[Shows diff with syntax highlighting]
@@ -10,3 +10,5 @@
 def main():
-    print("old")
+    print("new")
+    logging.info("Started")

Apply this hunk? (y/n/s=skip file/q=quit/help) y  # Approve this hunk

Hunk 2/3:
[Shows next diff]
Apply this hunk? (y/n/s=skip file/q=quit/help) n  # Skip this hunk

Hunk 3/3:
[Shows final diff]
Apply this hunk? (y/n/s=skip file/q=quit/help) s  # Skip remaining in file

# File operations options:
Create this file? (y/n/s=skip/q=quit) y  # For new files
Delete this file? (y/n/s=skip/q=quit) n  # For file deletions

Options:

• y, yes - Apply this hunk/file
• n, no - Skip this hunk (keeps original)
• s, skip - Skip remaining hunks in current file
• q, quit - Stop reviewing and apply approved changes so far
• edit - Open files in $EDITOR before applying
• save - Save to custom location
• help - Show help message

Benefits:

• Fine-grained control over changes
• Keep original code for some hunks while applying others
• Syntax-highlighted diffs for easy review
• Edit files before applying for manual tweaks
• Save to custom location without -o flag
• Safe: only approved hunks are written

3.2 Edit and Save Options (v0.13.2+)

Before applying changes, you can edit files or save to custom locations:

Edit in $EDITOR

cdc generate feature -f spec.md

# At confirmation:
Continue? (Y/n/preview/patch/edit/save/help) edit

# Opens each file in your $EDITOR (vi, nano, code, etc.)
# Make manual adjustments, save and close
# Changes are applied after editing

Save to Custom Location

cdc generate code -d "REST API" -o /tmp/output

# At confirmation:
Continue? (Y/n/preview/patch/edit/save/help) save

# Single file:
Filename: my-custom-name.py  # Save to custom filename

# Multiple files:
Directory: /path/to/output/  # Save entire project elsewhere

Use Cases:

• Edit: Make manual tweaks before applying (fix formatting, adjust logic)
• Save: Try changes elsewhere before applying to project
• Edit + Preview: Review, edit, then apply with confidence
• Save for later: Generate code, save it, review offline, apply manually

Environment Variables:

• $EDITOR: Your preferred editor (e.g., export EDITOR=nano)
• Defaults to vi if $EDITOR not set

4. Developer Commands

# Generate tests (single file)
cdc generate tests mymodule.py -o tests/test_mymodule.py

# Generate tests for multiple files (NEW in v0.11.0)
cdc generate tests file1.py file2.py file3.py
cdc generate tests src/ --max-files 10

# Generate tests with interactive refinement
cdc generate tests mymodule.py --interactive

# Generate tests with context (includes dependencies, related files) - NEW in v0.8.1
cdc generate tests mymodule.py --auto-context

# Code review (single file)
cdc review mymodule.py

# Code review multiple files (NEW in v0.11.0)
cdc review file1.py file2.py file3.py
cdc review src/  # Review entire directory
cdc review  # Auto-detect git changes (staged → modified → current dir)

# Code review with auto-context (includes git, dependencies, tests)
cdc review mymodule.py --auto-context

# Code review with interactive follow-up questions
cdc review mymodule.py --interactive

# Review git changes (NEW in v0.11.0)
cdc git review --staged  # Review only staged changes
cdc git review --branch main..HEAD  # Review branch changes
cdc git review  # Review all modified files

# Debug errors with intelligent error parsing
python script.py 2>&1 | cdc debug --auto-context

# Generate documentation (single file)
cdc generate docs mymodule.py

# Generate docs for multiple files (NEW in v0.11.0)
cdc generate docs file1.py file2.py file3.py
cdc generate docs src/ --max-files 10

# Generate docs with interactive refinement
cdc generate docs mymodule.py --interactive

# Generate docs with context (includes dependencies) - NEW in v0.8.1  
cdc generate docs mymodule.py --auto-context

# Refactor (single file)
cdc refactor legacy_code.py

# Refactor multiple files (NEW in v0.11.0, enhanced v0.13.0)
cdc refactor file1.py file2.py file3.py
cdc refactor src/
cdc refactor  # Auto-detect git changes

# Multi-file refactoring with preview (NEW in v0.13.0)
cdc refactor src/ --dry-run  # Preview changes
cdc refactor src/ --yes  # Apply without confirmation
cdc refactor src/ --preview  # Review before applying

# Refactor with context (includes related files)
cdc refactor legacy_code.py --auto-context

# Refactor with interactive refinement
cdc refactor legacy_code.py --interactive

# Git commit message
git add .
cdc git commit

# Git commit message with context (includes history, branch) - NEW in v0.8.1
git add .
cdc git commit --auto-context

5. Context-Aware Operations (v0.8.0+)

# Auto-context includes: git info, dependencies, related files

# Review with full project context
cdc review mymodule.py --auto-context
# ✓ Context gathered (git, dependencies, tests)

# Debug with parsed error details (multi-language support)
python broken.py 2>&1 | cdc debug -f broken.py --auto-context
node app.js 2>&1 | cdc debug --auto-context  # JavaScript/TypeScript
go run main.go 2>&1 | cdc debug --auto-context  # Go
# ✓ Context gathered (error details, git context)
# Supports: Python, JavaScript, TypeScript, Go, Rust, Java

# Preview context before making API calls - NEW in v0.8.2
cdc context summary mymodule.py
# Shows: files, sizes, lines, estimated tokens, truncation warnings

# Ask questions with file context
cdc ask -f mycode.py --auto-context "how can I improve this?"
# ✓ Context gathered

# Refactor with related files
cdc refactor app.py --auto-context
# Automatically includes imported modules and dependencies

6. Custom Templates

# List all templates (built-in and user)
cdc template list

# Show template details
cdc template show code-review

# Add a custom template
cdc template add my-review -c "Review this code for {{focus}}: {{code}}" \
  -d "Custom review template" --category review

# Use a template (interactive variable input)
cdc template use debug-error

# Delete a user template
cdc template delete my-review

# Filter by category
cdc template list --category review

# Show only user templates
cdc template list --user

Built-in Templates

• code-review: Comprehensive code review with customizable focus
• code-review-security: Security-focused code review
• test-strategy: Generate testing strategy and test cases
• debug-error: Debug error with context
• optimize-performance: Performance optimization analysis
• refactor-clean: Clean code refactoring
• explain-code: Detailed code explanation
• api-design: API design assistance

6. Conversation History & Summarization (NEW in v0.8.3)

# List recent conversations
cdc history list

# Search conversations
cdc history list --search "python decorators"

# Export conversation
cdc history export 20240109_143022 -o chat.md

# Summarize to reduce token usage
cdc history summarize --latest
cdc history summarize 20240109_143022 --keep-recent 6

# Delete old conversations
cdc history delete 20240109_143022

Auto-Summarization in interactive mode:

• Automatically triggers when conversation exceeds 8,000 tokens
• Keeps recent messages (default: 4 pairs), summarizes older ones
• Reduces API costs by ~30-50% in long conversations
• Shows token savings after summarization

7. Usage Tracking

# View all usage
cdc usage

# Last 7 days
cdc usage --days 7

# Filter by API
cdc usage --api client

7. TOON Format (Optional - Reduces Tokens by 30-60%)

# Check if TOON is installed
cdc toon info

# Convert JSON to TOON
echo '{"users": [{"id": 1, "name": "Alice"}]}' | cdc toon encode
# Output:
# users[1]{id,name}:
# 1,Alice

# Convert file
cdc toon encode data.json -o data.toon

# Convert TOON back to JSON
cdc toon decode data.toon -o data.json

# Use in workflows
cat large_data.json | cdc toon encode | cdc ask "analyze this data"

Configuration

Secure API Key Storage

🔐 Your API keys are stored securely and never in plain text.

• macOS: Keychain
• Linux: Secret Service API (GNOME Keyring, KWallet)
• Windows: Windows Credential Locker
• Fallback: Encrypted file (if keyring unavailable)

Keys are automatically migrated from plaintext on first run. You can also manually migrate:

cdc config migrate-keys

Global Configuration

Configuration metadata is stored in ~/.claude-dev-cli/config.json (API keys are NOT in this file):

{
  "api_configs": [
    {
      "name": "personal",
      "api_key": "",  // Empty - actual key in secure storage
      "description": "My personal API key",
      "default": true
    },
    {
      "name": "client",
      "api_key": "",  // Empty - actual key in secure storage
      "description": "Client's Enterprise API",
      "default": false
    }
  ],
  "default_model": "claude-3-5-sonnet-20241022",
  "max_tokens": 4096
}

Project-Specific Configuration

Create .claude-dev-cli in your project root:

{
  "name": "My Project",
  "api_config": "client",
  "system_prompt": "You are a Python expert focused on data science.",
  "allowed_commands": ["all"]
}

The tool will automatically use the client's API when you run commands in that project!

API Routing Strategy

Scenario: Client Work with Enterprise API

# 1. Set up client's API
export CLIENT_ANTHROPIC_API_KEY="sk-ant-..."
cdc config add client --description "Client Enterprise API"

# 2. Create project config
cd /path/to/client/project
cat > .claude-dev-cli << 'EOF'
{
  "name": "Client Project",
  "api_config": "client",
  "system_prompt": "You are a senior Python developer."
}
EOF

# 3. All commands in this directory now use client's API
cdc generate tests app.py  # Uses client's API
cdc review code.py         # Uses client's API

# 4. Your personal projects use your API
cd ~/my-personal-project
cdc generate tests app.py  # Uses your personal API

What the Client Can See

When using a client's Enterprise API:

✅ They CAN see:

• Total API calls and token usage
• Costs associated with the API key
• Potentially conversation history (if enabled by admin)

❌ They CANNOT see:

• Which machine you used
• Your other API keys or projects
• Local files unless you sent the content

Command Reference

Core Commands

Command	Description
cdc ask <prompt>	Ask Claude a question
cdc interactive	Start interactive chat
cdc usage	Show usage statistics

Configuration

Command	Description
cdc config add <name>	Add API configuration
cdc config list	List all API configs

Code Generation

Command	Description
cdc generate tests <file>	Generate pytest tests
cdc generate docs <file>	Generate documentation

Code Analysis

Command	Description
cdc review <file>	Review code
cdc debug -f <file> -e <error>	Debug code
cdc refactor <file>	Refactoring suggestions

Templates

Command	Description
cdc template list	List all templates
cdc template show <name>	Show template details
cdc template add <name>	Add new template
cdc template delete <name>	Delete user template
cdc template use <name>	Use template interactively

Git Helpers

Command	Description
cdc git commit	Generate commit message

Options

Common Options

• -a, --api <name>: Use specific API config
• -m, --model <name>: Use specific Claude model
• -s, --system <prompt>: Set system prompt
• -f, --file <path>: Include file in prompt
• -o, --output <path>: Save output to file

Models

• claude-3-5-sonnet-20241022 (default)
• claude-3-opus-20240229
• claude-3-haiku-20240307

Examples

Test Generation

# Generate tests for a module
cdc generate tests src/calculator.py -o tests/test_calculator.py

# Review the tests
cdc review tests/test_calculator.py

Code Review Workflow

# Review before committing
cdc review mycode.py

# Fix issues, then generate commit message
git add mycode.py
cdc git commit

Debugging

# Run script and analyze errors
python buggy_script.py 2>&1 | cdc debug

# Or debug a specific file
cdc debug -f buggy_script.py -e "NameError: name 'x' is not defined"

Using Multiple APIs

# Personal work
cdc ask "explain decorators" -a personal

# Client work
cdc generate tests client_code.py -a client

# Check usage per API
cdc usage --api personal
cdc usage --api client

Environment Variables

Variable	Description
{NAME}_ANTHROPIC_API_KEY	API key for config named "name"
ANTHROPIC_API_KEY	Default API key

Usage Log Format

Usage logs are stored in ~/.claude-dev-cli/usage.jsonl:

{
  "timestamp": "2024-12-28T03:00:00.000000",
  "api_config": "client",
  "model": "claude-3-5-sonnet-20241022",
  "prompt_preview": "Generate tests for...",
  "input_tokens": 1523,
  "output_tokens": 2847,
  "duration_ms": 3421
}

Development

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/thinmanj/claude-dev-cli
cd claude-dev-cli

# Install in development mode
pip install -e ".[dev]"

# Run tests
pytest

# Format code
black src/
ruff check src/

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please feel free to submit a Pull Request.

License

MIT License - see LICENSE for details.

Author

Julio (@thinmanj)

Acknowledgments

• Built with Anthropic's Claude API
• CLI powered by Click
• Beautiful terminal output with Rich

Support

• 🐛 Report bugs
• 💡 Request features
• 📖 Documentation