CLI Tools Skill

Manage CLI tool installation, environment auditing, and updates.

Triggers

Reactive (auto-install):

bash: <tool>: command not found

Proactive (audit): "check environment", "what's missing", "update tools"

Capabilities

1. Reactive: Auto-install missing tools on "command not found"
2. Proactive: Audit project dependencies and tool versions
3. Maintenance: Batch update all managed tools

Preferred Tools

When multiple tools can accomplish the same task, prefer the modern alternative for speed, correctness, and simpler syntax.

Instead of...	Use...	Why	Skill
grep on code	rg (ripgrep)	10x faster, respects .gitignore	file-search
find	fd	5x faster, simpler syntax	file-search
grep on PDFs/docs	rga (ripgrep-all)	Searches inside PDFs, archives	file-search
cloc / wc -l	tokei or scc	10-100x faster, accurate	file-search
grep/awk on JSON	jq	Structured extraction	data-tools
sed/awk on YAML	yq	Syntax-aware, preserves comments	data-tools
sed on JSON	jq or dasel	Correct escaping	data-tools
awk/Python on CSV	qsv	Handles quoting, 100x faster	data-tools
sed on TOML/XML	dasel	Universal format support	data-tools
diff on code	difft (difftastic)	Syntax-aware diffs	git-workflow
git commit --fixup	git absorb	Auto-detects parent commit	git-workflow
Manual security grep	semgrep --config auto	AST-aware, OWASP rulesets	security-audit
time for benchmarks	hyperfine	Statistical analysis, comparison	(this skill)
cat for viewing	bat	Syntax highlighting, git integration	-

Workflows

Missing Tool Resolution

1. Diagnose: check if tool exists elsewhere (which, command -v, type -a)
2. Install: lookup in references/binary_to_tool_map.md, run scripts/install_tool.sh <tool> install
3. Verify: confirm with which <tool> and <tool> --version, retry original command

See references/resolution-workflow.md for detailed diagnostic and verification steps.

Environment Audit

scripts/check_environment.sh audit .

Scripts

Script	Purpose
install_tool.sh	Install/update/uninstall tools
auto_update.sh	Batch update package managers
check_environment.sh	Audit environment
detect_project_type.sh	Detect project type

Catalog (74 tools)

Core CLI, Languages, Package Managers, DevOps, Linters, Security, Git Tools

References

Reference	Use when...
references/binary_to_tool_map.md	Mapping binary names to catalog entries
references/project_type_requirements.md	Checking what tools a project type needs
references/preferred-tools.md	Detailed usage patterns and examples for preferred tools
references/resolution-workflow.md	Full diagnostic/install/verify workflow for missing tools
references/troubleshooting.md	PATH issues, permission problems, installation blocked

---

Contributing: https://github.com/netresearch/cli-tools-skill