Modern examples of command-line application examples in Node.js

Real-world examples of command-line application examples in Node.js

Instead of starting with theory, let’s talk about what people actually build. Some of the best examples of command-line application examples in Node.js fall into a few clear categories:

• Project scaffolding tools (like create-next-app)
• Task runners and build tools
• Developer productivity utilities (formatters, linters, code generators)
• DevOps and automation scripts
• Data and log processing tools
• AI and API-powered assistants

All of these share the same DNA: they parse arguments from the terminal, perform some work, and write readable output back to the console.

Below are several concrete examples of command-line application examples in Node.js you can learn from and copy patterns from.

Example of a simple Node.js CLI: todo manager

Let’s start with a small, self-contained example of a Node.js command-line app: a file-based todo manager you run as todo from your terminal.

Basic structure

A minimal todo CLI in Node.js might look like this:

todo add "Write Node.js CLI article"
todo list
todo done 1

You can wire this up with a single index.mjs file:

#!/usr/bin/env node

import fs from 'node:fs';
import path from 'node:path';

const DB_PATH = path.join(process.cwd(), '.todo.json');

function loadTodos() {
  if (!fs.existsSync(DB_PATH)) return [];
  return JSON.parse(fs.readFileSync(DB_PATH, 'utf8'));
}

function saveTodos(todos) {
  fs.writeFileSync(DB_PATH, JSON.stringify(todos, null, 2));
}

const [,, command, ...args] = process.argv;

switch (command) {
  case 'add': {
    const text = args.join(' ');
    if (!text) {
      console.error('Usage: todo add "task description"');
      process.exit(1);
    }
    const todos = loadTodos();
    todos.push({ id: todos.length + 1, text, done: false });
    saveTodos(todos);
    console.log('Added:', text);
    break;
  }
  case 'list': {
    const todos = loadTodos();
    if (todos.length === 0) {
      console.log('No todos yet.');
      break;
    }
    for (const todo of todos) {
      console.log(`\({todo.done ? '✔' : ' '} [}\(todo.id}] ${todo.text}`);
    }
    break;
  }
  case 'done': {
    const id = Number(args[0]);
    if (!id) {
      console.error('Usage: todo done <id>');
      process.exit(1);
    }
    const todos = loadTodos();
    const todo = todos.find(t => t.id === id);
    if (!todo) {
      console.error('Todo not found');
      process.exit(1);
    }
    todo.done = true;
    saveTodos(todos);
    console.log('Completed:', todo.text);
    break;
  }
  default:
    console.log('Usage:');
    console.log('  todo add "task"');
    console.log('  todo list');
    console.log('  todo done <id>');
}

This tiny script already counts as one of the simplest examples of command-line application examples in Node.js: it reads arguments from process.argv, manipulates JSON on disk, and prints human-friendly output.

Popular open-source examples include package managers and scaffolding tools

If you want to see battle-tested patterns, look at the tools you probably already use. Some of the best examples of command-line application examples in Node.js are:

npm and pnpm

The Node.js ecosystem’s own package managers are themselves Node-based CLIs. npm, pnpm, and yarn are all real examples of command-line application examples in Node.js that:

• Parse subcommands like install, run, test
• Read configuration from package.json and environment variables
• Stream logs and progress indicators to the terminal

Their source code is public, and worth browsing when you’re ready for advanced patterns like caching, concurrency, and plugin systems.

• npm on GitHub: https://github.com/npm/cli
• pnpm on GitHub: https://github.com/pnpm/pnpm

create-* project generators

Tools like create-next-app, create-react-app, and create-t3-app are another category of real examples of command-line application examples in Node.js. They:

• Ask interactive questions (framework, language, styling)
• Generate a project folder with starter files
• Run git init and install dependencies

Under the hood, these generators use libraries such as inquirer, prompts, or enquirer to build interactive flows, and execa or child_process to spawn other commands.

Task runners and build tools as examples of Node.js CLIs

Modern JavaScript build pipelines are dominated by Node-based CLIs. When people talk about examples of command-line application examples in Node.js, these tools show up again and again.

ESLint and Prettier

ESLint and Prettier are formatters and linters you run from the command line:

eslint src --fix
prettier "src/**/*.{js,ts,jsx,tsx}" --write
``

They illustrate a few best practices:

- Reading config from files (`.eslintrc`, `.prettierrc`) and CLI flags
- Printing machine-readable output (JSON) or human-friendly summaries
- Non-zero exit codes when checks fail, so CI pipelines can react

These are widely used in professional environments, including regulated industries like healthcare and education, where consistent formatting and static analysis help reduce bugs and improve maintainability. For context on secure software practices, the U.S. Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) publishes guidance on software supply chain security that pairs well with using such tools: https://www.cisa.gov/resources-tools/resources/software-supply-chain-security-guidance.

### Webpack, Vite, and esbuild

Build tools like Webpack, Vite, and esbuild are also strong examples of command-line application examples in Node.js. Even when they provide a JavaScript API, most developers interact with them through commands such as:

```bash
vite dev
webpack --config webpack.config.js
esbuild src/index.ts --bundle --outfile=dist/bundle.js

These tools typically:

• Accept many flags and subcommands
• Watch the filesystem for changes
• Stream live logs and errors

Their CLIs demonstrate how to design help output, defaults, and configuration layering so developers don’t drown in options.

Building your own CLI: argument parsing and UX

When you move beyond the toy todo app, you’ll want better argument parsing and nicer help output. The Node ecosystem has several mature libraries you’ll see repeatedly in popular examples of command-line application examples in Node.js.

Using a CLI framework (Commander.js example)

Commander.js is one of the longest-standing libraries for building Node CLIs:

npm install commander

#!/usr/bin/env node
import { Command } from 'commander';

const program = new Command();

program
  .name('gh-issues')
  .description('List GitHub issues for a repo')
  .version('1.0.0');

program
  .command('list')
  .argument('<owner>', 'GitHub owner')
  .argument('<repo>', 'GitHub repo')
  .option('-s, --state <state>', 'issue state', 'open')
  .action(async (owner, repo, options) => {
    const state = options.state;
    console.log(`Fetching \({state} issues for }\(owner}/${repo}...`);
    // call GitHub API here
  });

program.parse();

This pattern—subcommands, arguments, options, and a final parse()—shows up in many real examples of command-line application examples in Node.js, from open-source tools to internal company utilities.

Interactive prompts

For CLIs that need user input beyond flags, tools like inquirer or prompts are common. For instance, a Node-based deployment CLI might:

• Ask which environment to deploy to (staging, production)
• Confirm risky operations with a yes/no question
• Allow selection from a list of microservices

This style of interactive CLI is especially popular in DevOps and platform engineering teams, where you want guardrails around sensitive operations.

DevOps and automation: real examples from 2024–2025

In 2024 and 2025, a lot of new examples of command-line application examples in Node.js are appearing in the DevOps and platform engineering space. Teams are using Node to wrap cloud APIs, container tools, and CI/CD pipelines.

Cloud deployment helpers

Imagine a CLI called stackctl that:

• Reads a YAML file describing infrastructure
• Calls AWS, Azure, or GCP APIs
• Prints a live progress log and a final summary

In practice, many companies build Node.js CLIs just like this to standardize how engineers spin up or tear down environments. Some wrap Terraform, others talk directly to cloud provider SDKs. The reason Node works well here is simple: fast startup, rich HTTP ecosystem, and a familiar language for front-end and back-end developers.

Log and data processing

Another growing category of examples of command-line application examples in Node.js involves log and data processing. With streaming APIs and async I/O, Node is well-suited to:

• Tail logs from cloud services
• Filter and aggregate JSON logs
• Export summaries to CSV or dashboards

A simple log filter CLI might pipe from stdin and write to stdout:

#!/usr/bin/env node

import readline from 'node:readline';

const level = process.argv[2] || 'error';

const rl = readline.createInterface({
  input: process.stdin,
  crlfDelay: Infinity,
});

rl.on('line', line => {
  try {
    const entry = JSON.parse(line);
    if (entry.level === level) {
      console.log(line);
    }
  } catch {
    // ignore malformed lines
  }
});

You can then run:

node log-filter.mjs warn < app.log

This streaming style shows up in many real examples of command-line application examples in Node.js that operate in data-heavy environments.

AI-powered assistants as modern Node.js CLI examples

A newer trend for 2024–2025 is AI-powered CLIs written in Node. These tools call large language model APIs to:

• Generate code snippets
• Explain error messages
• Draft commit messages
• Summarize logs or documentation

A minimal sketch of such a CLI might:

• Accept a prompt from the command line
• Call an AI API with Node’s fetch or axios
• Print the model’s response as plain text or Markdown

Because AI tools increasingly touch sensitive data, developers should be aware of data privacy and security considerations. For broader background on data protection and privacy, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission provides guidance on handling consumer data securely: https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/small-businesses/cybersecurity.

These AI helpers are rapidly becoming some of the best examples of command-line application examples in Node.js, because they combine fast iteration with the ability to integrate into existing developer workflows.

Testing, packaging, and distribution for Node.js CLIs

Once you’ve built your own example of a Node.js CLI, you’ll want to ship it in a way that’s easy for others to install and run.

Local and global installation

Most Node CLIs are published to npm and installed globally:

npm install -g my-cli-tool
my-cli-tool --help

To make this work, you:

• Add a bin field to package.json
• Use a shebang (#!/usr/bin/env node) at the top of your entry file

This is exactly how many of the real examples of command-line application examples in Node.js—like ESLint, Prettier, and create-* tools—are distributed.

Testing CLIs

Testing a CLI means more than unit tests; you often want integration tests that:

• Spawn the CLI with child_process.spawn or execa
• Feed it arguments and environment variables
• Assert on exit codes and stdout/stderr

This approach is widely used in professional environments, including research and academic settings where reproducibility matters. For a broader perspective on reproducible computational workflows, the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) has resources on data and software reproducibility in biomedical research: https://www.nih.gov/research-training/rigor-reproducibility.

FAQ: examples of Node.js command-line apps

What are some common examples of Node.js command-line tools used by developers?

Common examples include npm, pnpm, ESLint, Prettier, Webpack, Vite, and project generators like create-next-app. Many teams also build internal CLIs for deployment, log analysis, and code generation.

Can you give an example of a simple Node.js CLI I can build in a day?

A todo manager, a JSON log filter, or a GitHub issue viewer are all realistic to build in a day. Each one demonstrates core patterns from other examples of command-line application examples in Node.js: argument parsing, file or network I/O, and readable console output.

Do I need a framework to build a Node.js command-line app?

You can absolutely write a CLI using only process.argv and the Node standard library, as shown in the todo example. Frameworks like Commander.js or yargs just make it easier to handle flags, subcommands, and help text as your tool grows.

How do real examples of Node.js CLIs handle configuration?

Most real examples of command-line application examples in Node.js support multiple layers of configuration: CLI flags, environment variables, and config files (JSON, YAML, or JS). This pattern lets users override defaults without constantly typing long commands.

Are Node.js CLIs still relevant in 2024–2025 with so many web dashboards and GUIs?

Very much so. In fact, new examples of command-line application examples in Node.js keep appearing because CLIs integrate better with automation, CI/CD, and developer workflows. They’re easier to script, easier to version-control, and often faster to operate than a web UI.

If you study these examples of command-line application examples in Node.js—from tiny todo tools to full-blown package managers—you’ll notice the same recurring ideas: clear commands, predictable output, and careful handling of configuration and errors. Once you master those patterns, you can build your own tools that feel as natural to use as the ones you install from npm today.