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⚡ Built for Bun

Build CLIs withconfidence

Bunli is a minimal, type-safe CLI framework for Bun. Build production-ready command-line tools with advanced plugins, beautiful terminal UIs, and compile to standalone binaries.

Get StartedAPI Reference
Type-safe
Plugin system
Beautiful UIs
cli.ts

Quick start

Get up and running with Bunli in minutes

1

Install Bunli

Install the Bunli CLI globally using Bun’s package manager.
bun add -g bunli
Bunli requires Bun 1.0.0 or later. Make sure you have Bun installed before continuing.
2

Create a new CLI project

Use the create-bunli scaffolding tool to generate a new project with a complete setup.
bunx create-bunli my-cli
cd my-cli
This creates a new directory with a complete CLI project structure, including TypeScript configuration, package.json, and example commands.
3

Start development mode

Launch the development server with hot-reload enabled for rapid iteration.
bunli dev
The dev server watches your source files and automatically reloads when you make changes. Try editing a command file to see live updates.
4

Build your CLI

When you’re ready, compile your CLI to a standalone binary for distribution.
bunli build
This creates optimized binaries for your target platforms in the dist/ directory. Your CLI is now ready to ship!

Why Bunli?

Everything you need to build world-class CLIs

Type-safe by design

Define commands with full TypeScript type inference. Zod-powered validation ensures your arguments are always correct.

Advanced plugin system

Extend your CLI with a powerful plugin architecture. Access typed stores, lifecycle hooks, and shared state.

Beautiful terminal UIs

Build interactive interfaces with OpenTUI-backed React components. Spinners, prompts, tables, and more.

Compile to binaries

Ship standalone executables with Bun’s compiler. No runtime dependencies, just native performance.

Hot-reload dev mode

Iterate faster with instant reload on file changes. See your updates in real-time without restarting.

Shell completions

Generate completions for bash, zsh, and fish automatically. Professional CLI experience out of the box.

Explore the docs

Dive deeper into Bunli’s capabilities

Core Concepts

Learn the fundamentals of commands, options, handlers, and configuration in Bunli.

Learn more

API Reference

Complete API documentation for all Bunli packages, types, and utilities.

View API docs

Examples

Explore real-world CLI examples from simple hello-world to complex dev servers.

Browse examples

Plugin Development

Build powerful plugins with typed stores, lifecycle hooks, and shared context.

Create plugins

Ready to build?

Start building production-ready CLIs with Bunli today. Join developers who are shipping better command-line tools.

Get StartedView on GitHub