How to Use the caveman Build Command: 4 Intensity Levels Explained

The caveman CLI executes builds through four intensity modes—lite, full, ultra, and wenyan—defaulting to full when run without arguments.

The caveman build command serves as the primary interface for the JuliusBrussee/caveman toolchain, offering granular control over build depth through intensity level switches. Understanding these modes allows developers to optimize build times during development while enforcing comprehensive checks in production pipelines.

Understanding the Four Build Intensity Modes

The caveman build command accepts an optional intensity argument that determines which pipeline steps execute. According to the command descriptor in [commands/caveman.md](https://github.com/JuliusBrussee/caveman/blob/main/commands/caveman.md), the argument-hint specifies four valid options: [lite|full|ultra|wenyan].

Lite Mode
The lite argument triggers a minimal, fast-track build executing only essential steps such as linting and quick compilation. Use this mode for rapid iteration during active development when running the full test suite would slow feedback loops unnecessarily.

Full Mode
Invoking caveman without arguments or explicitly passing full runs the standard build pipeline. This mode executes the complete workflow: linting, testing, compilation, and packaging. It represents the default behavior when no intensity level is specified.

Ultra Mode
The ultra argument enables deep build verification, incorporating additional checks such as security scans and exhaustive test suites. Deploy this mode before major releases or when auditing dependencies for vulnerabilities.

Wenyan Mode
Passing wenyan activates an experimental mode that generates a human-readable description of the build plan rather than executing it. This argument helps debug complex pipelines by displaying exactly which steps the cavecrew-builder agent would run.

Command Syntax and Practical Examples

The CLI parses the intensity argument and delegates execution to the cavecrew-builder sub-agent. The wiring that registers these commands and maps intensity levels to specific pipelines resides in [bin/install.js](https://github.com/JuliusBrussee/caveman/blob/main/bin/install.js).

Execute builds using the following patterns:

# Default full build (no argument required)

caveman

# Fast iteration with minimal checks

caveman lite

# Explicit full build with all standard checks

caveman full

# Comprehensive audit with security scanning

caveman ultra

# Preview build plan without execution

caveman wenyan

Architecture and Implementation Details

The caveman build command operates through a modular agent architecture defined across three key files.

Command Definition
The [commands/caveman.md](https://github.com/JuliusBrussee/caveman/blob/main/commands/caveman.md) file declares the command interface, specifying the description as "Switch caveman intensity level (lite/full/ultra/wenyan)" and defining the valid argument hint syntax.

Command Registration
In [bin/install.js](https://github.com/JuliusBrussee/caveman/blob/main/bin/install.js), the CLI registers the caveman command and establishes the routing logic that dispatches selected intensity levels to the appropriate build pipeline.

Build Execution
The [agents/cavecrew-builder.md](https://github.com/JuliusBrussee/caveman/blob/main/agents/cavecrew-builder.md) file implements the cavecrew-builder agent that performs the actual build steps. This agent interprets the intensity level and executes the corresponding pipeline stages.

CI/CD Integration Strategies

Chain the caveman build command with standard shell operators to integrate into automated workflows.

# Fail fast on lite build before running additional scripts

caveman lite && npm test

# Capture ultra build output for audit trails

caveman ultra | tee build-audit.log

Summary

• The caveman build command supports four intensity levels: lite, full, ultra, and wenyan.
• Running caveman without arguments defaults to full mode, executing the complete lint-test-compile-package pipeline.
• Command definitions reside in commands/caveman.md, while bin/install.js handles CLI registration and routing to the cavecrew-builder agent.
• Use lite for rapid development feedback, ultra for security audits, and wenyan to preview build plans without execution.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the default behavior of the caveman build command?

When invoked without arguments, the caveman CLI defaults to full intensity mode. This executes the standard pipeline including linting, testing, compilation, and packaging without requiring explicit mode selection.

How do I run a quick build during development?

Pass the lite argument to execute only essential steps. The command caveman lite triggers the cavecrew-builder agent to run minimal checks such as linting and quick compilation, skipping exhaustive tests to accelerate feedback loops.

Where is the build command defined in the source code?

The command interface is declared in [commands/caveman.md](https://github.com/JuliusBrussee/caveman/blob/main/commands/caveman.md) with the argument hint [lite|full|ultra|wenyan]. The registration logic mapping these arguments to build pipelines exists in [bin/install.js](https://github.com/JuliusBrussee/caveman/blob/main/bin/install.js).

What does wenyan mode do in caveman?

The wenyan argument activates an experimental mode that generates a human-readable description of the build plan instead of executing it. This helps developers debug and verify exactly which steps the cavecrew-builder agent would perform for a given intensity level.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "instagit": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "instagit@latest"]
    }
  }
}