# How to Use the OfficeCLI Validate Command to Check OpenXML Schema Compliance > Easily check OpenXML schema compliance with the OfficeCLI validate command. Ensure valid Office documents with automated exit codes and JSON output for pipelines. - Repository: [OfficeAI/OfficeCLI](https://github.com/iofficeai/OfficeCLI) - Tags: how-to-guide - Published: 2026-07-25 --- **The `officecli validate` command executes Open XML schema validation on Office documents, returning exit code 0 for compliant files and exit code 1 for schema violations while supporting machine-readable JSON output for automation pipelines.** The OfficeCLI validate command provides a robust mechanism for verifying that Word, Excel, and PowerPoint documents adhere strictly to the Open XML standard. As implemented in the iOfficeAI/OfficeCLI repository, this command-line tool enables developers to automate schema compliance checks within continuous integration pipelines and pre-commit hooks. Whether you are validating a single contract or batch-processing an entire document library, the validate command delivers detailed diagnostics through both human-readable reports and machine-parseable JSON envelopes. ## Command Syntax and Supported Formats The validation command follows a straightforward syntax requiring only the target file path: ```bash officecli validate ``` According to the source code in [`src/officecli/CommandBuilder.Check.cs`](https://github.com/iOfficeAI/OfficeCLI/blob/main/src/officecli/CommandBuilder.Check.cs) (lines 12-20), the command accepts a required `` argument and supports the global `--json` option for structured output. The command automatically detects document types based on file extensions, instantiating the appropriate handler for Word (`.docx`), Excel (`.xlsx`), and PowerPoint (`.pptx`) formats through the `DocumentHandlerFactory` class. ## The Validation Pipeline Architecture When you invoke the validate command, OfficeCLI executes a six-stage pipeline defined across several core modules. ### 1. Command Construction The entry point resides in [`src/officecli/CommandBuilder.Check.cs`](https://github.com/iOfficeAI/OfficeCLI/blob/main/src/officecli/CommandBuilder.Check.cs), where the validate verb is registered with its argument schema and action callback. ### 2. Resident-Mode Optimization If a resident server is already handling the file, the request forwards to [`ResidentServer.cs`](https://github.com/iOfficeAI/OfficeCLI/blob/main/ResidentServer.cs) (lines 22-27) to avoid re-opening the document, significantly improving performance for batch operations. ### 3. Document Handler Resolution The `DocumentHandlerFactory.Open` method in [`src/officecli/Handlers/DocumentHandlerFactory.cs`](https://github.com/iOfficeAI/OfficeCLI/blob/main/src/officecli/Handlers/DocumentHandlerFactory.cs) creates the appropriate handler instance based on the file extension. ### 4. Schema Validation Execution Each handler implements a `Validate()` method that walks the Open XML parts and invokes the Open XML SDK validator. For Word documents, this logic lives in [`src/officecli/Handlers/Word/WordHandler.cs`](https://github.com/iOfficeAI/OfficeCLI/blob/main/src/officecli/Handlers/Word/WordHandler.cs), collecting `ValidationError` objects for any structural violations. ### 5. Result Formatting Human-readable output writes errors to stderr (lines 47-57), while JSON mode serializes errors via `FormatValidationErrors` in [`CommandBuilder.cs`](https://github.com/iOfficeAI/OfficeCLI/blob/main/CommandBuilder.cs) (lines 18-34), wrapping them in a standard envelope using `OutputFormatter.WrapEnvelope`. ### 6. Exit Code Semantics The command returns exit code `0` for clean documents and exit code `1` when validation errors are present (line 60), enabling straightforward shell scripting logic. ## Output Formats and Error Handling OfficeCLI provides two output modes tailored to different consumption contexts. **Human-Readable Mode** By default, the command prints a concise success message or detailed error diagnostics to stderr. This separation allows CI pipelines to capture validation failures distinctly from informational stdout: ```bash officecli validate report.docx #> Validation passed: no errors found. ``` On failure, errors appear with specific violation types and XML paths: ```bash #> Found 3 validation error(s): #> [InvalidTag] Unexpected element ... ``` **JSON Mode** When invoked with `--json`, the command outputs a structured envelope containing error counts, descriptions, and document paths: ```bash officecli validate --json report.docx ``` The JSON structure includes a `count` field and an `errors` array with objects containing `type`, `description`, and `path` properties, parsed by the `FormatValidationErrors` method. ## Exit Codes and CI Integration The validate command implements standard Unix exit codes that integrate seamlessly with shell operators and CI gates. As implemented in [`CommandBuilder.Check.cs`](https://github.com/iOfficeAI/OfficeCLI/blob/main/CommandBuilder.Check.cs) (line 60), the process returns: - **Exit code 0**: Document passes all Open XML schema checks - **Exit code 1**: One or more validation errors detected This enables simple conditional logic: ```bash if officecli validate --json contract.docx; then echo "Document is schema-compliant" else echo "Document has schema errors – see output above" fi ``` You can also pipe JSON output directly to processing tools like `jq`: ```bash officecli validate --json presentation.pptx | jq '.errors[] | .description' ``` ## Practical Validation Examples **Basic schema check with human-readable output:** ```bash officecli validate report.docx ``` **JSON output for programmatic processing:** ```bash officecli validate --json report.docx ``` **Exit code verification in scripts:** ```bash officecli validate contract.docx && echo "OK" || echo "Validation failed" ``` **Filtering specific error descriptions with jq:** ```bash officecli validate --json presentation.pptx | jq '.errors[] | .description' ``` ## Summary - The `officecli validate` command checks Word, Excel, and PowerPoint documents against Open XML schema requirements according to the iOfficeAI/OfficeCLI source code. - Command definition and orchestration reside in [`src/officecli/CommandBuilder.Check.cs`](https://github.com/iOfficeAI/OfficeCLI/blob/main/src/officecli/CommandBuilder.Check.cs), utilizing handlers from [`DocumentHandlerFactory.cs`](https://github.com/iOfficeAI/OfficeCLI/blob/main/DocumentHandlerFactory.cs). - Resident mode ([`ResidentServer.cs`](https://github.com/iOfficeAI/OfficeCLI/blob/main/ResidentServer.cs) lines 22-27) optimizes performance by avoiding duplicate document opens. - Output formats include human-readable text (errors to stderr) and structured JSON via the `FormatValidationErrors` method in [`CommandBuilder.cs`](https://github.com/iOfficeAI/OfficeCLI/blob/main/CommandBuilder.cs). - Exit code semantics (0 for success, 1 for failure) enable direct integration with CI/CD gates and shell scripting. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What file formats does the OfficeCLI validate command support? The validate command supports all major Open XML document types, specifically Word (`.docx`), PowerPoint (`.pptx`), and Excel (`.xlsx`). The `DocumentHandlerFactory` class automatically instantiates the appropriate handler—such as `WordHandler` for Word documents—based on the file extension. ### How does resident mode optimize validation performance? When a resident server is already managing the target file, the command forwards the validation request to [`ResidentServer.cs`](https://github.com/iOfficeAI/OfficeCLI/blob/main/ResidentServer.cs) (lines 22-27) rather than reopening the document. This resident-mode shortcut eliminates redundant file I/O operations, significantly improving throughput when processing multiple documents or performing repeated validations. ### What exit codes does the validate command return? According to line 60 in [`CommandBuilder.Check.cs`](https://github.com/iOfficeAI/OfficeCLI/blob/main/CommandBuilder.Check.cs), the command returns exit code `0` when the document contains no schema violations and exit code `1` when any validation errors are detected. This binary return status conforms to standard Unix conventions, making it ideal for conditional logic in shell scripts and CI pipeline gates. ### How do I parse validation errors in a CI/CD pipeline? Use the `--json` flag to output machine-readable error data, then pipe the results to tools like `jq` for filtering. The JSON envelope generated by `FormatValidationErrors` in [`CommandBuilder.cs`](https://github.com/iOfficeAI/OfficeCLI/blob/main/CommandBuilder.cs) (lines 18-34) includes a `count` field and an `errors` array with structured details including error type, description, and document path, enabling automated parsing and reporting in build systems.