# Complete Guide to Archify CLI Commands: Usage and Examples > Explore Archify CLI commands like render, validate, and test. Process JSON-IR, validate schemas, and run tests from your terminal with this comprehensive guide. - Repository: [tt-a1i/archify](https://github.com/tt-a1i/archify) - Tags: how-to-guide - Published: 2026-09-11 --- **The Archify CLI provides eleven primary commands—including `render`, `validate`, `generate:viewer`, and `test`—that allow you to process JSON-IR architecture files, validate schemas, regenerate viewer bundles, and execute the full test suite from the terminal.** The command-line interface for the [tt-a1i/archify](https://github.com/tt-a1i/archify) repository ships as a Node.js binary that processes JSON-IR (Intermediate Representation) architecture descriptions. Whether you are generating interactive diagrams, validating structural integrity, or building the viewer bundle, the `archify` CLI exposes all core functionality through predictable sub-commands defined in the source tree. ## Installing the Archify CLI The CLI entry point is declared in [[`archify/package.json`](https://github.com/tt-a1i/archify/blob/main/archify/package.json)](https://github.com/tt-a1i/archify/blob/main/archify/package.json) under the `bin` field, which maps the `archify` command to `./bin/archify.mjs`. After cloning the repository and running `npm install`, the binary becomes available in your `node_modules/.bin` directory or globally if you link the package. ```bash npm install npm link # Optional: makes 'archify' available globally ``` ## Core Archify CLI Commands The CLI implementation in `bin/archify.mjs` uses Node’s built-in `process.argv` parser to dispatch to the appropriate handlers. Below are the available sub-commands organized by functional category. ### Rendering and Validation **`archify render [options]`** Transforms a JSON-IR architecture description into an interactive HTML viewer or static image asset. This command reads the IR file specified by `` and outputs the rendered diagram to the destination provided by the `--out` flag. ```bash archify render examples/archify-repo.architecture.json --out diagram.html ``` **`archify validate `** Validates a JSON-IR file against the generated schema to ensure structural correctness. This command is essential for CI pipelines to verify that architecture definitions meet the required specification before rendering. ```bash archify validate examples/archify-repo.architecture.json ``` ### Generator Commands The `generate:*` namespace contains utilities for rebuilding project assets and validators. **`archify generate:viewer`** Regenerates the viewer bundle after making source changes. The implementation resides in [`scripts/generate-viewer.mjs`](https://github.com/tt-a1i/archify/blob/main/scripts/generate-viewer.mjs), which compiles the interactive visualization components. ```bash archify generate:viewer ``` **`archify generate:brand-marks`** Produces the brand-mark SVG assets used in documentation and output. This command wraps the logic found in [`scripts/generate-brand-marks.mjs`](https://github.com/tt-a1i/archify/blob/main/scripts/generate-brand-marks.mjs). ```bash archify generate:brand-marks ``` **`archify generate:validators`** Creates the JSON-IR validator scripts from the current schema definitions. The underlying script is located at [`scripts/generate-validators.mjs`](https://github.com/tt-a1i/archify/blob/main/scripts/generate-validators.mjs). ```bash archify generate:validators ``` ### Build Utilities **`archify build:gallery`** Compiles the example gallery showcased in the project documentation. This command aggregates sample architecture files into a browsable collection. **`archify build:guide`** Builds the documentation guide page, processing markdown and assets into the final static site output. **`archify build:start`** Builds the starter page template used for new architecture projects. ### Testing and Diagnostics **`archify test`** Executes the full test suite, including viewer functionality checks, brand-mark validation, validator integrity tests, and release-identity verification. This command invokes multiple test runners, including the golden-file tests defined in [`test/golden.mjs`](https://github.com/tt-a1i/archify/blob/main/test/golden.mjs). ```bash archify test ``` **`archify version`** Prints the current Archify version number as defined in the package manifest. **`archify help`** Displays the help overview listing all available commands, their arguments, and basic usage examples. ## CLI Architecture and Implementation Details The command dispatcher lives in [`bin/archify.mjs`](https://github.com/tt-a1i/archify/blob/main/bin/archify.mjs), which parses `process.argv` to determine the requested sub-command. Unlike heavier frameworks such as Commander or Yargs, the Archify CLI uses lightweight argument inspection to minimize dependency overhead. Each sub-command maps to a specific module in the `scripts/` directory or an internal handler for core operations like `render` and `validate`. The binary declaration in [`archify/package.json`](https://github.com/tt-a1i/archify/blob/main/archify/package.json) ensures that when you invoke `archify` from the terminal, Node.js executes `bin/archify.mjs` with the correct module resolution context. ## Summary - The **Archify CLI** exposes eleven commands through the `archify` binary defined in [`archify/package.json`](https://github.com/tt-a1i/archify/blob/main/archify/package.json). - **Rendering** (`render`) and **validation** (`validate`) handle JSON-IR architecture files. - **Generator** commands (`generate:viewer`, `generate:brand-marks`, `generate:validators`) rebuild project assets using scripts in the `scripts/` directory. - **Build** commands (`build:gallery`, `build:guide`, `build:start`) compile documentation and example collections. - The **`test`** command runs the comprehensive test suite including golden-file verification in `test/golden.mjs`. - The CLI parser in `bin/archify.mjs` uses Node’s native `process.argv` inspection for lightweight command dispatch. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How do I install the Archify CLI locally? Clone the [tt-a1i/archify](https://github.com/tt-a1i/archify) repository, run `npm install` to fetch dependencies, and optionally execute `npm link` to register the `archify` binary globally. The CLI entry point at `bin/archify.mjs` becomes callable through your shell once linked. ### What is the difference between `archify render` and `archify validate`? The **`render`** command transforms JSON-IR files into interactive HTML viewers or static images for visualization, while the **`validate`** command checks the structural integrity of the same JSON-IR files against the project schema without producing visual output. Use `validate` in CI pipelines to catch syntax errors before invoking `render`. ### Which source files implement the Archify CLI commands? Command dispatch logic resides in `bin/archify.mjs`, which uses Node’s `process.argv` parser to route requests. The `generate:*` sub-commands delegate to specific modules: `scripts/generate-viewer.mjs` handles viewer bundle regeneration, `scripts/generate-brand-marks.mjs` creates SVG assets, and `scripts/generate-validators.mjs` builds validation scripts. Test execution includes `test/golden.mjs` for comprehensive verification. ### Can I use the Archify CLI without installing it globally? Yes. You can execute the CLI directly using Node.js by running `node bin/archify.mjs ` from the repository root, or use `npx` if the package is published to the npm registry. The [`archify/package.json`](https://github.com/tt-a1i/archify/blob/main/archify/package.json) file defines the binary mapping, ensuring local execution respects the project's dependency tree.