CLI

exo is the authoritative interface to Exosuit state. Canonical project state lives in SQLite (RFC 10180); the CLI is how you read and mutate it. Files on disk are configuration or documents, not a back door into state.

Discovery ladder

You do not need to memorize the surface. exo map is the agent-first entry point for “what should I do next?” (RFC 0080):

• exo map — show the active phase, its goals and tasks, and suggested actions.
• exo map --next — emit a single best next action, preferring repairs when the repository is unhealthy.
• exo map --why <command> — explain a command’s preconditions and effects before you run it.

Commands divide into steering commands, which explain what to do next and why, and action commands, which mutate state.

Output protocol

Every command supports a shared output protocol:

• --format human (default) — agent-first text, including a steering block that reports what happened, what is next, and any perception items (Steering and perception).
• --format json — machine-readable output with the same steering data as a structured steering block, used by the VS Code extension over the machine channel.

Command groups

The surface is organized into namespaces. The groups below map onto the SOAR loop and the planning layer.

Orientation

Command	Purpose
exo status	Snapshot: active phase, goals, tasks, git state.
exo map	Steering: next actions for the active phase.
exo context	Full context dump for recovery.
exo project resolve	Report project identity, workspace root, state root, database path, and runtime paths (RFC 10184).

Planning

Command	Operations
exo epoch	list, status, start, finish, add, remove — the thematic level above phases.
exo phase	start, status, finish, add, remove, update, history — the active unit of work.
exo goal	add, list, reorder, complete, remove — outcomes inside a phase, sized as PER cycles.
exo task	add, list, start, log, update, complete — concrete actions under a goal.

exo strike start opens a singleton high-priority goal in the active phase (kind = "strike"). The legacy exo impl namespace was consolidated into goal and task (RFC 00223).

Decisions and backlog

Command	Operations
exo rfc	create, list, show, status, promote — the RFC lifecycle (RFCs).
exo idea	add, show, list — backlog items awaiting triage.
exo inbox	add, list, resolve — the steering channel for entity-scoped feedback (RFC 10181).
exo axiom	add, list, remove — codified principles, canonical in SQLite.

Verification and portability

Command	Operations
exo verify	Run the project’s verification checks (Verify and close).
exo sidecar	init, link, status, unlink, plus repo {status, commit, push} — bind a repository to portable personal state (sidecars reference).
exo run	Run a task defined in exosuit.toml.

Managed directories

docs/rfcs/ is a managed directory: RFC files have schemas, IDs, and cross-references. Create RFCs and ideas through the CLI (exo rfc create, exo idea add), never by hand-writing files, so that ID generation and indexing stay correct.