# CLI reference

> Every Axx command and flag, generated from the help text of the installed binary.

Source: https://axx.nimbusxr.us/references/cli/

Axx runs acceptance criteria that people can read, written as Gherkin
scenarios, as black-box tests against locally built services: REST + OpenAPI,
WireMock, SQL, MongoDB and Kafka out of the box, extended with packs of your own
steps.

Axx (github.com/nimbusxr/axx, "axxeptance") is a human-readable acceptance testing framework for the agentic era.

| Command | Purpose |
|---|---|
| [`axx run`](https://axx.nimbusxr.us/references/cli/axx-run/) | Start the apps, run feature files, and report |
| [`axx validate`](https://axx.nimbusxr.us/references/cli/axx-validate/) | Check feature files without running them: syntax, undefined and ambiguous steps |
| [`axx steps`](https://axx.nimbusxr.us/references/cli/axx-steps/) | List, search and inspect the available Gherkin steps |
| [`axx explain`](https://axx.nimbusxr.us/references/cli/axx-explain/) | Show which step definition a line matches, or what an error code means |
| [`axx up`](https://axx.nimbusxr.us/references/cli/axx-up/) | Start the apps from axx.yaml and keep them running between `axx run`s |
| [`axx down`](https://axx.nimbusxr.us/references/cli/axx-down/) | Stop apps started by `axx up` (and any left behind by an interrupted run) |
| [`axx doctor`](https://axx.nimbusxr.us/references/cli/axx-doctor/) | Check that this project and machine are ready to run Axx |
| [`axx init`](https://axx.nimbusxr.us/references/cli/axx-init/) | Set up Axx in this project: axx.yaml, its packs, a smoke feature, CI and AGENTS.md |
| [`axx schema`](https://axx.nimbusxr.us/references/cli/axx-schema/) | Print the JSON Schema for axx.yaml or a fixture spec file |
| [`axx docs`](https://axx.nimbusxr.us/references/cli/axx-docs/) | Generate reference documentation from the installed version |
| [`axx mcp`](https://axx.nimbusxr.us/references/cli/axx-mcp/) | Serve Axx to coding agents over the Model Context Protocol (stdio) |
| [`axx skills`](https://axx.nimbusxr.us/references/cli/axx-skills/) | Install agent skills that teach coding agents to use Axx |
| [`axx version`](https://axx.nimbusxr.us/references/cli/axx-version/) | Print the axx version |
| [`axx completion`](https://axx.nimbusxr.us/references/cli/axx-completion/) | Generate the autocompletion script for the specified shell |
| [`axx fixtures`](https://axx.nimbusxr.us/references/cli/axx-fixtures/) | Generate, check and adopt schema-governed fixture files (the fixture factory) |
| [`axx ide`](https://axx.nimbusxr.us/references/cli/axx-ide/) | Generate IDE run/debug configurations from axx.yaml |
| [`axx lint`](https://axx.nimbusxr.us/references/cli/axx-lint/) | Check test-data isolation: values that must stay unique across seeds, fixtures and features |
| [`axx lsp`](https://axx.nimbusxr.us/references/cli/axx-lsp/) | Serve feature-file editing to editors over the Language Server Protocol (stdio) |
| [`axx pack`](https://axx.nimbusxr.us/references/cli/axx-pack/) | Manage the packs this project uses (axx-packs.yaml) |

```text
Usage:
  axx [command]

Available Commands:
  completion  Generate the autocompletion script for the specified shell
  docs        Generate reference documentation from the installed version
  doctor      Check that this project and machine are ready to run axx
  down        Stop apps started by `axx up` (and any left behind by an interrupted run)
  explain     Show which step definition a line matches, or what an error code means
  fixtures    Generate, check and adopt schema-governed fixture files (the fixture factory)
  help        Help about any command
  ide         Generate IDE run/debug configurations from axx.yaml
  init        Set up axx in this project: axx.yaml, its packs, a smoke feature, CI and AGENTS.md
  lint        Check test-data isolation: values that must stay unique across seeds, fixtures and features
  lsp         Serve feature-file editing to editors over the Language Server Protocol (stdio)
  mcp         Serve axx to coding agents over the Model Context Protocol (stdio)
  pack        Manage the packs this project uses (axx-packs.yaml)
  run         Start the apps, run feature files, and report
  schema      Print the JSON Schema for axx.yaml or a fixture spec file
  skills      Install agent skills that teach coding agents to use axx
  steps       List, search and inspect the available Gherkin steps
  up          Start the apps from axx.yaml and keep them running between `axx run`s
  validate    Check feature files without running them: syntax, undefined and ambiguous steps
  version     Print the axx version

Flags:
      --compact         print only what matters (auto-enabled for coding agents)
  -c, --config string   path to axx.yaml (default: search upward from the working directory)
  -h, --help            help for axx
      --json            emit machine-readable JSON (stable envelope)
      --no-color        disable colored output
  -v, --verbose count   increase log verbosity (-v, -vv)

Use "axx [command] --help" for more information about a command.
```

Every command accepts `--json` and prints one [JSON envelope](https://axx.nimbusxr.us/references/json-output/). Exit codes are listed in [exit codes](https://axx.nimbusxr.us/references/error-codes/#exit-codes).