CLI

Commands

Command	Purpose
ink input	Edit one logical line
ink textarea	Edit multiline text
ink theme	Preview and save a theme
ink config validate	Validate resolved config
ink completion <shell>	Generate a completion script

Prompt options

The same options apply to input and textarea.

Option	Behavior
--value <TEXT>	Seed the editable value; takes precedence over piped input
--normal	Start in Normal mode instead of Insert mode
--theme <NAME>	Select a bundled or configured theme
--placeholder <TEXT>	Show guidance while the editable value is empty
--fullscreen	Use the complete terminal and alternate screen

input also accepts --prompt <TEXT> and shows no prefix by default. Inline input uses one editable row, one blank padding row, and one status row. Textarea uses five editable rows plus a status row. In fullscreen layouts, the status remains at the bottom while editing starts at the top.

textarea shows line numbers by default. Use --no-line-numbers to hide them or --line-numbers to override a disabled global setting.

Input removes LF, CRLF, and lone CR line breaks from explicit values, piped seeds, and bracketed paste. Textarea uses LF for its logical line model, normalizing CRLF and lone CR from those sources to LF.

Placeholders are presentation-only and never become part of the editable or accepted value. Input removes line breaks from placeholder text, while textarea preserves its logical lines.

Completion targets

The CLI accepts bash, zsh, fish, and nu:

ink completion zsh

Completion scripts are generated from the same static CLI definition used for parsing. Generation does not open a prompt or access the controlling terminal.

Generated completions include the theme command and nested config validate command.

Output contract

Accepted values are emitted to standard output followed by one output-record newline. Interface rendering and terminal control sequences use the controlling terminal instead. Textarea logical line endings are emitted as LF.

Outcome	Exit status	Standard output
Accepted	0	Accepted value and newline
Runtime failure	1	Empty
Usage error	2	Empty
Cancelled	130	Empty

Enter accepts input; Ctrl-D accepts either prompt. Ctrl-C cancels in every mode, and q cancels in Normal mode.