UpdateBar

CLI and external agents

A deterministic CLI for developers and AI agents.

External agents may author recipe JSON. UpdateBar validates it, stores it untrusted, and gates exact command execution behind user approval.

Open the agent guide See the workflow

Start with the guide

updatebar guide agent

Author

updatebar template recipe --kind npm --id my-tool --source my-tool > recipe.json

Validate and preview

updatebar validate recipe.json --json --explain
updatebar add --from recipe.json --dry-run --json

Import and review

updatebar add --from recipe.json --json
updatebar approvals my-tool --json

Keep generation outside the trust boundary.

AI recipe generation happens outside UpdateBar. Validation, stored trust state, and command approval stay deterministic and user-controlled.

  1. Author

    A developer or external agent creates a recipe that describes one local tool and its command fields.

  2. Validate

    UpdateBar checks schema, supported fields, secret-like values, and command structure before anything is stored.

  3. Dry run

    Preview the normalized recipe and result envelope without writing it to the local registry.

  4. Import and review

    Save the recipe untrusted, inspect every command field, and ask the user before approving an exact fingerprint.

Machine-readable without hidden decisions.

Use snapshots for current state and JSONL events for operations that report progress.

JSON and JSONL contracts

updatebar status --json reads saved state without running shell commands or network requests.

updatebar check --json-stream and updatebar update --json-stream emit line-delimited events while preserving command exit semantics.

Read the CLI contract

CLI and agent questions

Can an agent approve a recipe automatically?

No. Agents must show command fields to the user and wait for explicit confirmation before approval.

What recipe formats are supported?

UpdateBar accepts a single recipe JSON object or a manifest containing recipe items.

Is status safe for read-only automation?

Yes. status --json reads stored state without executing shell commands or network requests.

How does UpdateBar handle secrets?

Validation rejects literal secret-like values in stored recipe fields, and captured output uses secret redaction.

Which platforms have published CLI assets?

Published CLI binaries currently target Apple Silicon macOS and Linux x86_64.

Does UpdateBar contain an AI model?

No. Recipe generation belongs to external tools. UpdateBar provides deterministic validation, trust, and execution behavior.

Build against the documented contract.

Use the CLI reference for command signatures, output formats, and exit codes.

Read the CLI reference