prefer_cli_tools

Prefer CLI Tools Rule

Reference: foundation/agent_instructions/cursor_rules/configuration_management.md - Configuration management

Purpose

Ensures agents always prefer CLI tools over dashboard/UI access when checking logs, configuring services, querying data, or performing administrative tasks. CLI tools are more automatable, scriptable, and provide better integration with development workflows.

Trigger Patterns

When any of the following occur, agents MUST use CLI tools instead of dashboard/UI:

• Checking logs (Supabase, SendGrid, application logs)
• Querying databases (Supabase, PostgreSQL)
• Configuring services (Supabase settings, SMTP, environment variables)
• Managing resources (users, projects, deployments)
• Checking status (service health, configuration state)
• Installing dependencies (package managers, tools)

Agent Actions

Step 1: Check for Available CLI Tools

Before suggesting dashboard access, check if CLI tools are available:

1. Check if tool is installed:

   which supabase
   which op
   which gh
   which aws
   

2. Check if tool can be installed:

   • Package managers: brew, npm, pip
   • Official installers
   • Documentation for installation

3. Verify CLI has required functionality:

   • Check CLI documentation
   • Test basic commands
   • Verify authentication/configuration

Step 2: Use CLI Tools

For Supabase:

• Use supabase CLI for logs, configuration, database queries
• Install if not available: brew install supabase/tap/supabase
• Authenticate: supabase login

For 1Password:

• Use op CLI for credential access
• Already required for environment variable management

For Git/GitHub:

• Use git CLI for all git operations
• Use gh CLI for GitHub API operations

For Cloud Services:

• Use aws CLI for AWS services
• Use gcloud CLI for Google Cloud
• Use service-specific CLIs when available

Step 3: Provide Installation Instructions