CLI
CLI reference
Every avo command at a glance.
New here? The short version: avo init to start a project, edit your
docs/*.md, avo check before every commit, avo preview docs/x.md to
look at a page. avo demo and avo tour show you around.
Every command
| Command | What it does |
|---|---|
avo init | Set up a project — docs, config, AI skill, editor adapters (--yes skips the questions) |
avo check [globs] | Validate docs — schemas, references, duplicate ids (--json for CI) |
avo preview <file> | Render one doc and open it in the browser |
avo studio | A Home page of your docs — edit in place, present as slides; the built site is one click away |
avo build | Build the full static site from all docs (--out <dir>) |
avo html / slides / pdf / pptx <file> | Render one doc to HTML, a slide deck, a PDF, or a PowerPoint deck |
avo compare [family] | Every block side by side — the page card next to the same block on a slide |
avo demo [family] | Render the built-in showcase and open it (-s for slides) |
avo catalog | List every block type in the terminal (-p opens a gallery) |
avo tour | A guided walkthrough in 7 short chapters |
avo design [slug] | Browse 106 design-pattern templates (system, AI, code) |
avo block / template | Scaffold a single block, or a whole doc from a template |
avo skill | Print the authoring guide as a copy-paste system prompt |
avo theme [name] | Pick, create, or install a theme |
avo sync openapi <spec> | Generate an API doc from an OpenAPI spec |
avo sync csv <file> | Turn a CSV into a table or chart block |
avo install <tool> | Set up an AI tool — claude, cursor, copilot, or windsurf |
avo mcp | Print MCP setup snippets (--stdio runs the server) |
By group
Author
init · check · block · template · studio
Render
preview · html · pdf · pptx · build
Present
slides · demo · compare · catalog · design
AI
install · skill · mcp · tour
Config
theme · sync
Conventions
- Single-doc commands (
html,slides,pdf,pptx) take-o <path>to write a file, or-pto render to a temp file and open it. - Exit codes:
0clean ·1errors ·2wrong usage. avo <command> --helpshows the options for any command.