Example: Minimal

The repository’s examples/minimal.py file is the best place to start once you understand the core concepts. It shows a small but practical Klix app with commands, input helpers, output helpers, and custom completion.

Read it after Quickstart and Building Your First CLI.

What This Example Demonstrates

The minimal example covers:

typed session state
simple commands
argument validation with Pydantic
interactive prompts
rich output helpers
custom autocomplete

That makes it a good reference for the “normal” Klix app shape.

App Setup

The example defines a dataclass state model and attaches it to the app:

python

@dataclass
class DemoState(klix.SessionState):
    last_prompt: str = ""

Then it creates:

python

app = klix.App(
    name="Minimal",
    version="0.1.0",
    description="Small Klix example app.",
    state_schema=DemoState,
)

This is the standard entry point for nearly every Klix application.

Command Examples

The example includes handlers that show several common patterns:

plain session-only commands
commands with typed arguments
commands that ask follow-up questions interactively
commands that render markdown or panels

That mix is useful because most real tools need all four.

Interactive Input

One of the best parts of the minimal example is that it does not force everything through slash arguments. It uses session.ui.input.* for user-friendly prompts where that makes sense.

That is usually a better choice for:

passwords
yes/no approvals
structured guided flows

See Input Components for the full component list.

Custom Completion

The example also adds a custom completer. This is the simplest way to improve usability for commands that take a predictable set of values.

That pattern is explained in Autocomplete.

What To Pay Attention To

When you read examples/minimal.py, focus on:

how little code is required to register a command
how session state is accessed directly
how output helpers keep handlers readable
how the example mixes command parsing and follow-up input cleanly

Common Lessons From This Example

Start with a small state model.
Keep command handlers focused and short.
Use validators and follow-up prompts where they improve the UX.
Let session.ui be the main interface for terminal interaction.

Example: Minimal ​

What This Example Demonstrates ​

App Setup ​

Command Examples ​

Interactive Input ​

Custom Completion ​

What To Pay Attention To ​

Common Lessons From This Example ​

Related Reading ​