> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.backant.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# CLI Overview

> The ant CLI — global flags and command structure.

The BackAnt CLI is the `ant` command. It scaffolds Flask projects, adds routes and subroutes, and outputs machine-readable JSON for MCP and CI integrations.

## Installation

```bash theme={null}
pip install backant-cli
```

Verify:

```bash theme={null}
ant --help
```

## Command structure

```
ant [--report] generate <subcommand> [args] [options]
```

| Subcommand              | Description                         |
| ----------------------- | ----------------------------------- |
| `ant generate api`      | Scaffold a new Flask API project    |
| `ant generate route`    | Add a route to an existing project  |
| `ant generate subroute` | Add a subroute to an existing route |

## Global flags

### `--report`

Suppresses all human-readable output and prints a single JSON object to stdout. Designed for machine consumers — MCP servers, CI pipelines, and scripts.

```bash theme={null}
ant --report generate api shop --json api-spec.json
```

Output:

```json theme={null}
{
  "status": "success",
  "project_path": "/home/user/shop",
  "files": [
    "/home/user/shop/api/routes/users_route.py",
    "/home/user/shop/api/services/users_service.py"
  ],
  "errors": []
}
```

On failure:

```json theme={null}
{
  "status": "error",
  "project_path": null,
  "files": [],
  "errors": ["Error: Invalid route name 'my-route' (must be a valid Python identifier)."]
}
```

### `--help`

Available on every command and subcommand:

```bash theme={null}
ant --help
ant generate --help
ant generate api --help
ant generate route --help
ant generate subroute --help
```

## Quick reference

```bash theme={null}
# Scaffold
ant generate api <name>
ant generate api <name> --json <spec>
ant generate api <name> --json <spec> --dry-run
ant generate api <name> --json <spec> --verbose

# Add to existing project (run from project root)
ant generate route <name>
ant generate route <name> --mock '<json>'
ant generate subroute <route> <subroute>
ant generate subroute <route> <subroute> --type POST --mock '<json>'

# Machine-readable output
ant --report generate api <name> --json <spec>
ant --report generate route <name>
ant --report generate subroute <route> <subroute>
```