---
name: "clitest"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "clitest"
version: "0.5.0-1"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/clitest"
---

# clitest(1)

performs automatic testing in command lines

## NAME

**clitest** - performs automatic testing in command lines

## SYNOPSIS

```
clitest [options] <file ...>
```

## DESCRIPTION

Clitest is a portable POSIX shell script that performs automatic testing in Unix command lines. This script was carefully coded to be portable between POSIX shells

It's the same concept as in Python's doctest module: you document both the commands and their expected output, using the familiar interactive prompt format, and a specialized tool tests them.

The **clitest** command searches for pieces of text that look like interactive Unix command lines, and then executes those command lines to verify that they work exactly as shown.

## OPTIONS

- **-1, --first**

  Stop execution upon first failed test

- **-l, --list**

  List all the tests (no execution)

- **-L, --list-run**

  List all the tests with OK/FAIL status

- **-t, --test RANGE**

  Run specific tests, by number (1,2,4-7)

- **-s, --skip RANGE**

  Skip specific tests, by number (1,2,4-7)

- **-q, --quiet**

  Quiet operation, no output shown

- **-V, --version**

  Show program version and exit

- **-P, --progress TYPE**

  Set progress indicator: test, number, dot, none

- **--pre-flight COMMAND**

  Execute command before running the first test

- **--post-flight COMMAND**

  Execute command after running the last test

- **--color WHEN**

  Set when to use colors: auto, always, never

- **--diff-*options* OPTIONS**

  Set diff command *options* (default: '**-u**')

- **--inline-prefix PREFIX**

  Set inline output prefix (default: '#→ ')

- **--prefix PREFIX**

  Set command line prefix (default: '')

- **--prompt STRING**

  Set prompt string (default: '$ ')

## AUTHOR

The CLITEST was written by Aurelio Jargas \<verde@aurelio.net\>.

This manual page was written by Giovani Augusto Ferreira \<giovani@riseup.net\> for the Debian project (but may be used by others).