Automating CLI Workflows with Sidekick: Customizable, Debuggable, and Efficient
summary
Shows how to generate a project-scoped CLI with Sidekick, written in Dart, compiled to a binary for fast runs and pinned SDKs, with built-in testing and debugger breakpoints. Demonstrates a concrete command fu that counts lines or characters across Dart files (example run finds 3 files and 94 lines), installing plugins like sidekick_vault to encrypt secrets, and CI use where the CLI compiles then runs deploy commands. Includes plugin creation, local recompile, and unit tests that assert output and exit codes.
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chapters (17)
- 0:00Introduction to Sidekick
- 2:36Why every project needs a CLI
- 4:03Generating your first CLI
- 8:38CLI structure explained
- 10:00Creating custom commands
- 11:49Implementing command logic
- 16:50Error handling and exit codes
- 18:14Testing CLI commands
- 20:23Debugging with breakpoints
- 22:49Using Sidekick plugins
- 24:14Installing Sidekick Vault
- 27:25Managing secrets securely
- 28:50Accessing secrets in code
- 30:19Using CLI on CI/CD
- 31:40Popular Sidekick plugins
- 33:26Creating your own plugin
- 36:57Publishing and sharing plugins
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