--- name: vx-commands description: "Complete vx CLI command reference. Use when looking up specific vx command syntax, flags, output formats, or token-efficient forwarding. vx-native commands support --json, --toon, --compact, and --output-format; forwarded tools keep native output unless compact mode is explicitly requested." --- # VX Command Reference > **Quick rule**: Prefer semantic reduction first: `--json` with selected fields, then `--jq`/`vx rg` filtering, then `--compact` for broad logs. Set `VX_OUTPUT=json`, `VX_OUTPUT=toon`, or `VX_OUTPUT=compact` only when you want that default for the whole invocation. ## Structured Output Commands (AI-Optimized) vx-native commands support `--json`, `--toon`, `--compact`, and `--output-format `. Forwarded tools such as `vx git`, `vx gh`, `vx cargo`, or `vx npm` keep their native stdout by default; use the tool's own structured flags first, or add `vx --compact ...` when broad subprocess output must be filtered. ### Project Analysis ```bash vx analyze --json # Analyze project structure vx check --json # Verify tool constraints vx ai context --json # Generate AI-friendly project context ``` **Output fields (analyze)**: - `ecosystems[]` - Detected ecosystems (nodejs, python, rust, go) - `dependencies[]` - Project dependencies - `scripts[]` - Available scripts - `required_tools[]` - Tools needed **Output fields (check)**: - `requirements[]` - Tool requirement status - `all_satisfied` - Whether all constraints are met - `missing_tools[]` - Tools that need installation **Output fields (ai context)**: - `project` - Project info (name, languages, frameworks) - `tools[]` - Installed tools with versions - `scripts[]` - Available scripts - `constraints[]` - Tool constraints ### Tool Management ```bash vx list --json # List installed tools vx versions node --json # List available versions vx which node --json # Find tool location vx search --json # Search for tools ``` **Output fields (list)**: - `runtimes[]` - Available runtimes - `total` - Total count - `installed_count` - Installed count **Output fields (versions)**: - `versions[]` - Available versions with metadata - `latest` - Latest version - `lts` - LTS version (if applicable) **Output fields (which)**: - `path` - Executable path - `version` - Resolved version - `source` - Source (vx, system, global_package) ### Installation ```bash vx install node@22 --json # Install tool vx sync --json # Sync from vx.toml ``` **Output fields (install)**: - `runtime` - Runtime name - `version` - Installed version - `path` - Installation path - `duration_ms` - Installation duration - `dependencies_installed[]` - Dependencies also installed **Output fields (sync)**: - `installed[]` - Successfully installed - `skipped[]` - Skipped (already installed) - `failed[]` - Failed installations - `duration_ms` - Total duration ### AI Integration ```bash vx ai context # Generate AI-friendly context (Markdown) vx ai context --json # JSON format vx ai context --minimal # Minimal output vx ai session init # Initialize session state vx ai session status # Show session status vx ai session cleanup # Clean up session ``` ### Environment ```bash vx env --json # Show environment variables vx dev --export # Export shell environment ``` ## Output Formats ### JSON Format ```bash vx list --json # Output: {"runtimes": [...], "total": 50, "installed_count": 5} ``` ### TOON Format (Token-Optimized) ```bash vx list --output-format toon vx list --toon # Output: # runtimes[50]{name,installed,description}: # node,true,Node.js runtime # python,false,Python runtime # ... ``` TOON format is recommended for AI agents - it saves 40-60% tokens compared to JSON. ### Compact Format and Forwarded Logs ```bash # vx-native compact summary vx --compact list node vx list --output-format compact # Forwarded subprocess filtering vx --compact gh run view 789 --log vx --compact --filter-level aggressive cargo test ``` Compact mode is RTK-inspired: it strips ANSI noise, collapses repeated lines, keeps error-looking lines, and enforces a line budget for subprocess output. Use it after semantic options like `gh --json --jq` or `vx rg` filters. ### GitHub and CI Triage ```bash # Smallest useful status view vx gh run view 789 --json status,conclusion,jobs --jq '.jobs[] | {name,conclusion}' # Failure search with capped matches vx gh run view 789 --log | vx rg -n -m 80 "error|failed|panic|Traceback|FAILED|warning" # Broad fallback without raw-log token cost vx --compact gh run view 789 --log ``` Do not rely on default `vx gh` or `vx git` output to save tokens. Their default behavior is transparent forwarding; savings come from selected fields, `--jq`, search filters, or explicit `--compact`. ### Environment Variable ```bash export VX_OUTPUT=json # Default to JSON output export VX_OUTPUT=toon # Default to TOON output export VX_OUTPUT=compact # Default to compact output/filtering export VX_FILTER_LEVEL=normal # light, normal, aggressive ``` ## Command Groups ### Tool Execution ```bash vx [args...] # Run any tool vx npm install # Run npm vx cargo build # Run cargo ``` ### Advanced Execution Syntax ```bash # Runtime with version vx node@22 app.js # Use specific Node.js version # Runtime executable override vx msvc@14.42::cl main.cpp # Run cl from MSVC runtime # Package execution (ecosystem:package pattern) vx npm:vite # Run vite via npm vx uv:ruff check . # Run ruff via uv vx npm:typescript@5.0::tsc # Run tsc from specific typescript version # Package aliases (shortcuts) vx vite # Same as: vx npm:vite vx meson # Same as: vx uv:meson # Multi-runtime composition vx --with bun@1.1 --with deno node app.js # Multiple runtimes in PATH ``` ### Tool Management ```bash vx install @ # Install tool vx uninstall # Uninstall tool vx list # List tools vx versions # Show versions vx which # Find tool path vx switch @ # Switch version ``` ### Project Management ```bash vx init # Initialize vx.toml vx add # Add tool to project vx remove # Remove tool from project vx sync # Sync tools from vx.toml vx lock # Generate vx.lock vx check # Check constraints ``` ### Script Execution ```bash vx run

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