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CLI Overview

The PROJAX CLI (prx) is a full-featured command-line tool for managing local development projects. It provides commands for adding, listing, scanning, and running projects, along with advanced features like background execution and port conflict resolution.

Not a Command Line Person?

Prefer a visual interface? Try our native desktop app with prx web. It provides a beautiful GUI for managing all your projects without touching the command line! Learn more about the Desktop app →

Installation​

The CLI is installed globally when you install PROJAX:

npm install -g projax

After installation, the prx command is available globally.

Quick Reference​

Project Management​

  • prx add [path] - Add a project to the dashboard
  • prx list - List all tracked projects
  • prx scan [project] - Scan projects for tests and ports
  • prx remove <project> - Remove a project
  • prx rename <project> <newName> - Rename a project
  • prx pwd [project] - Get project path
  • prx cd [project] - Change to project directory

Script Execution​

  • prx <project> [script] - Run a script (intelligent selection)
  • prx run <project> <script> - Run a script explicitly
  • prx scripts [project] - List available scripts

Background Processes​

  • prx ps - List running background processes
  • prx stop <pid> - Stop a background process

Interfaces​

  • prx web - Start Desktop web interface (recommended)
  • prx api - Manage API server
  • prx prxi / prx i - Launch interactive terminal UI (beta)

Advanced​

  • prx scan-ports [project] - Scan for port information

Features​

Intelligent Script Selection​

When you run prx <project> without specifying a script, the CLI automatically selects:

  1. If project has "start" but no "dev" → runs "start"
  2. If project has "dev" but no "start" → runs "dev"
  3. Otherwise → shows interactive menu

Background Execution​

Run scripts in the background with minimal logging:

  • Use flags: -M, --background, -b, or --daemon
  • Output saved to ~/.projax/logs/
  • Process tracked with PID
  • Continue using terminal immediately

Port Conflict Resolution​

Automatically detects and resolves port conflicts:

  • Proactive detection before script execution
  • Reactive detection from error messages
  • Interactive or automatic resolution (--force flag)

Multi-Project Type Support​

Supports multiple project types:

  • Node.js: npm, yarn, pnpm
  • Python: Poetry, pyproject.toml
  • Rust: Cargo commands
  • Go: go commands or Makefile
  • Makefile: Makefile targets

Command Structure​

Most commands support:

  • Project identification by ID or name
  • Interactive mode when project not specified
  • Help with --help flag

Next Steps​