CLI Usage

The ArchLinterNet CLI validates architecture policies and manages violation baselines.

Commands

arch-linter-net [options]
arch-linter-net baseline generate --config <path> --output <path> [options]
arch-linter-net baseline update --config <path> --baseline <path> --output <path> [options]
arch-linter-net baseline prune --config <path> --baseline <path> --output <path> [options]
arch-linter-net baseline diff --config <path> --baseline <path> [options]
arch-linter-net baseline verify --config <path> --baseline <path> [options]

During repository development, replace arch-linter-net with:

dotnet run --project src/ArchLinterNet.Cli --

Validate options

Option	Description	Default
-p, --policy <path>	Path to YAML policy file	architecture/dependencies.arch.yml
-m, --mode <mode>	Validation mode: strict or audit	strict
--strict	Shortcut for --mode strict
--audit	Shortcut for --mode audit
--contract <id>	Run only the contract with the given ID. May be repeated.
--condition-set <name>	Use a named condition set from analysis.condition_sets for Roslyn source analysis.	policy default_condition_set, otherwise empty
--baseline <path>	Path to baseline YAML file to merge with policy ignores.
-f, --format <fmt>	Output format: human, json, or sarif. human and json include a coverage summary (counts + exclusions) for any coverage contracts that ran; sarif covers violations and cycles only — see Output Formats.	human
--json	Shortcut for --format json
--timings	Print phase-level timing report to stderr.
-h, --help	Show help message.
-v, --version	Show version.

Examples

Strict validation

arch-linter-net --policy architecture/dependencies.arch.yml --mode strict

Audit validation

arch-linter-net --policy architecture/dependencies.arch.yml --mode audit

JSON output

arch-linter-net --strict --json > architecture-violations.json

SARIF output

arch-linter-net --strict --format sarif > architecture-violations.sarif

Run selected contracts

arch-linter-net --contract map-core-boundary --contract feature-no-cycles

Unknown contract IDs produce exit code 2 with a diagnostic listing available IDs.

Use a condition set

arch-linter-net --condition-set editor

Condition sets control which #if branches are active during Roslyn source/method-body analysis. Unknown condition set names produce exit code 2.

Baseline subcommand

arch-linter-net baseline generate \
  --config architecture/dependencies.arch.yml \
  --output architecture/baseline.arch.yml \
  --reason "Initial baseline"

Option	Description	Default
--config <path>	Path to YAML policy file	architecture/dependencies.arch.yml
--output <path>	Path to write the generated baseline file	required
--mode <mode>	Contract mode: strict, audit, or all	all
--reason <text>	Reason text for baseline entries	generated baseline
--contract <id>	Restrict to this contract ID. May be repeated.
--condition-set <name>	Use a named condition set from analysis.condition_sets	policy default_condition_set, otherwise empty
-h, --help	Show help message

Validate with a baseline:

arch-linter-net --policy architecture/dependencies.arch.yml \
  --baseline architecture/baseline.arch.yml \
  --mode strict

Baseline lifecycle subcommands

update, prune, diff, and verify all accept --config, --baseline, --mode, --condition-set, and --contract; update and prune also take --output (required — where the modified baseline is written), and prune, diff, and verify accept --json for machine-readable output.

# Add new debt, keep valid entries' reason text untouched
arch-linter-net baseline update \
  --config architecture/dependencies.arch.yml \
  --baseline architecture/baseline.arch.yml \
  --output architecture/baseline.arch.yml

# Remove entries whose violation was fixed or whose contract ID no longer exists
arch-linter-net baseline prune \
  --config architecture/dependencies.arch.yml \
  --baseline architecture/baseline.arch.yml \
  --output architecture/baseline.arch.yml

# Read-only report of new/existing/resolved/configuration-error entries
arch-linter-net baseline diff \
  --config architecture/dependencies.arch.yml \
  --baseline architecture/baseline.arch.yml

# CI gate: exit 1 if the baseline has drifted out of sync
arch-linter-net baseline verify \
  --config architecture/dependencies.arch.yml \
  --baseline architecture/baseline.arch.yml

See Migration baselines for the full lifecycle walkthrough.

Related pages

• Output formats
• Exit codes
• Timings
• Migration baselines