---
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 <text|json|toon|compact>`. 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 <query> --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 <tool> [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 <tool>@<version> # Install tool
vx uninstall <tool>         # Uninstall tool
vx list                     # List tools
vx versions <tool>          # Show versions
vx which <tool>             # Find tool path
vx switch <tool>@<version>  # Switch version
```

### Project Management
```bash
vx init                     # Initialize vx.toml
vx add <tool>               # Add tool to project
vx remove <tool>            # 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 <script>             # Run script from vx.toml
vx run --list               # List available scripts
```

### Cache Management
```bash
vx cache dir                # Show cache directory
vx cache clean              # Clean cache
```

## Global Flags

```bash
--json                      # JSON output
--toon                      # TOON output
--compact, -u               # Compact RTK-style output / subprocess filter
--output-format <text|json|toon|compact>   # Output format
--fields <a,b,c>            # Field mask for JSON-capable vx commands
--filter-level <light|normal|aggressive>   # Compact subprocess filter level
--verbose                   # Verbose output
--debug                     # Debug output
--use-system-path           # Use system PATH
--cache-mode <mode>         # Cache mode (normal, refresh, offline, no-cache)
```

## Exit Codes

- `0` - Success
- `1` - General error
- `2` - Tool not found
- `3` - Installation failed
- `4` - Version not found
- `5` - Network error
- `6` - Permission error
- `7` - Configuration error