CLI Commands

The ez command-line tool runs EZ programs and provides development utilities.

Running Programs

ez file.ez          # Run a single file
ez ./src            # Run a directory (finds main() automatically)

Running ez with no arguments (or ez help) displays usage information and a list of all available commands.

Global Flags

These flags work with ez <file> and are inherited by most subcommands:

ez main.ez -q all           # Suppress all warnings
ez main.ez -q W1001,W1002   # Suppress specific warnings
ez main.ez --no-color       # No ANSI colors

ez build

Compiles an EZ source file to a native distributable binary.

ez build main.ez              # Build (output name matches source)
ez build main.ez -o myapp     # Build with custom output name
ez build main.ez --emit-c     # Emit generated C source only

Flags

ez check

Type-checks a file or project without compiling or running it.

ez check main.ez     # Check a single file
ez check ./src       # Check a directory

Reports any lexer, parser, or typechecker errors without executing the program. Useful for catching issues before running.

Flags

ez fmt

Formats .ez source files in place. Normalizes indentation, trailing whitespace, end-of-file newlines, and blank-line runs.

ez fmt .              # Format .ez files in current directory (no recursion)
ez fmt ./...          # Format recursively from current directory
ez fmt file.ez        # Format a single file
ez fmt a.ez b.ez      # Format multiple files
ez fmt --check ./...  # Check formatting without modifying (CI gate)

Flags

ez watch

Watches files for changes and automatically re-runs the program.

ez watch main.ez     # Watch a single file
ez watch ./src       # Watch a directory

Single file mode watches the file and all its imports (including transitive dependencies). When any watched file changes, the program re-runs automatically.

Directory mode watches all .ez files in the directory recursively. It finds the file containing main() and uses that as the entry point.

Each run prints a timestamp and a separator between executions:

[14:32:05] Running main.ez...
Hello, World!
────────────────────────────
[14:32:08] Running main.ez...
Hello, EZ!
────────────────────────────

Press Ctrl+C to stop watching.

Flags

ez pz

Scaffolds a new EZ project with a template.

ez pz                          # Interactive mode
ez pz myproject                # Create with basic template
ez pz myproject -t cli         # Create with cli template
ez pz myproject -t lib -c      # Create library with comments
ez pz myproject -t multi -f    # Multi-module project (force overwrite)

Flags

Templates

basic — Single file hello world. Good for learning and small scripts.

myproject/
  main.ez

cli — CLI application with argument handling. Two files with command dispatch.

myproject/
  main.ez
  commands.ez

lib — Reusable library module with internal helpers.

myproject/
  myproject.ez
  internal/
    helpers.ez

multi — Multi-module project with separated concerns.

myproject/
  main.ez
  src/
    app.ez
    config.ez
  internal/
    utils.ez

server — HTTP server with routing. Use -s minimal for a single-file server or the default for a multi-file project with separate route definitions.

myproject/
  main.ez
  routes.ez

client — HTTP client application. Use -s minimal for a single-file client or the default for a multi-file project with a separate API module.

myproject/
  main.ez
  api.ez

ez doc

Generates markdown documentation from #doc attributes in your source code.

ez doc .              # Current directory (non-recursive)
ez doc ./...          # Current directory (recursive)
ez doc ./src          # Specific directory
ez doc ./src/...      # Specific directory (recursive)
ez doc file.ez        # Single file
ez doc a.ez b.ez      # Multiple files

Scans .ez files for #doc attributes on functions, structs, and enums, then generates a DOCS.md file.

Flags

Adding Documentation

Use the #doc attribute above declarations:

#doc("greet returns a greeting message for the given name.")
do greet(name string) -> string {
    return "Hello, " + name + "!"
}

#doc("Config holds application settings.")
const Config struct {
    name string
    version string
    debug bool
}

#doc("LogLevel defines available log levels.")
const LogLevel enum {
    DEBUG
    INFO
    WARN
    ERROR
}

Output

Running ez doc ./... on the above generates a DOCS.md with sections for Functions, Structs, and Enums, sorted alphabetically within each section.

ez man

Shows documentation for a stdlib module, function, or struct type.

ez man                # Show help for the man command
ez man strings        # Info about the @strings module
ez man to_upper       # Info about a stdlib function
ez man HttpRequest    # Info about a stdlib struct type

ez report

Prints system information useful for bug reports.

ez report

ez version

Displays the current EZ version.

ez version

ez update

Checks for updates and upgrades EZ to the latest version.

ez update              # Latest stable release
ez update --pre        # Latest pre-release (alpha/beta/rc)
ez update --confirm    # Skip confirmation prompt

Without flags, installs the latest stable release and prints a note if a newer pre-release is available.

Flags

ez install

Installs a specific EZ version by exact semver, replacing the current install. Downgrades and pre-release versions are supported.

ez install 2.5.0            # Install exact version
ez install 3.0.0-beta.2     # Install a pre-release