Commands

xlflow exposes a Cobra-based CLI. Every command accepts the global --json flag for machine-readable output. Retryable workbook commands also accept --wait and --wait-timeout <duration>; waiting is opt-in and defaults to a 30-second limit. A workbook recovery quarantine is different from lock contention: --wait does not bypass it, and an explicit recovery command is required.

xlflow [command] --json
xlflow [command] --wait --wait-timeout 45s

Use command pages for workflow guidance and the canonical CLI contract in JSON Output.

Command	Purpose
new	Create a new xlflow project and macro-enabled workbook or add-in.
init	Initialize an xlflow project from an existing workbook or add-in.
doctor	Diagnose Excel, COM, PowerShell, VBIDE access, and source GUI boundaries.
attach	Validate that the active Excel workbook matches the configured workbook.
backup	List rollback-capable workbook backups for the configured workbook.
list	List workbook resources. The public subcommand is list forms.
form	Manage UserForms through source scaffolds, snapshot, build, and image export.
formulas	Extract worksheet formulas into region-based JSONL snapshots without Excel.
pull	Export workbook VBA components into configured source directories.
push	Import edited source files back into the configured workbook.
rollback	Restore the configured workbook from an xlflow-managed backup.
status	Show project, source, workbook, and session state in one read-only command.
session	Keep Excel and the configured workbook open across repeated commands.
save	Save the workbook held by the managed xlflow session.
recovery	Verify and clear workbook recovery-required state.
runner	Manage the persistent xlflow runner marker module.
run	Run a workbook macro from the CLI.
export-image	Export a worksheet range as a PNG image through Excel COM.
edit	Mutate a live session workbook for setup and visual tuning.
macros	Discover runnable public workbook macro entrypoints without executing user code.
ui	Manage xlflow-owned worksheet buttons.
test	Discover and run workbook VBA test procedures.
type db	Manage generated TypeLib databases for LSP type intelligence.
diff	Compare workbook files and optionally exported VBA source trees.
inspect	Inspect saved workbook state or UserForm state.
inspect-gui	Scan source for automation-hostile GUI boundaries without opening Excel.
lint	Lint VBA source files for agent-hostile and compile-dialog-prone patterns.
lsp	Start the reusable VBA language server for editor integrations.
fmt	Format VBA source files with a conservative, non-destructive formatter.
analyze	Analyze VBA source for runtime-risk patterns without Excel COM.
check	Run lint, analyze, and doctor as a combined preflight.
module	Create module source files and install bundled xlflow helper modules.
completion	Generate shell completion scripts through Cobra.
process	List and manage local Excel processes.
skill	Install the bundled xlflow skill for AI agent tools.
version	Show xlflow build metadata.
update	Check whether a newer xlflow release is available.