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system log/2026.05.18
CLIDeveloper ToolsDesign

Zero-dependency CLI design

Both cxsw and csw install from npm but pull no runtime npm packages. They lean on tools already on a developer's machine: zsh, python3, jq, curl, sqlite3.

Why bother

  • Trust — a tool that edits your auth config should be auditable in an afternoon, not buried under a dependency tree.
  • Longevity — no transitive package can break your switcher a year from now.
  • Speed — nothing to resolve, nothing to cold-start.

The cost is discipline: you write your own argument parsing, your own locking, your own validation. For tools that touch credentials, that's the right trade.