Modernizes the CRE CLI's user interface by integrating the Charm ecosystem #243

ejacquier · 2026-01-31T15:58:15Z

Summary

This PR modernizes the CRE CLI's user interface by integrating the Charm ecosystem (Lipgloss, Huh, Bubble Tea). This is a view-layer only refactoring - no business logic or Cobra command structure was modified.

Why This Refactoring?

To build a world-class developer experience, we needed a better foundation. Our previous approach had limitations:

No terminal ownership: Simple fmt.Print calls can't handle async operations gracefully
Basic prompts: The old promptui library offered limited customization and no modern UX patterns
Inconsistent styling: Colors and formatting were applied ad-hoc across commands
No async feedback: Long-running operations (API calls, deployments) had no visual feedback

The Charm ecosystem solves these by owning the terminal - it manages the view layer as a proper UI framework, enabling:

Spinners for async operations: Visual feedback during network calls, file operations, etc.
Rich form inputs: Tab-completion, suggestions, themed styling
Consistent branding: Chainlink color palette applied uniformly
Graceful interruption: Users can cancel long operations with Escape/Ctrl+C

Key Changes

1. New UI Package (`internal/ui/`)

Centralized styling and output functions:

// Before (scattered across codebase)
fmt.Println("Operation successful")
fmt.Printf("\033[32m✓\033[0m Done\n")

// After (consistent, branded)
ui.Success("Operation successful")
ui.Error("Something went wrong")
ui.Warning("Deprecated feature")
ui.Dim("Secondary information")

2. Chainlink-Branded Theme

All interactive elements use the Chainlink color palette:

Blue 500 (#375BD2): Primary actions, spinners, focused elements
Green: Success states
Orange: Errors (high contrast)
Gray scale: Secondary text, disabled states

3. Spinner for Async Operations

Reference-counted spinner that handles concurrent operations:

spinner := ui.GlobalSpinner()
spinner.Start("Connecting to API...")
// ... async work ...
spinner.Update("Processing response...")
// ... more work ...
spinner.Stop()

4. Modern Form Inputs with Huh

Replaced promptui with huh forms featuring:

Tab-completion for default values
Chainlink-themed styling
Keyboard navigation (Enter to submit, Escape to cancel)

huh.NewInput().
    Title("Project name").
    Placeholder(defaultName).
    Suggestions([]string{defaultName}).
    Value(&projName)

5. Enhanced Error Handling

New helpers for actionable error messages:

ui.ErrorWithHelp("Connection failed", "Check your network connection")

ui.ErrorWithSuggestions("Invalid config", []string{
    "Run 'cre init' to create a new project",
    "Check the config file syntax",
})

6. Graceful Cancellation

Long-running operations (like cre login) now support Escape/Ctrl+C with proper cleanup and user feedback.

What's NOT Changed

Cobra command structure: All commands, flags, and arguments unchanged
Business logic: API calls, file processing, validation logic untouched
Command behavior: Same inputs produce same outputs
Configuration: Settings files and environment variables unchanged

Libraries

Library	Purpose
Lipgloss	Terminal styling (colors, borders, layout)
Huh	Interactive forms and prompts
Bubble Tea	Terminal UI framework
Bubbles	Pre-built components (spinner)

Removed Dependencies

promptui - Replaced entirely by huh

Testing

All existing tests pass
Manual testing of all commands

- Create internal/ui/ package with centralized Lipgloss styles (styles.go) - Add output helpers for consistent styling: Title, Box, Success, Dim, etc. - Implement Bubble Tea spinner with reference counting for async operations - Add GlobalSpinner singleton for seamless spinner across CLI lifecycle - Update PersistentPreRunE to show spinner during initialization - Migrate cre init and cre whoami to use shared UI package

- Add spinner during file generation (copying, generating templates, contracts) - Show spinner during Go dependencies installation - Display dependencies in styled box after spinner completes - Fix Next steps box spacing and formatting - Refactor initializeGoModule to return deps instead of printing

- Add styled template functions (styleTitle, styleSection, styleCommand, styleDim, styleSuccess, styleCode) - Update help template to use Lipgloss styling - Style section headers, command names, tips, and URLs - Improve visual hierarchy and readability

- Add complete Blocks palette constants (Gray, Blue, Green, Red, Orange, Yellow, Teal, Purple) - Use high-contrast colors for dark terminal readability - Style titles/commands with Blue 400-500 for visibility - Style secondary info with Gray 500 (dimmed) - Create custom Huh theme with Blocks colors for forms - Update spinner to use Blue 500

- Add styled title and welcome message using Chainlink theme - Add Bubble Tea spinner with progress states throughout auth flow: - Preparing authentication - Opening browser - Waiting for authentication - Exchanging authorization code - Saving credentials - Show styled URL fallback when browser cannot open automatically - Display success message with next steps in branded box - Update spinner message during org membership retry flow - Update tests to include spinner in handler instantiations

- Add SilenceErrors: true to root command to disable Cobra's default error output - Display all user-facing errors with styled ui.Error() in Execute() - Errors now show with red color and ✗ prefix consistent with Chainlink theme - Internal debug logging via zerolog remains unchanged

- Add SilenceErrors: true to disable Cobra's default error output - Display errors with styled ui.Error() (red with ✗ prefix) - Set SilenceUsage in PersistentPreRunE to hide usage for runtime errors - Keep usage/suggestions visible for command typos and flag errors

consistent styling across the CLI

- Replaced prompt.YesNoPrompt with huh.NewConfirm forms - Removed stdin io.Reader parameter 2. Updated cmd/creinit/creinit.go: - Updated call sites to match new function signatures 3. Updated cmd/secrets/common/handler.go: - Replaced ~25 fmt.Print* calls with ui.* functions 4. Updated cmd/workflow/simulate/telemetry_writer.go: - Replaced fmt.Printf with ui.Printf - Removed unused fmt import 5. Deleted internal/prompt/ directory: - Removed entire old promptui-based package 6. Cleaned cmd/common/utils.go: - Removed unused MustGetUserInputWithPrompt function - Removed unused bufio and errors imports 7. Dependencies cleaned (go mod tidy): - Removed github.com/manifoldco/promptui - Removed github.com/chzyer/readline

github-actions · 2026-01-31T15:58:27Z

👋 ejacquier, thanks for creating this pull request!

To help reviewers, please consider creating future PRs as drafts first. This allows you to self-review and make any final changes before notifying the team.

Once you're ready, you can mark it as "Ready for review" to request feedback. Thanks!

github-actions · 2026-02-02T06:41:45Z

🚀 Preview Build Artifacts

You can download the preview builds for this PR from the following URL:

https://github.com/smartcontractkit/cre-cli/actions/runs/21579792126

Note: These are preview builds and are not signed.

infiloop2 · 2026-02-03T14:10:56Z

cmd/creinit/creinit.go

 		return nil
 	})

-	fmt.Printf("Files created in %s directory\n", workingDirectory)


do we not want this print?

infiloop2 · 2026-02-03T14:11:18Z

cmd/creinit/creinit.go

 			return os.MkdirAll(filepath.Join(workingDirectory, relPath), 0o755)
 		}

-		// Skip the secrets file if it exists, this one is copied separately into the project root


any particular reason to remove these comments?

infiloop2 · 2026-02-03T14:11:44Z

cmd/creinit/creinit.go

 		return nil
 	})

-	fmt.Printf("Contracts generated under %s\n", templateContractsPath)


same q about removing this print if it was intentional

infiloop2 · 2026-02-03T14:16:11Z

cmd/creinit/go_module_init.go

-			return err
-		}
-		fmt.Printf("→ Module initialized: %s\n", moduleName)
+func initializeGoModule(logger *zerolog.Logger, workingDirectory, moduleName string) (*InstalledDependencies, error) {


these changes seem a bit more than just formatting. Just to confirm you've been able to test different cases of cre init manually?

infiloop2 · 2026-02-03T14:26:03Z

cmd/template/help_template.tpl

@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ Usage:
 {{- /* ============================================ */}}
 {{- if .HasAvailableSubCommands}}

-Available Commands:
+{{styleSection "Available Commands:"}}


just to confirm, help has been tested manually for some commands?

infiloop2 · 2026-02-03T14:29:48Z

internal/prompt/secret_windows.go

-)
-
-// SecretPrompt using Bubble Tea
-func SecretPrompt(reader io.Reader, promptText string, handler func(input string) error) error {


to confirm, this library has support for secret inputs?

github-actions · 2026-02-03T19:08:13Z

🚀 Preview Build Artifacts

You can download the preview builds for this PR from the following URL:

https://github.com/smartcontractkit/cre-cli/actions/runs/21643596027

Note: These are preview builds and are not signed.

ejacquier added 30 commits January 30, 2026 08:31

test charm lib impelentation for cre init

26b8410

Style help page with Lipgloss

26ec16a

- Add styled template functions (styleTitle, styleSection, styleCommand, styleDim, styleSuccess, styleCode) - Update help template to use Lipgloss styling - Style section headers, command names, tips, and URLs - Improve visual hierarchy and readability

Add login prompt when authentication is required

744e5de

Fix tests broken by Charm UI changes

ebe0091

Fix cre logout to skip credential check and handle nil credentials

eb5a70e

Modernize cre version command with Charm UI styling

3b0f685

Modernize cre update command with progress bar and Charm UI

137594c

Fix creinit tests to provide all inputs via flags

f56168f

Update the list-key command to use the shared Charm UI components for

214ed37

consistent styling across the CLI

Update test assertions for Charm UI output changes

f2ba1ae

Update the generate-bindings command to use the shared Charm UI

dc83bff

Update the secrets list command to use the shared Charm UI component

4dd218d

Update the secrets delete command to use the shared Charm UI components

a6dde07

Modernize workflow pause, activate, delete with Charm UI

ac70c74

updated styling for workflow deploy, pause, delete and transaction

277e84b

mondernized link and unlink command using charm lib

d76bdc3

updated missing charm console output in creinit.go

30ecbde

fixed build output ui

c32a002

updated fmt.print with new ui that were not replaced

932908c

mondernized simulate command with charm ui output

182ae41

improved prompt behavior with autocomplete and default value

6daa25a

added error helpers

81bbfc9

improved login command with cancellation / escape

bee55e8

ejacquier requested a review from a team as a code owner January 31, 2026 15:58

product-security-plaid-production bot requested a review from leeyikjiun January 31, 2026 15:58

ejacquier added 4 commits January 31, 2026 11:08

fixed logout issue that was not flushing credentials

1856e4e

updated login to remove the esc logic

2b6a6f6

updated secret tests that were failing

e8c8cb8

fixed lint error: unused functions and returns

2d89b8d

anirudhwarrier added the preview label Feb 2, 2026

ejacquier requested a review from timothyF95 February 2, 2026 13:50

ejacquier mentioned this pull request Feb 2, 2026

Adds deployment access management features to the CLI #245

Draft

infiloop2 reviewed Feb 3, 2026

View reviewed changes

updated creinit to use bubbletea wizard

1f992ad

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Modernizes the CRE CLI's user interface by integrating the Charm ecosystem #243

Modernizes the CRE CLI's user interface by integrating the Charm ecosystem #243

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Modernizes the CRE CLI's user interface by integrating the Charm ecosystem #243

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ejacquier commented Jan 31, 2026

Summary

Why This Refactoring?

Key Changes

1. New UI Package (internal/ui/)

2. Chainlink-Branded Theme

3. Spinner for Async Operations

4. Modern Form Inputs with Huh

5. Enhanced Error Handling

6. Graceful Cancellation

What's NOT Changed

Libraries

Removed Dependencies

Testing

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1. New UI Package (`internal/ui/`)