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promptargs 🏴‍☠️

Template arguments for AI prompts.

You write a prompt with blanks (“), and promptargs fills them in.

Review  for  issues.

becomes…

Review src/app.ts for security issues.

That’s it. That’s the whole idea.

Works as a CLI and as a skill in Claude Code, Copilot, Goose, and Bob.

Install

CLI

npm install -g @hivecommons/promptargs

Or just run it without installing:

npx @hivecommons/promptargs help

As a Slash Command / Skill

This repo ships skill files for multiple AI coding tools. Install the(s) you use:

Claude Code:

mkdir -p ~/.claude/commands
curl -o ~/.claude/commands/promptargs.md \
  https://raw.githubusercontent.com/hivecommons/promptargs/main/.claude/commands/promptargs.md

Goose:

mkdir -p ~/.config/goose/skills
curl -o ~/.config/goose/skills/promptargs.md \
  https://raw.githubusercontent.com/hivecommons/promptargs/main/.goose/agents/promptargs.md

Bob (IBM):

mkdir -p ~/.bob/skills
curl -o ~/.bob/skills/promptargs.md \
  https://raw.githubusercontent.com/hivecommons/promptargs/main/.bob/skills/promptargs.md

Copilot: Automatically detected from .github/copilot-instructions.md when you clone this repo.

Quick Start (3 steps)

Step 1: Make some templates

promptargs init

This creates a .prompts/ folder with 3 starter templates. Done!

Step 2: See what you have

promptargs list

Available templates:

  review
    vars:     

  explain
    vars:     

  fix
    vars:       

Step 3: Use a template

promptargs review --file=src/app.ts

Review src/app.ts for correctness issues.
Be concise in your feedback.
Focus on real bugs, not style nitpicks.

Variables with =something already have a default. Variables without will ask you to fill them in.

How Blanks Work

Powered by Mustache — a logic-less template language available in every major language.

A blank looks like this: “

A blank with a default looks like this: “ (promptargs extension)

That’s the basics. You also get the full Mustache spec — comments (“), sections, partials, and more.

Red means “you need to fill this in”

promptargs show review

Shows the template with red blanks (required) and yellow blanks (has a default).

Fill Blanks Your Way

From the command line

promptargs review --file=main.go --focus=security --tone=detailed

Interactively (just run it, it asks you)

promptargs review
  file: main.go
  focus: (correctness)     ← press Enter to keep default
  tone: detailed

Inline (no template file needed)

promptargs "Explain  to a " --thing=recursion

Explain recursion to a 5-year-old

The Fun Part: Arrays! 🎰

Want to review 5 files? Don’t run the command 5 times. Use a comma:

promptargs review --file=api.go,auth.go,db.go,cache.go,main.go

promptargs runs the template once for each value and prints each expanded result separated by ---:

Review api.go for correctness issues.
Be concise in your feedback.
Focus on real bugs, not style nitpicks.
---
Review auth.go for correctness issues.
Be concise in your feedback.
Focus on real bugs, not style nitpicks.
---
Review db.go for correctness issues.
...

Status lines showing iteration progress go to stderr:

✅ review [1/5]: file=api.go    focus=correctness  tone=concise
✅ review [2/5]: file=auth.go   focus=correctness  tone=concise
...

Three ways to pass arrays

Multiple arrays: zip vs cross-product

Zip mode (default): arrays pair up 1:1:

promptargs "Review  for " \
  --file=api.go,auth.go,db.go \
  --focus=security,perf,correctness

✅ [1/3]: file=api.go   focus=security
✅ [2/3]: file=auth.go  focus=perf
✅ [3/3]: file=db.go    focus=correctness

Cross-product mode (--cross): every combination of every value:

promptargs "Review  for " \
  --file=api.go,auth.go,db.go \
  --focus=security,perf,correctness \
  --cross

✅ [1/9]: file=api.go   focus=security
✅ [2/9]: file=api.go   focus=perf
✅ [3/9]: file=api.go   focus=correctness
✅ [4/9]: file=auth.go  focus=security
✅ [5/9]: file=auth.go  focus=perf
✅ [6/9]: file=auth.go  focus=correctness
✅ [7/9]: file=db.go    focus=security
✅ [8/9]: file=db.go    focus=perf
✅ [9/9]: file=db.go    focus=correctness

3 files × 3 focuses = 9 runs. Use --cross when you want the full matrix.

Where Templates Live

Project templates override personal with the same name.

Auto-Magic Variables ✨

promptargs discovers variables from two sources:

1. Git context (always detected)

These variable names fill themselves automatically when you’re in a git repo:

2. Terminal environment (any env var)

Any environment variable in your terminal is available as a template variable. Use the same name:

# If your terminal has DATABASE_URL and AWS_REGION set:
promptargs "Connect to  in "

In the Builder UI (promptargs ui), click “Show terminal env” to see all available env vars from your shell. Click any to insert it at the cursor.

Common useful env vars: NODE_ENV, AWS_REGION, DATABASE_URL, GITHUB_TOKEN, CI, USER, EDITOR, PATH.

Priority

You can always override any auto-detected value with a flag. The order is:

1. --flag=value (explicit, always wins)
2. Interactive prompt (if no flag and not --no-interactive)
3. Auto-detect from environment
4. Template default (“)

Output Formats

Plain text (default)

promptargs review --file=main.go

JSON

promptargs review --file=main.go --json

Status line (for IDE integration)

promptargs review --file=main.go --status

✅ review: file=main.go  focus=correctness(default)  tone=concise(default)

Builder UI

Don’t want to memorize flags? Open the visual builder:

promptargs ui

Opens a browser at http://localhost:3700 with:

• Preset examples — 8 clickable templates (review, explain, fix, test, migrate, security, docs, refactor)
• Template editor — type your template, variables auto-populate below
• Variable table — set values, arrays (comma-separated), and sources (manual, glob, @file)
• Environment panel — git context vars + all terminal env vars, click any to insert “ at cursor
• Mustache cheatsheet — collapsible syntax reference for template features
• Zip / Cross toggle — switch array iteration mode
• Live preview — see expanded output update as you type
• CLI command — copy the generated command with click

Use --port=N if 3700 is taken:

promptargs ui --port=4000

Write Your Own Template

Create a file in .prompts/ with any name ending in .md:

.prompts/buddy.md

Hey ! Can you help me understand ?
I learn best with .

Now use it:

promptargs buddy --topic="async/await"

Hey buddy! Can you help me understand async/await?
I learn best with examples and analogies.

Use with AI Coding Tools

Pipe to any CLI

promptargs works with any AI tool that accepts piped input:

# Claude
promptargs review --file=src/main.ts --no-interactive | claude -p "do this review"
 
# Goose
promptargs review --file=src/main.ts --no-interactive | goose run
 
# Copilot
promptargs review --file=src/main.ts --no-interactive | gh copilot explain

As a skill inside your AI tool

If you installed the skill (see Install), use it directly inside your session:

Claude Code:

/promptargs review --file=src/api.ts

Goose / Bob: The skill is automatically available after install — ask your agent to “use promptargs” or run a template.

Copilot: The instructions in .github/copilot-instructions.md teach Copilot about promptargs when you’re in a repo that has it.

Cheat Sheet

License

Apache-2.0