Fix: print the docs map on CLI --help (#699)

`impeccable --help` and `update --help` now share one catalog aligned to the docs site, and still return without downloading or writing files.

AI assistance: prepared with Cursor Grok under maintainer direction.

Co-authored-by: Cursor <cursoragent@cursor.com>

cli/bin/cli.js

@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 import { readFileSync, existsSync } from 'node:fs';
 import { join, dirname, resolve } from 'node:path';
 import { fileURLToPath } from 'node:url';
+import { printUsage } from './usage.mjs';
 
 const __dirname = dirname(fileURLToPath(import.meta.url));
 const SKILL_COMMANDS = new Set(['help', 'install', 'link', 'update', 'check']);
@@ -33,23 +34,7 @@ async function main() {
   const command = args[0];
 
   if (!command || command === '--help' || command === '-h') {
-    console.log(`Usage: impeccable <command> [options]
-
-Commands:
-  detect [file-or-dir-or-url...]   Scan for UI anti-patterns and design quality issues
-  ignores                          Manage detector ignore rules, files, and values
-  help                             List all available skills and commands
-  install                          Install impeccable skills into your project or global harness
-  link                             Symlink skills from a local checkout or submodule
-  update                           Update skills to the latest version
-  check                            Check if skill updates are available
-
-Options:
-  --help       Show this help message
-  --version    Show version number
-
-Compatibility:
-  impeccable skills <command>       Legacy namespace; still supported.`);
+    printUsage();
     process.exit(0);
   }
 

cli/bin/commands/skills.mjs

@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ import { createHash } from 'node:crypto';
 import { tmpdir, homedir } from 'node:os';
 import { unzipSync } from 'fflate';
 import { getHookConsent, setHookConsent } from '../../lib/impeccable-config.mjs';
+import { printUsage } from '../usage.mjs';
 
 const __dirname = dirname(fileURLToPath(import.meta.url));
 const API_BASE = 'https://impeccable.style';
@@ -2363,6 +2364,11 @@ async function downloadFile(url, dest, { fetchImpl = globalThis.fetch } = {}) {
 }
 
 async function update(flags = []) {
+  if (flags.includes('--help') || flags.includes('-h')) {
+    printUsage();
+    return;
+  }
+
   const yes = flags.includes('-y') || flags.includes('--yes');
   const force = flags.includes('--force');
   const installHooks = !flags.includes('--no-hooks');

cli/bin/usage.mjs

@@ -0,0 +1,162 @@
+export function printUsage() {
+  console.log(`Usage: impeccable <command> [options]
+
+Terminal:  npx impeccable ...     install, update, detect, ignores
+Agent:     /impeccable ...        every design command
+Docs:      https://impeccable.style/docs
+
+\`impeccable polish\` in a shell is not polish. Design commands run in the agent.
+
+
+────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+Start with /impeccable
+────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+  1. npx impeccable install           From the project root, then reload the agent
+  2. /impeccable init                 PRODUCT.md (and DESIGN.md when code exists)
+  3. /impeccable polish the pricing page
+
+
+────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+Learn
+────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+Getting started
+  npx impeccable install              Skill + hook into this project or user home
+  npx impeccable update               Refresh an existing install
+  npx impeccable check                See if a newer skill bundle exists
+  npx impeccable link --source=.impeccable
+                                      Symlink a git checkout / submodule
+    --providers=claude,cursor,codex,github,gemini,grok,hermes,kiro,
+                opencode,pi,qoder,trae,trae-cn,rovo-dev,vibe,
+                veto,antigravity
+    --scope=project|global            --project | --user
+    -y, --yes                         Skip prompts
+    --force                           Replace hook manifests / existing links
+    --no-hooks                        Skills only; do not install or repair hooks
+  impeccable skills <command>         Legacy namespace; still supported
+  /impeccable pin audit | unpin audit Standalone /audit shortcut (any command)
+  Reload the agent after install. Then trust the hook in the harness.
+
+Iterate on UI with Live Mode
+  /impeccable live                    Pick an element, three variants, accept
+                                      into source. Vite, Next, SvelteKit,
+                                      Astro, Nuxt. Next includes monorepos.
+  From a monorepo root, pick the app first (or --target <app>).
+  Live state lives in <that-app>/.impeccable/live/
+
+Critique with the visual overlay
+  /impeccable critique                UX review in the agent
+  Chrome extension                    Same 61 rules as an overlay on any page
+
+
+────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+Core concepts
+────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+Design Context
+  PRODUCT.md                          Audience, purpose, platform
+  DESIGN.md                           Visual system
+  .impeccable/design.json             Generated sidecar
+  .impeccable/surfaces/*.md           Per-page / per-route briefs
+  Platform                            web | ios | android | adaptive
+  Mode (per surface, not per repo)    Persuade | Operate | Read | Experience
+
+  More than one app
+    Found via package.json workspaces, pnpm-workspace.yaml, lerna.json,
+    or "projectRoots": ["apps/*"] in .impeccable/config.json
+    Child PRODUCT.md / DESIGN.md wins; missing files inherit the repo root
+    per file. A nested git repo does not inherit.
+    --target <app|file|route> on context, live, and doctor.
+    In a non-monorepo repo, --target still selects a nested product.
+    From the repo root with no --target: pick an app, then rerun there.
+
+Config and ignores
+  npx impeccable ignores list
+  npx impeccable ignores add-rule <id>
+  npx impeccable ignores add-file <glob>
+  npx impeccable ignores add-value <rule> <value>
+  npx impeccable ignores remove-rule | remove-file | remove-value
+  npx impeccable ignores clear
+    --shared     .impeccable/config.json (default, commit this)
+    --local      .impeccable/config.local.json (gitignored)
+    --all        remove/clear both
+    --file <glob> --reason <text>
+  In-file:  impeccable-disable | -line | -next-line
+  projectRoots in config.json (local.json can add private roots; !glob hides)
+  Keep .gitignore .impeccable rules unanchored so apps/web/.impeccable matches
+  .impeccable/live/config.json is shared; do commit it
+
+New work
+  /impeccable                         Describe a new surface in plain English
+  Worlds, direction, then build. Replacement looks go through new-work,
+  not polish-on-the-old-one.
+
+
+────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+Automation
+────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+Detector CLI
+  npx impeccable detect [file|dir|url...]
+    --json  --quiet  --scope type|layout  --viewport WxH
+    --no-config  --no-inline-ignores  --no-design-system  --no-advisory
+  Workspace files use that app's DESIGN.md, else the repo root's.
+  Exit codes are CI-safe. Advisory findings never fail the gate.
+
+Design hooks
+  /impeccable hooks status | on | off
+  /impeccable hooks ignore-rule | ignore-file | ignore-value
+  install/update writes the manifest for Claude Code, Copilot, Codex,
+  Cursor, Grok Build. The harness still has to trust it.
+
+Doctor
+  /impeccable doctor                  Context, DESIGN drift, ignores vs live
+                                      rules, hook path, workspace table
+    --json  --fix  --target <path>
+  Flags projectRoots globs that match nothing.
+
+
+────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+Commands          (agent: /impeccable <command> [target])
+────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+Create
+  impeccable      Next-step menu, or describe the work in plain English
+  shape           Plan UX/UI before code
+
+Evaluate
+  audit           Technical quality, P0-P3
+  critique        UX review, scoring, personas, detector
+
+Refine
+  animate         Purposeful motion
+  bolder          Safe design, more impact
+  colorize        Strategic color
+  delight         Small memorable moments
+  layout          Spacing, rhythm, composition
+  overdrive       Shaders, physics, 60fps, cinematic
+  quieter         Too loud, same intent
+  typeset         Type hierarchy and fonts
+
+Simplify
+  adapt           Screens, devices, platforms
+  clarify         UX copy, labels, errors
+  distill         Strip to essence
+
+Harden
+  harden          Errors, i18n, overflow, edge cases
+  onboard         First-run, empty states, activation
+  optimize        UI performance
+  polish          Last quality pass
+
+System
+  document        DESIGN.md from existing UI
+  extract         Tokens and components into the system
+  init            PRODUCT.md
+  live            Browser variants into source
+
+  pin / unpin     Standalone /audit (and friends)
+  teach           Same as init
+  craft           Deprecated new-work alias`);
+}

tests/skills-cli.test.js

@@ -858,12 +858,50 @@ describe('skills install/update: local universal bundle e2e', () => {
   test('root help advertises top-level skills commands', () => {
     const output = run('--help');
 
-    expect(output).toContain('install                          Install impeccable skills');
-    expect(output).toContain('update                           Update skills to the latest version');
-    expect(output).toContain('impeccable skills <command>       Legacy namespace; still supported.');
+    expect(output).toContain('Start with /impeccable');
+    expect(output).toContain('npx impeccable install');
+    expect(output).toContain('npx impeccable update');
+    expect(output).toContain('impeccable skills <command>         Legacy namespace; still supported');
+    expect(output).toContain('Detector CLI');
+    expect(output).toContain('Design Context');
+    expect(output).not.toContain('Full session path');
+    expect(output).not.toContain('Useful command pairs');
     expect(output).not.toContain('skills install                   Install impeccable skills');
   });
 
+  test('update --help is read-only and never downloads (#699)', () => {
+    const missingBundle = join(tmpdir(), 'imp-missing-bundle-699-does-not-exist');
+    const envBase = { ...process.env, IMPECCABLE_BUNDLE_PATH: missingBundle };
+
+    const tmp = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), 'imp-test-update-help-699-'));
+    const home = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), 'imp-home-update-help-699-'));
+    createFakeSkills(tmp, ['impeccable'], ['.claude']);
+    const skillPath = join(tmp, '.claude', 'skills', 'impeccable', 'SKILL.md');
+    const beforeContent = readFileSync(skillPath, 'utf8');
+
+    for (const args of ['update --help', 'update -h', 'skills update --help']) {
+      const output = run(args, { cwd: tmp, env: { ...envBase, HOME: home } });
+      expect(output).toContain('Usage: impeccable <command> [options]');
+      expect(output).toContain('Start with /impeccable');
+      expect(output).not.toContain('Checking for updates');
+      expect(output).not.toContain('Updating the');
+    }
+    expect(readFileSync(skillPath, 'utf8')).toBe(beforeContent);
+
+    rmSync(tmp, { recursive: true, force: true });
+    rmSync(home, { recursive: true, force: true });
+
+    const emptyTmp = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), 'imp-test-update-help-empty-699-'));
+    const emptyHome = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), 'imp-home-update-help-empty-699-'));
+    const output = run('update --help', { cwd: emptyTmp, env: { ...envBase, HOME: emptyHome } });
+    expect(output).toContain('Usage: impeccable <command> [options]');
+    expect(output).not.toContain('Run `npx impeccable install` to install first.');
+    expect(output).not.toContain('Checking for updates');
+
+    rmSync(emptyTmp, { recursive: true, force: true });
+    rmSync(emptyHome, { recursive: true, force: true });
+  });
+
   test('top-level install aliases the legacy skills install command', () => {
     const tmp = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), 'imp-test-top-level-install-'));
     const home = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), 'imp-home-top-level-install-'));