v1.3.0: Interactive Mode, Direct Execution & Per-Tool Examples

Overview

v1.3.0 is a UX-focused release. The primary theme is discoverability — users should never have to guess how to use a tool or what arguments it takes.

What's New

🖱️ Interactive Arrow-Key Menu

Run axle with no arguments to launch a scrollable tool picker. Navigate with ↑↓ or j/k, press Enter to select, type your args — done. No external dependencies (uses tty/termios/select from stdlib).

⚡ Direct Execution

Run any tool by name or number without axle run:

axle competitor_analysis --urls https://rival.com --target-keyword "cloud hosting"
axle 4 --urls https://rival.com --target-keyword "cloud hosting"
axle content_optimizer --file article.html --target-keyword "SaaS"
axle seo_keyword_checker "my keyword phrase"

📌 Per-Tool Usage Examples

axle tool_name (no args) shows that tool's own examples — automatically extracted from its Usage: docstring block and converted to axle syntax.

🔍 Smart Help

• axle help <tool> — clean default: name, summary, examples
• axle help <tool> --details — full argparse options + function list

Breaking Changes

• axle help <tool> --verbose renamed to --details / -d

Backward Compatibility

All previous commands (axle run, axle list, axle help, etc.) continue to work unchanged.

Files Changed

• axle/interactive.py — new arrow-key UI module
• axle/tool_discoverer.py — added get_docstring_examples(), get_argparse_help(), refactored get_help_text()
• axle/axle.py — interactive mode, direct execution, show-help-on-no-args, --details flag
• All docs, README, website updated to v1.3.0

Axle v1.2.0 - Major Feature Release

🎉 Axle v1.2.0 - Major Feature Release

Release Date: April 12, 2026
Status: Production Ready ✅

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✨ Major Features

🔒 Optional Security & Code Review (Breaking Change)

Security validation and code review are now DISABLED by default for significantly improved performance.

New Command-Line Flags:

axle run <tool> --security        # Enable security for this run
axle run <tool> --code-review     # Enable code review for this run

New Configuration Commands:

axle security --enable            # Enable security by default
axle security --disable           # Disable security by default
axle security --show              # Show current configuration

axle review --enable              # Enable code review by default
axle review --disable             # Disable code review by default
axle review --show                # Show current configuration

Performance Impact:

• ⚡ 66% faster tool execution (~150ms → ~50ms)
• Configuration stored in ~/.axle/config.json

🔄 Built-in Update Command

Update Axle CLI directly from the command line!

axle update                       # Update to latest version
axle update --check               # Check for updates only

Features:

• Automatic git fetch and pull from origin/main
• Dependency updates from requirements.txt
• Package reinstallation
• Safety checks for uncommitted changes
• Version comparison and display

📊 Tool Metadata System

Discover and explore tools without reading code!

axle metadata scan                # Scan all tools
axle metadata list                # List all tools with summaries
axle metadata show <tool>         # Show detailed tool info
axle metadata search <query>      # Search tools

Metadata Includes:

• Function signatures with parameters and types
• Class definitions with methods
• Import statements
• Docstrings and documentation
• Tool contract compliance
• File size and last modified date
• Cached in ~/.axle/metadata/tools_metadata.json

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📚 What's Changed

Breaking Changes

• Security validation: Disabled by default (was enabled with "warn" policy)
• Code review: Disabled by default (was "auto" policy)

Migration Guide

For existing users who want the old behavior:

axle security --enable
axle review --enable

For new users: No action needed - the new defaults apply automatically

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🔧 Technical Changes

New Files

• axle/config.py - Configuration management (152 lines)
• axle/tool_metadata.py - Tool metadata system (650+ lines)

Modified Files

• axle/axle.py - New commands and flags (+200 lines)
• axle/tool_validator.py - Default policy: "permissive"
• axle/code_reviewer.py - Default policy: "never"
• README.md - Added "What's New in v1.2.0" section
• docs/changelog.md - Comprehensive v1.2.0 entry
• pyproject.toml - Version updated to 1.2.0

New Commands (17 total)

• axle run --security - Enable security per-run
• axle run --code-review - Enable code review per-run
• axle security --enable/disable/show - Security configuration
• axle review --enable/disable/show - Code review configuration
• axle update - Update to latest version
• axle update --check - Check for updates
• axle metadata scan/list/show/search - Tool metadata

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📊 Performance Improvements

Metric	Before	After	Improvement
Tool execution (with checks)	~150ms	~50ms	66% faster
Tool execution (no checks)	N/A	~50ms	New default
Metadata lookup	N/A	<1s	Instant from cache

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🧪 Testing

All 17 new commands tested manually:

• ✅ Default behavior (both disabled)
• ✅ Per-run flags (--security, --code-review)
• ✅ Persistent configuration (enable/disable)
• ✅ Configuration show commands
• ✅ Update command (with safety checks)
• ✅ Metadata scan (7 tools)
• ✅ Metadata list/show/search

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📖 Documentation

• Changelog
• Release Notes
• Migration Guide
• Updated README with new features
• Updated website to v1.2.0

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🚀 Installation

pip install git+https://github.com/skpaul82/axle-cli.git

Or update existing installation:

axle update

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🙏 Acknowledgments

Thank you to the Axle community for feedback and suggestions!

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📞 Support

• GitHub: https://github.com/skpaul82/axle-cli
• X/Twitter: @_skpaul82
• Website: https://www.axle.sanjoypaul.com

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Full Changelog: https://github.com/skpaul82/axle-cli/blob/main/docs/changelog.md

Internal Docs: https://github.com/skpaul82/axle-cli/blob/main/.docs/VERSION_1.2.0_RELEASE_NOTES.md